No Need to Worry, The Flu Is Just a Bad Cold, Right?

No, the flu virus is, in fact, very different from a common cold.

The main difference between them that you need to consider is quite simple, no one dies from a common cold. The flu, on the other hand, claimed about 79,000 lives during the 2017-2018 flu season in the US alone. Think about this number the next time you think about passing up the flu vaccine shot.

I’m an avid advocate of preventative treatments and it pains me to see how many people do not realize how dangerous the flu is. I sincerely hope that busting some myths about this disease will help keep you and your family safe.

More of the Common Flu Myths You Definitely Mustn’t Believe

• I don’t need a flu vaccine if I’m healthy.
  Everyone needs a flu vaccine because without it, your chances of actually staying healthy are much lower. Leading a healthy lifestyle has little bearing on the situation because you can catch flu from someone else.

• Vaccine can give you flu.
  Stop with the vaccine demonizing because this shot most definitely doesn’t give you flu. While it’s possible to develop mild flu-like symptoms for a day or two after the shot, those should pass fast and without any lasting harm. Dangerous allergic reactions to the vaccine are extremely rare. They are definitely much less frequent than flu-related deaths and even anaphylaxis can be treated if caught in time.

• The flu vaccine protects you with a 100% guarantee.
  Sadly, no, the flu vaccine does not offer a guarantee. But it does reduce the risk of catching the disease and following other flu precautions should keep you safe.

• If you get the flu, you should take antibiotics.
  Antibiotics kill bacteria and the flu is a virus. This means those meds are largely useless unless you get a bacterial infection as a complication of the flu. What you truly need if you catch this disease is a doctor, so make an appointment right away.