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Flu jabs have been in short supply this year, after huge members of the public took up the chance to receive their annual flu vaccine. But some people may still avoid the winter influenza vaccine, because they think it may lead to flu symptoms – including a high fever, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping.
Flu is a common respiratory infection that’s caused by influenza viruses.
The infection should last no longer than a few weeks, but in the most severe cases, it can be deadly.
Those most at risk of serious complications from flu include the elderly, pregnant women, young children, and those with chronic medical conditions.
These members of the public are advised to take up the annual flu jab, which helps to protect against the deadly influenza viruses.
However, some people may be avoiding the flu jab because they think it may lead to actually catching the flu.
But that’s simply not the case, according to Pharmacy2U’s superintendent pharmacist, Phil Day.
The injection is an inactive form of flu, which means it can’t have the same impact on the body as flu in the environment.
The ‘dead’ form of the flu still initiates the same immune response in the body, which means you’ll be able to produce antibodies to protect against the virus in the future.
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Some people may find that they feel ‘fluey’ after getting the vaccine, he admitted.
But that’s more likely to be caused by becoming infected with flu before getting the vaccine.
It may take a few days for the onset of flu symptoms, which is when the body tries to fight off the virus.
The flu jab isn’t 100 percent effective – it’s actually more likely to be about 40 percent effective – but it’s the best defense available against winter flu.
“You can’t get flu from the flu jab, because the injection doesn’t contain any active virus,” Day told medical website Patient.info.
“It just allows the body’s immune system to recognise the virus so it can fight it later, if you are exposed to it.
“If you feel ‘fluey’ after the jab, you might have caught a different virus, or you might have been exposed to the flu virus before the vaccine had a chance to start working – which is why it’s important to get it in the autumn, before the flu season starts.
“We know the flu jab works, but it’s not 100 percent guaranteed to prevent every case of flu. However, if you do catch flu after having the jab, it’s likely to be much milder and quicker than it would otherwise have been.”
Without the flu jab, you’re more likely to develop a number of common flu symptoms.
The most common flu symptoms include a high fever, sore throat, headaches, runny noses, and persistent fatigue.
In most cases, these symptoms will get better by themselves over time.
But flu can also lead to some deadly complications, including pneumonia, heart inflammation, and even kidney failure.
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