Can the flu vaccine give you the flu?

Will the flu vaccine make you sick? Soreness, redness, and swelling where the shot is given, fever, muscle aches, and headache can happen after receiving the influenza vaccine. Does that mean that you have the flu?

Find out in under a minute from Jason Powers, MD, in this Influenza in a Minute video:

Read the takeaways:

• The flu vaccine cannot give you the flu. This is because it is made with inactivated virus.
• You can have an immune response which might make you feel a little achy or tired. If this happens, do not worry. These symptoms show that your immune system is working and learning to fight the flu.
• It is especially important to get a flu shot this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.