It’s the time of year when the weather cools and the rain begins to fall, providing a perfect storm for cold and flu season.
Despite flu season’s annual nature, two misconceptions about flu vaccines and illness prevention still prevail, and health officials want the public to know the facts in order to prevent getting sick.
Betsy Meredith, nursing supervisor for Lane County Public Health, said the most prevalent myth is that people will get the flu from the flu vaccine. Meredith said this is simply untrue.
Some people will experience minor achiness or headaches after getting the flu shot, but their symptoms are not part of a full-fledged flu.
“It’s the immune system revving up,” Meredith said.
The immune system will react to the shot as a means of protecting itself from the actual virus strain.
“There is no research to show that the flu vaccine makes people sick,” University Health Center Medical Director Jenny Soyke said.
The flu vaccine is also available in a nasal spray, which includes the live flu virus. The virus used in the nasal spray is weakened and cannot cause someone to get the flu. The live nasal virus is not provided at the University Health Center but is available at other locations in Eugene.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone over six months old get the flu shot. The CDC website reveals that vaccination prevents an estimated 70 to 90 percent of infections in adults.
College students are at risk of becoming spreaders of the flu due to close living conditions in dorms and constant contact with classmates and the large University population.
Health Center Director of Nursing Sharon Harbert said vaccination not only protects an individual, but everyone they come in contact with.
“It’s sort of a social responsibility,” she said.  
The flu vaccine is available at multiple locations in Eugene, including the University Health Center. Meredith said that October and November are the best months to get the vaccination.
“If you had the flu shot last year, you still need it this year,” Meredith said. “The flu virus loves to change.”
H1N1 is not considered a pandemic anymore, but is included in this year’s seasonal flu vaccination because the swine flu strain is still circulating.
Soyke also recommended that people get the pertussis vaccine. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, broke out in California this season. Ten infants have died from it, making this the worst pertussis outbreak in California in 60 years.
Methods of preventing the flu or common cold is the second area of misconception.
The old wives’ tale of feeding a cold and starving a fever is not supported by any medical research, Soyke said. She said there are four simple things every person can do to prevent getting sick.
“Cover your cough, wash your hands, stay home if you’re sick, and get the flu shot,” Soyke said.
[email protected]