Top 6 flu myths debunked | 4 min read

Written by Dr Yolande Louw, General Medical Practitioner at Intercare Silver Lakes.

Flu season often brings a wave of myths and misconceptions about remedies and prevention. Many people turn to home remedies or information from social media and blogs rather than relying on evidence-based medicine. As flu season approaches, it’s essential to separate fact from fiction. Let’s clarify some common myths about flu and influenza.

Myth 1: Flu is just a bad cold

 “Doctor, I have the flu” is often heard in the doctor’s consultation room. Still, when asked when the fever started, the patient usually doesn’t know. Flu (influenza) is an acute and possibly life-threatening viral disease that invariably presents with a high fever. An airway infection or even diarrhoea may also accompany it. The clue here is acute onset, i.e. within hours. A cold usually develops over a few days and progressively gets worse. In the words of Prof. Robert Green, a paediatric pulmonologist at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital, “call a cold a cold”! Vaccination and proper medical care are essential for preventing and treating the flu.

Myth 2: Antibiotics can cure flu

Antibiotics receive a lot of undue credit. Unfortunately, many believe that an antibiotic will kill the culprits if you feel sick. The fact is that antibiotics only kill bacteria and not viruses like the influenza virus. As both flu and colds are viral infections, it is a disappointing medical fact that antibiotics will not cure your flu or cold. We know that secondary bacterial infections sometimes complicate flu, but taking an antibiotic when you start with acute fever and body aches will not prevent a possible secondary infection.

Myth 3: I can boost my immunity by taking supplements

A very common myth! Despite spending exuberant amounts on supplements, disappointed souls that still get sick may ask: “But doctor, I don’t understand! I took a high dose of vitamin C every day! Why am I sick?” Harvard Medical School published an article on this subject: “How to boost your immunity during flu season”. They concluded that you can’t boost your immunity; you can only maintain the one you have! A healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, not smoking, lowering your stress levels, drinking enough water and adequate sleep, supports your immune system naturally. You only need to supplement if you need more vitamins and minerals through your diet. Although vitamin C is the most commonly used supplement, studies have shown that endurance athletes are the only people who benefit from vitamin C supplements in preventing and even curing a cold or flu a few days sooner. So unless you are training for the Comrades or Iron Man, don’t waste your money. And NO, going to the gym five times weekly doesn’t make you an endurance athlete! The best ways to prevent influenza are to get a yearly flu vaccination, wash regularly, and practice good hygiene.

Myth 4: I don’t get the flu vaccine because it makes you sick

This is the oldest complaint in the book and the main reason patients decline flu vaccines. The flu vaccine cannot cause the flu. It doesn’t break down your immunity or cause you to be more susceptible to other infections. The vaccine contains inactivated virus or a small part of the virus – not live viruses – which is not capable of causing illness. It may also be administered to pregnant women and babies older than six months. Some people may experience a mild immune response, such as soreness at the injection site, a mild fever, headache and body pains for two days, but these are not the flu. Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and others from the flu and its potential complications.

Myth 5: You don’t need a flu shot every year

It would help to have a flu shot yearly because the influenza virus changes constantly. Each year’s vaccine is formulated to protect against the most common strains expected that season. Scientists extensively research which strains will have the most significant impact in the coming flu season. A lot of the southern hemisphere’s data are changed and corrected following the flu season in the northern hemisphere and vice versa. In South Africa, we only have three different strains in our vaccines. Still, some of the northern hemisphere vaccines contain four different strains. Additionally, your immunity from the vaccine declines over time, so annual vaccination is necessary to ensure optimal protection against the flu.

Myth 6: There is something like man flu

“Man flu” is often used humorously to describe when men supposedly exaggerate their flu symptoms. This is a highly controversial subject – it’s long been suggested that men experience flu symptoms more severely than women. Interestingly, this might not be a myth after all! Studies done and published by Stanford University in 2013 found that men usually don’t have the same response to the flu vaccine as women, making them more prone to contracting the flu. Due to a reaction with testosterone, they might also get worse symptoms if they get influenza. In other words, ladies, your big baby lying on the couch, moaning and groaning, feeling very sorry for himself, might feel that way due to his very manly high testosterone levels! But everyone needs to take flu symptoms seriously and seek appropriate care.

Reviewed: August 2024