We are at the beginning of the flu season and you or your loved one may find themselves pondering between a flu shot and a high dose flu shot. Now may be a good time to address the biggest misconception about the flu shot. You do not get the flu from the flu vaccine. That's because the vaccine is not the full flu virus. The virus is ripped apart and specific pieces of the virus, called antigens, are introduced into your body so that your immune system recognizes it. As we age, our immune system doesn't react as strongly as it does in our younger years, which is why the CDC says those over the age of 65 should opt for the high dose flu vaccine. It exposes your immune system to more antigens than a regular vaccine, specifically four times as much. Side effects are slightly more common with the high-dose flu vaccine than with the regular kind, but they're the same types of side effects anyone might get from a flu shot, such as a headache, muscle aches, pain and redness around the injection site. Like the regular flu shot they are not usually serious. Complications of the flu are especially likely to be serious in older people, with those over 65 accounting for more than half of hospitalizations and more than 70% of deaths according to a 2013 study. So flu shots are especially important in this age range.
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