Flu Shots for People 50 or Older

Flu Facts The flu shot will not give you the flu. The flu can be dangerous—even life-threatening. Every year, about 36,000 people die of complications from the flu. The flu is caused by a virus. It can’t be treated with antibiotics. Influenza is not the same as “stomach flu,” the 24-hour bug that causes vomiting and diarrhea. This is most likely due to a GI (gastrointestinal) infection—not the flu. You need to get a flu shot each year. Last year’s shot will not protect you from this year’s flu.

Flu Symptoms

Flu symptoms tend to come on quickly. Fever, headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat, runny nose, and muscle aches are symptoms of the flu. Upset stomach and vomiting are not common for adults. Some symptoms, such as fatigue and cough, may last a few weeks.

How a Flu Shot Protects You

There are many strains (types) of flu viruses. Medical experts predict which 3 strains are most likely to make people sick each year. Flu shots are made from these strains. When you get a flu shot, inactivated (“killed”) flu viruses are injected into your body. These cannot give you the flu. But they do prompt your body to make antibodies to fight these flu strains. If you’re exposed to the same strains later in the flu season, the antibodies will fight off the germs.

People 50 or Older Should Get Flu Shots

If you’re 50 or older, you should get a flu shot, especially if you’re in any of these high-risk groups:

• People with chronic health problems (such as diabetes, chronic lung disease, asthma, heart failure, or kidney failure)

• People undergoing certain medical treatments

• People who live in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities

• Caregivers and household contacts of babies younger than 6 months

• Healthcare workers

Who Can’t Get a Flu Shot?

• People severely allergic to eggs

• People who have had bad reactions to flu vaccination (including Guillain-Barré syndrome)

• A person who has a high fever (the shot can be given after the fever goes away)

What About the Nasal Vaccine? You may have heard about a flu vaccine that’s sprayed into the nose. This nasal vaccine is only for healthy people ages 5 to 49. So it may be an option for others in your family, but not for you.