Catching the flu is an unpleasant experience, and one that can become more serious for young children, the elderly or anyone with a compromised immune system. The best way to reduce your chances of developing the flu is to be informed. All too often, myths and legends paralyze you into inaction. When it comes to the flu vaccine, doing nothing could be life-threatening.

Myth #1: You Can Get the Flu from the Vaccine

There are many people who still get sick even though they got the flu vaccine. As a result of this, there are people who think that the vaccine gave them the virus. This is simply false. The virus contained in the shot can’t transmit the infection. If you got sick, it’s possible that the illness was already incubating in your body before getting the shot.

Myth #2: The Flu Shot Failed You if You Get the Sniffles

Each year the Centers for Disease and Prevention tests the effectiveness of the flu vaccine. On average, the vaccine is effective between 50 percent and 60 percent of the time. The Trivalent vaccine provides protection from three strains of the flu while the quadrivalent flu vaccine provides protection from four strains of the virus. However, there are many more strains of the virus floating around that could cause you to become ill.

Myth #3: You Can Get the Flu from Being in the Cold

Many people believe they can get sick from going out in the cold without proper attire, which isn’t true. The flu isn’t dormant in people’s body waiting to be activated by a temperature drop outside. In order to get sick from the flu, you have to come in contact with the virus. It’s easy to perpetuate this falsehood because more people get sick during colder months. However, more people are sick because more people are coming in contact with the virus.

Myth #4: Flu Shots are Effective for Years

Many people believe the false notion that the flu vaccine works like the vaccine for the measles or the chicken pox. They believe that once they get one shot, they don’t have to get another shot. Unfortunately, they do. There are many different flu viruses and they change each year. Your flu vaccine that prevented you from getting the flu last year may be ineffective against the most prevalent strain of the flu virus this year. You have to get the shot each year for it to reduce the chances of developing the illness.

Many health insurance providers cover the cost of getting a flu vaccination. If you have health insurance, then you should consider getting the flu vaccination for you and your family. Even with only a 50 percent of not getting the flu, you are much better off than if you don’t get the flu shot.