I was compensated by Med-IQ through an educational grant from Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, to write about Influenza symptoms and treatments. All opinions are my own.
Every year for 18 years, I got the flu vaccine. But, I didn’t like it.
As military members, there are certain vaccines we are required to get every year, and the flu vaccine was at the top of the list each fall.
We followed orders, with no questions asked. You got your shots, and that was that. But every year, I would read about myths. I even had family members who would find random things to share about getting the yearly vaccine.
Common Myths About The Flu
While my yearly mandatory vaccine isn’t common, reading about flu myths is very common. There are some myths we all hear every year, and many of us don’t take the extra step to find out if any of them are true. Here are some of the common flu myths:
- It’s no worse than having a cold
- It’s gone because of the pandemic
- Healthy people don’t die or have complications from the flu
Guess what? All of these myths are false.
Making The Right Decision
One thing about myths is that they can hinder your decision-making skills. Once I left the military, I was immediately given the opportunity to decide if I was going to continue getting the flu vaccine.
I have to admit it was a difficult decision. I had to weigh so many aspects of getting the vaccine every year. One big factor was the fact that many people in my family were high-risk at the time.
High-risk groups for complications from the flu include young kids (under 5 and especially those under 2), the elderly (65+), pregnant women and those 2 weeks postpartum, and individuals with chronic disease.
With a 3-year-old in the house at that time, parents and grandparents over 65, and a few family members who were pregnant, I realized continuing to get my flu vaccine wasn’t about me. It was about the safety of my family.
Continuing To Do My Part
Listen, we’ve all had a monumental past 2 years when it comes to our health. While vaccines have always been a hot topic, the conversation has really built up over the past 24 months or so.
One thing we can do right now to help the already overwhelming healthcare system is to seriously research the myths about the flu, and make our appointments to get it once we feel comfortable to do so.
Contributing To The Research
Another way we can help dispel these myths is to share our opinions, thoughts, and findings with trusted companies like Med-IQ.
Med-IQ is conducting an anonymous survey and would appreciate your input. The survey will take less than 10 minutes to complete. Survey responses are shared only in aggregate. Your responses to these survey questions will provide Med-IQ with important information about the challenges you have experienced with influenza treatments, which will help us develop future educational initiatives. Once you complete the survey, you will have the option of providing your email address to be entered into a drawing administered by SOMA Strategies to win 1 of 6 $100 VISA gift cards. If you choose to enter, your email address will be used to randomly draw the winners and notify you of your prize if you win.
Click here to complete this quick survey: Med-IQ Flu Vaccine Survey
