PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE FLU
Protect yourself from the flu is a new campaign to get our Mob into clinics for the flu shot this season.
The flu shot is safe and free for Mob. It can prevent you from getting super crook. The flu shot stops the spread of flu in Community, especially to our Mob most likely to get super crook, including our old people, jarjums under five, pregnant mums and anyone with a chronic condition.
Time to get the flu shot? Book in today!
Find a participating clinic here
This year, to promote protecting yourself and our Community from the flu, we are busting some myths.
Myth one: The flu is not serious
The flu is serious. Most people recover from flu, but some people develop complication including pneumonia, sinus and ear infections, and heart and brain inflammations. Flu is associated with six-fold increase in heart attacks or stroke.
The flu vaccine may reduce your risk of cardiovascular death by up to 50%.
Myth two: The flu shot can give me the flu.
The flu vaccine is an inactivated virus and cannot give you the flu. You may have slight side effects, such as feeling a little bit achy and tired, but this generally only lasts a day or two. There are many other viruses going around in winter, including colds, which you may get at the same time. Those are not the flu, but the symptoms can be similar.
Myth three: I got the flu vaccine and I still got the flu.
It takes two weeks for the flu vaccine to work, sometimes people get the flu before the vaccine is fully effective. This is why it’s important to get it in April or May, well before the winter season.
There are also different flu viruses and not all of them are in the vaccine, which is why some people get the flu, despite being vaccinated. The flu vaccine protects against the most likely flu viruses so it improves your chances of being protected from the flu and helps stop the spread in community.
Myth four: I’m fit and healthy, so I don’t need the flu shot.
Healthy people get the flu too, and it can make you really crook. Getting vaccinated means you will help stop the spread in community, especially to our old people, young jarjums and pregnant mums. It also helps stop you getting REALLY crook.
Myth five: I am pregnant and shouldn’t get the flu vaccine.
People who are pregnant should get the flu vaccine as they are more likely to get very crook from flu than people who are not pregnant.
Being really crook while pregnant can lead to complications in your pregnancy.
Bub can’t get vaccinated until six months old, so Mum getting vaccinated is the best way to protect Bub.
The flu shot protects Mum and Bub and is safe at any stage of pregnancy.
For more information on the flu and flu vaccinations visit https://www.vaccinate.initiatives.qld.gov.au/what-to-vaccinate-against/influenza