6 Flu Shot Myths You Shouldn’t Believe (3 of 4)

Myth #4: Once Flu Season Starts, You’ve Missed the Deadline For Getting the Vaccine

According to the Center for Disease Control, the best time to get your flu shot is around the end of October. This gives you a chance to develop immunity before the flu begins to make the rounds amongst your community. However, this doesn’t mean any particular deadline has passed. During flu season when the virus is spreading, there’s never truly a “bad” time to get vaccinated. In fact, in March 2020 the flu virus was still going relatively strong, which is not typical, but just goes to show that it’s still a good idea to get the shot whether it’s October or January.

Myth #5: It’s Healthier to Catch the Flu and Allow Your Immune System Do Its Job

Getting the flu is never something we should want. Although mortality rates are low, the symptoms can nonetheless be severe and you could be out of commission for as long as 10 days. In worst-case scenarios, it could develop into pneumonia or even cause inflammation of the heart or brain. No matter what the Karen across the street says, vaccines don’t weaken your immune system or disrupt it in any way. In fact, the opposite is true: a flu shot is like a hack. It stimulates the immune system and allows it to do its job without you actually getting the flu itself.