Five Interesting Flu Shot Facts
Published:Depending on where you live, flu season can range from October all the way to May, with peak flu season occurring between January and February. Well, wouldn't you know it, it is February right now, and with record breaking winter storms happening all over the country, you can rest assured that plenty of people are going to come into contact with the flu virus this year! Luckily, flu vaccines have proven to be successful in reducing the likelihood of catching the flu (but have no ability to kill the Coronavirus (COVID-19), but how much do you really know about them? Check out our Five Interesting Flu Shots facts to learn more about these life-saving vaccines!
1) Flu shots work! In unvaccinated adults, 16% get flu-like symptoms, while only about 10% of vaccinated adults do. Vaccination has decreased confirmed cases of the flu virus from roughly 2.4% to 1.1%.
2) The first experimental flu vaccines were created in the early 1930s, and the first approved flu shots, created by US military scientists, were administered to soldiers in World War II.
3) Common myth: Flu shots can cause the flu.
Reality: Flu shots contain no living virus, so you can't catch the flu from a flu shot!
4) The seasonal flu vaccine actually protects against three strains of flu, an influenza A (H1N1) virus, an influenza A (H3N2) virus, and an influenza B virus.
5) Afraid of needles? No worries! Did you know that the flu vaccine can be administered via jet injector, which shoots the liquid vaccine directly through the skin with no needle involved!
