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Stop kidding yourself, you need to get the flu shot

Portrait of male doctor having bad news
You know you need to. Image: Getty

Full disclosure: I’m one of those people who thought getting the flu shot was pointless.

I believe in the importance of vaccines, I listen to my doctor’s advice above all others, and generally consider myself to be in possession of a functioning brain.

But when it comes to this, I’ve fallen prey to some seriously strange logic over the years.

There are a lot of myths out there about the flu vaccine. We debunk them.

“The flu is just like a bad cold!”

The flu has caused at least 25 deaths in Queensland alone this year and 848 people have been admitted to hospital.

It’s estimated that around 3,000 Australians older than 50 die every year from the flu or flu-associated illnesses. That’s more than double the number of people who die in Australia from car accidents.

However, last year the number of deaths from the flu plummeted, with more than 1000 fewer lives lost after more than 3.4 million extra flu vaccine doses were made available to protect older Australians.

“If I get the shot I’ll get sick!”

You won’t get the flu from the flu vaccine.

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As explained by Harvard Medical School: “The flu shot is made from an inactivated virus that can't transmit infection.

“So people who get sick after receiving a flu vaccination were going to get sick anyway. It takes a week or two to get protection from the vaccine.

“But people assume that because they got sick after getting the vaccine, the flu shot caused their illness.”

“I’ll have a bad reaction to the vaccine.”

While you might have a bad reaction, this is quite rare.

The most common reactions are redness, swelling and a short-term headache, fever or muscle ache, the Australian Influenza Specialist Group explains.

If you have a severe egg allergy, you should talk to your doctor as the flu vaccine may trigger an allergy reaction in some instances.

“I’m healthy as a horse, I can fight it off even if I get it.”

It’s a pretty idea, but even if you believe this – why risk being wrong?

You could die if you are wrong.

While it’s incredibly important that those with chronic illnesses get the flu shot, it’s important that all people get the flu shot.

The flu is an infectious disease: if you don’t get the shot and fall ill, you also risk spreading it to infants, older people, pregnant women and immune-compromised people who will have a much harder time fighting it than you.

“I got the flu shot last year.”

You need to get it again.

Influenza viruses change regularly, so the vaccine is updated every year depending on the dominant strains.

Health Victoria recommends having a flu vaccine every autumn.

“I don’t like needles.”

This one is harder to get around. While there are some options like nasal spray vaccine FluMist in the US, they’re generally considered to have reduced effectiveness and haven’t been approved for use in Australia.

But according to the University of Sydney, there is a chance that a vaccine patch could be used instead.

The Micro-projection Array Patch is one square centimeter of polymer embedded with 5,000 vaccine-coated elements that pass through the skin to deliver the vaccine.

“Delivering vaccines with this technology will be cheaper and easier than liquid vaccines delivered by needles because they don’t need to be refrigerated,” said Sydney University clinical school senior research associate Cristyn Davies.

“This would offer a significant advantage in remote locations, including in developing countries where refrigeration to keep vaccines viable is a major challenge.”

But until this technology exists and is registered as appropriate, safe and efficient, those with a fear of needles should arm themselves with strategies to help them get through the process.

Queensland Health suggests that talking to the vaccine provider about the process, what to expect and why it is happening can help, as well as being open about your fears and concerns.

If you need to distract yourself, focusing on another conversation topic and looking away can also help. Lying down can also help fight the risk of fainting, as can breathing exercises.

For a lot of people, however, these methods may not be enough. Needle phobia can lead to extreme anxiety, panic, chest pain, dizziness, a racing heart and nausea.

If this is the case, seeking out doctors, psychologists and therapists to undergo phobia therapy is often the next best step.

“I don’t have the time or the money.”

More and more businesses offer flu vaccines to their staff for free, which means it won’t cost you time or money – you’ll actually be earning money as you do it.

If this isn’t the case for you, you may still be eligible for a free vaccine.

Under the National Immunisation Program, anyone older than six months with heart disease, chronic lung conditions, severe asthma, nervous system diseases which affect breathing, immuno-compromised people, diabetes, kidney disease and children aged up to 10 years on long-term aspirin therapy are eligible.

Similarly, all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, those aged 65 years and over and pregnant women are eligible for a free flu shot.

You can also get a flu shot at your GP, and certain pharmacies like Priceline offer vaccinations starting from $19.95.

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