COLD AND FLU CARE
Myths About Flu Shots — Myth 4
Myth #4: Getting the flu is better than getting a flu shot
Getting the flu is disruptive to your life and dangerous for your health.
Flu can be a highly debilitating sickness, even in otherwise healthy people, causing missed work and school. It can cause a week or more of symptoms such as:
- Fever
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle aches
- Severe headache
- Fatigue
If you have the flu, you put everyone around you at risk for illness. You are also at risk for serious health complications that can require hospitalization.
Getting a flu shot helps your body develop immunity to the flu virus without actually getting sick.
Updated:  
September 29, 2023
Reviewed By:  
Janet O’Dell, RN