FAQs
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Isn’t flu just a heavy cold?
Flu is caused by a different virus to the cold and comes on much more suddenly than a cold does. Getting a bad bout of flu feels much worse and is more serious than a heavy cold. Flu can also cause complications needing hospital treatment, and can even be life threatening.
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Can a flu jab give you flu?
There are several types of injected flu vaccine. None of them contain live viruses so they cannot give you flu. In some people, the jab can cause a slightly high temperature and sore muscles for a few days, but these effects are very mild and soon clear up. Other effects of the flu jab are very rare.
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Should pregnant women avoid having a flu jab?
Pregnant women should have the flu jab whatever stage they are at, because if they develop flu while pregnant they could become very ill, and this could also affect the baby.
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Should children avoid having a flu jab?
Some children are at increased risk from the effects of flu (for example if they are having chemotherapy). Children are also ‘super spreaders’ of flu in school or nursery, so by cutting down the number of cases of flu in children, fewer cases will be passed onto those who might be at greater risk from flu. For 2022/23, the flu jab is offered to all children at primary school, as well as children from 6 months until 2 years old. If your child is eligible for a jab this year, your GP practice will let you know.
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Can flu be treated with antibiotics?
Flu is caused by a virus. Antibiotics only work on bacteria, not viruses. Sometimes people who have flu also develop a bacterial infection, and they may need antibiotics for that. Otherwise, antibiotics are of no use in treating flu.
