Myths About the Flu You Should Stop Believing
There have been reports that this has been a really bad flu season, and even though it seems we're almost done with it, it still isn't over. Here are some myths about the flu you should stop believing not.
- The flu isn't a serious illness. - Just last year, 34 million American's got the flu. 710,000 of those people wound up in the hospital, and about 56,000 DIED from the flu. More people died last year from the flu than have died from the Ebola virus in the entire history of the world.
- A healthy lifestyle will protect you against the flu. - Of course leading a healthy lifestyle won't hurt, but it's not going to prevent it. It's an airborne virus, so even washing your hands frequently can't completely keep you from getting it.
- If you get sick, you can just take medicine. - The flu is a viral infection, so even though Tamiflu is an option, it's effective for everyone and it isn't a cure.
- Flu shots can give you the flu. - It is true that the shot can make you feel sick after getting it, but it's either a bad reaction to the show, or you already caught the virus and just weren't showing symptoms when you got the shot.
- It's too late in the flu season to get vaccinated. - While the flu season is winding down in February, it's never actually too late to get the shot.
Sources - Huffington Post, Fox News