Q. I received the H1N1 vaccine yesterday. I woke up this morning achy and with 100 degree temperature. Do I have the virus and is it contagious? I am 80 years old.
- Gus, Boca Raton
A. If you received the vaccination in a shot, the viruses it contains are dead, or inactivated, so you cannot get the flu this way.
If you received the nasal spray form, the virus is live and active, meaning complications can emerge if you are at high risk for flu or are already sick.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that only healthy people ages 2 to 49 opt for the nasal mist.
The side effects are similar for the shots and nasal spray, the CDC says. They include headache, muscle aches, fever, nausea and fatigue. For those getting a shot, there also may be soreness and tenderness where a shot was given.
If these problems occur, they begin soon after the shot and usually last one or two days.
People who get vaccinated while they have an underlying cold or illness also may encounter symptoms.
Almost all people who receive influenza vaccine have no serious problems from it. However, on rare occasions, flu vaccination can cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions.
Do you have a question or comment about swine flu that isn't being addressed?
Visit our Swine Flu home page to submit your question, and health writer Mary Shedden will get you the answer.
Helping us track it all down is the Hillsborough County Health Department, which, like us, draws much of its information from the very helpful Web sites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement
Advertisement