Flu shot: Myth vs. Fact

The myth that you can get the flu is just that. Like all myths, however, it does have some basis in fact.

The majority of symptoms associated with the flu virus are, in fact, caused by the body’s immune response to the insult. For instance, the fever is caused by the body upping its core temperature because most viruses and bacteria do not function well at temperatures exceeding 37° C. The drainage is the sloughing off of cells killed by the immune system attacking the lining of the throat to destroy cells hijacked by the virus for reproduction.

So, while you cannot get the flu from the vaccine, one can find himself with all the signs and symptoms, albeit for a far shorter time than if one actually had the flu. If, due to your field of employment, your immune system  regularly attacks small animals in your backyard, the immune response to the vaccine can be particularly violent.

It makes for a long weekend.