Myth #1: Influenza is merely a nuisance.

Wrong. Influenza is a major cause of illness and death in the United States and leads to an average of about 36,000 deaths and 114,000 hospitalizations per year.

Myth #2: Flu shots cause the flu.

Wrong. The licensed injectable flu vaccine used in the United States, which is made from inactivated or killed flu viruses, cannot cause the flu and does not cause flu illness.

Myth #3: Flu vaccine doesn't work.

Not exactly. When the viruses in the vaccine and circulating viruses are similar, the flu shot is very effective. There are several reasons why people think influenza vaccine doesn't work. People who have gotten a flu vaccination may then get sick from a different virus that causes respiratory illness but is mistaken for flu; the flu shot only prevents illness caused by the influenza virus. In addition, protection from the vaccine is not 100%. Studies of healthy young adults have shown flu vaccine to be 70% to 90% effective in preventing the flu. In the elderly and those with certain long-term medical conditions, the flu shot is often less effective in preventing illness. However, in the elderly, flu vaccine is very effective in reducing hospitalizations and death from flu-related causes.

Myth #4: There is no need to get a flu vaccine every year.

Wrong. The flu viruses are constantly changing. Generally, new influenza virus strains circulate every flu season, so the vaccine is changed each year.