B. False. Because there’s a new strain of the flu every year, the flu vaccine is not 100% effective. However, that means that even if you get the flu (and you’ve gotten your flu shot), the symptoms will be milder.
B. Virus. There are two types of viruses that affect humans — influenza viruses A and B. These two are behind the seasonal flu.
A. 5-7 days. According to the CDC, people generally stop being contagious 5-7 days after the illness begins.
B. False. The flu vaccine is made with inactive or “killed” viruses, which means they cannot infect cells. This myth probably arose from the fact that you can still catch the flu even if you’ve been vaccinated. Or from the fact that the flu virus doesn’t start working for two weeks, which means you can catch the flu during that time.
D. All of the above. The flu infects millions and kills tens of thousands of people every year. Some people have underlying health conditions that preclude them from getting a flu shot. It’s up to us healthy folks to get our flu shots and reduce transmission, for everyone’s protection.
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