By Sara Diamond
Anchor / Medical Reporter / WJHL
Published: January 7, 2010

I wanted to talk a little bit about the flu.  Yes, flu season is still going, and there is still time to get your flu shot.

I was looking on WebMD (a site I check on a regular basis) and saw a list of myths about the flu.  I will run down the list here, and provide the link to the WebMD story so you can check out a detailed explanation of each.

Flu Myths:
1. The seasonal flu vaccine protects against swine flu (H1N1).
2. Seasonal flu is annoying but harmless.
3. H1N1 is transmitted by pork products.
4. The flu vaccine can give you the flu.
5. There is no treatment for the flu.
6. Antibiotics can fight the flu.
7. The flu is only dangerous for the elderly.
8. “Stomach flu” is a form of influenza. How many times have we heard, “ooohhh…I have the stomach flu!“
9. If you get the flu, you can’t get it again during that flu season.
10. If you’re young and healthy, you don’t have to worry about getting a vaccine.
11. You can skip years between flu vaccinations.
12. Vaccines are dangerous.
13. Cold weather causes flu.
14. If you haven’t gotten the seasonal flu vaccine by November, there’s no point in getting vaccinated.

Please go to WebMD for a detailed explanation of all of these flu myths.