New Study Unveils Truth: Does the Flu Shot Increase Your Infection Risk?
Understanding the effectiveness of the flu shot is crucial, especially in light of recent studies that have sparked discussions regarding vaccine skepticism. A new Cleveland Clinic study suggests higher flu rates in vaccinated individuals compared to unvaccinated ones, but experts stress that the findings may be misleading due to testing bias. This article explores the implications of this research while emphasizing the importance of getting vaccinated against the flu.
According to the findings released on April 4 on the preprint server medRxiv, which has not undergone peer review, more than 53,000 Cleveland Clinic employees participated in the study. Amazingly, 82% of these employees were vaccinated, and the study concluded that vaccinated individuals had a 27% higher risk of testing positive for the flu compared to their unvaccinated counterparts.
While this study has generated significant buzz and skepticism around flu vaccination, especially with claims such as “GET THE SHOT GET THE DISEASE!” circulating on social media, experts strongly refute this notion. They explain that the flu shot does not cause influenza. The Cleveland Clinic asserted that, “results do not suggest that vaccination increases the risk of flu.”
Can the Flu Shot Give You the Flu?
Experts have reiterated that the flu vaccine is composed of an inactivated form of the virus, meaning it cannot replicate or cause illness. According to Geeta Sood, MD, a hospital epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, “the essential parts of the virus are not there. The virus cannot replicate. So, you cannot get influenza from the vaccine.”
What Do the Findings Suggest?
The Cleveland Clinic states that its study implies, “the effectiveness of this season’s vaccine in preventing influenza may have been limited in relatively healthy healthcare workers.” However, two significant limitations could impact these findings:
- Preprint Status: The study has not yet been peer-reviewed. Shira Doron, MD, chief infection control officer at Tufts Medicine, noted, “Often preprints don’t turn into manuscripts… sometimes the conclusions change dramatically from preprint to peer-reviewed.”
- Testing Bias: The study relied on positive test results to measure effectiveness. Sood explained, “It’s highly likely that somebody who chooses not to get vaccinated may also choose not to get tested or go to a doctor.”
These confounding factors make it challenging to conclude the findings definitively. Jeffrey S. Morris, PhD, director of the Division of Biostatistics at the Perelman School of Medicine, also analyzed the results, discovering that vaccinated individuals were 27% more likely to test for flu compared to unvaccinated individuals, highlighting the complexities involved.
Should You Still Get a Flu Shot This Fall?
Yes, you should get the flu vaccine this fall. Experts agree that even if the vaccine has limited effectiveness in preventing the disease, it plays a crucial role in protecting against severe illness. The primary purpose of the flu shot is not merely to prevent contracting the flu but to reduce hospitalization and death rates associated with the disease.
According to Doron, the flu virus mutates extensively each year, which can affect the vaccine’s effectiveness if the strain matches poorly with circulating variants. She elaborated, “Because influenza mutates so much from year to year, we have different success rates from year to year in the efficacy of that vaccine.”
The Cleveland Clinic emphasized that their study did not account for severe illness or hospitalization, areas where vaccines have historically shown effectiveness. Doron stressed, “We need people to understand that it’s to prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death.”
In light of this information, it’s essential for individuals, especially those over six months old, to consider getting vaccinated against influenza this season. According to experts, it remains a vital measure to prevent serious health complications and save lives during flu season.
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