You are here:

Boost Your Flu IQ

According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, more than 43 percent of Americans said they weren’t going to get vaccinated for the flu. To help you stay on the safe side of such statistics, Target’s chief medical director and father of three, Dr. Joshua Riff, tackles five flu myths.

Myth: The flu shot can give you the flu.
Truth: A flu shot contains dead or inactive viruses needed to prime your body to fight an infection but these viruses are not contagious. Some people may experience side effects or coincidentally catch a cold after being vaccinated but you cannot get influenza from the flu shot.

Myth: Only the young or the elderly need to get vaccinated for the flu.
Truth: Everyone can benefit from the flu vaccine. Those in high-risk categories are more susceptible to serious consequences from the flu but everyone plays a role in protecting the community by getting vaccinated.

Myth: You must be vaccinated before November for the flu shot to be effective.
Truth: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting the flu shot as soon as it’s available. While it’s best to get vaccinated early, it’s never too late.

Myth: I don’t need the vaccine because I’ve already had the flu.
Truth: Each year, there are at least two strains of influenza that circulate. You can be infected with one type and subsequently get the other. In other cases, you might think you had influenza but you really just had a cold.

Myth: Eating oranges will protect me from the flu.
Truth: Many studies have evaluated the role vitamin C has on the immune system. Most concluded that taking vitamin C does not decrease your risk of getting sick. The bottom line: Vitamin C can’t hurt but getting vaccinated is key to preventing the flu.

If you think the flu is something to sneeze at, think again. The CDC reports that 36,000 people die annually from the flu and it causes more than 200,000 hospitalizations. Fortunately, it can be easy to protect yourself. You can get vaccinated at any Target Pharmacy, no appointment necessary.

One lucky Mom Central reader will win a Target Cold & Flu package containing hand sanitizer, anti-viral tissues, Lysol anti-bacterial wipes, and much more. To enter, leave a comment below by Monday, November 28 telling us what you plan to do to keep yourself and your family healthy during this cold and flu season. The winner will be selected randomly and notified by email.

Disclosure: Mom Central received a Cold & Flu package courtesy of Target to facilitate this giveaway.

148 Comments

We're germophobes here so we

We're germophobes here so we wash up and sanitize our hands all the time. We also make sure to drink plenty of water, get plenty of sleep and eat a good healthy diet so our bodies are ready to fight off the germs.
Seems to work as we hardly ever get sick here!

We all got flu shots because

We all got flu shots because I have a new baby. My son is in school so hand washing is vital.

Hand washing, avoiding large

Hand washing, avoiding large crowded public spaces, vitamin C and the flu shot are how we try to stay healthy!

We wash our hands regularly.

We wash our hands regularly. Wipe down banisters, doorknobs and toys very frequently. We change our pillowcases and hand towels regularly and replace toothbrushes after any illness. Of course, maintaining a healthy diet, including exercise is most important!

I always encourage my family

I always encourage my family to wash their hands properly!

This would be a great way to

This would be a great way to keep my family healthy this flu and cold season!

I'm not one of those moms

I'm not one of those moms that worries over every little germ, but during flu season I do tighten up a little bit. We always hand wash but I do make the kids do it a little more often. I wipe door handles a lot more. Love the Lysol wipes for this! Make sure they have their sanitizer bottles full at school. We all got flu shots or sprays already

get flu shots

get flu shots

i plan to keep us healthy by

i plan to keep us healthy by making sure we get plenty of rest, plenty of fluids, and wash our hands regularly

Get your flu shot but live

Get your flu shot but live well.....eat well, get exercise outside,drink plenty of water, sleep well, and stay away from sick people. Use tissues you can discard instead of sneezing on you sleeve and sitting next to me to spread the germs!! Don't be obsessed with meds.

We'll try to stay away from

We'll try to stay away from people who are sick if possible and use homeopathic rememdies for prevention and treatment.

My friend got the shot this

My friend got the shot this year, and so did her kids. One of the 2 got really ill, and I got the flu after watching him. I will not get the shot because I know of so many that have gotten sick from these shots. One friend almost died from the shot. I think that there is so much we dont know from shots that it is not worth risking my health.

Wash hands!! Use a cart cover

Wash hands!! Use a cart cover on the shopping cart

Remember to get a new

Remember to get a new toothbrush after having the flu

hand washing and lysol

hand washing and lysol

A lot of fruits & veggies. I

A lot of fruits & veggies. I try to make sure we all take Vit C supplements too.

First off we have all gotten

First off we have all gotten our flu shots! We will be constantly washing our hands. I have sent hand sanitizer with my kids and husband to use throughout the day. I also myself have a bottle that I usually refill at least once a day! Cleaning and disinfecting the house often is an important thing in my house. Taking vitamins and trying to eat healthy are also going on.

All of us take daily vitamins

All of us take daily vitamins and extra vitamin c, we wash our hands all the time and keep hand sanitizer close. I also clean with the lysol and clorox wipes to make sure everything stays nice and clean

we plan to stay healthy by

we plan to stay healthy by hand washing, using hand sanitizers a lot and making sure we take out supplements like a daily dose of echinacea and golden seal to prevent colds . also during the winter months we cook with a lot of shiitake mushrooms they are great to help prevent colds. I also buy a lot of Lysol to spray on door knobs and other contact surfaces

I plan to keep my family

I plan to keep my family healthy by using a lot of hand sanitizer and wiping down the carts at the grocery stores. Also teaching my kids to cough in their sleeve and not in their hands.

hand washing and sanitizing

hand washing and sanitizing all the surfaces in the house are a big one for us. So easy to forget what all has "germs" on it!

WE are going to eat well,

WE are going to eat well, stay hydrated and use hand sanitizer as much as possible to stay well!

We wash hands alot in this

We wash hands alot in this house. Living on a farm means lots of hand washing, and sanitizing lotion!
The boys take vitamins every day, and during the cold and flu season I supplement that with vitamin C also. They eat lots of fruits and veggies. Other than that we don't do a whole lot more. We rarely get sick, and when we do, it's straight to bed for a couple of days to get it gone quick!

Recv'd our flu shot, plenty

Recv'd our flu shot, plenty of fluids and frequent handwashing.

We plan on eating our fruits

We plan on eating our fruits and veggies and keeping our hands clean! Hand sanitizer is our friend ;)

we all (well all of us that

we all (well all of us that were old enough) got vacinnated. We also eat healthy

We make hand washing a

We make hand washing a priority and make sure to keep a healthy diet and sleep routine during cold season.

I keep my family healthy by

I keep my family healthy by keeping them away from people that I know are sick, make sure they get plenty of exercise & healthy food to help boost their immune system, and LOTS of handwashing!

ruthie.joyce1@gmail.com

We'll try to stay healthy by

We'll try to stay healthy by washing our hands, covering our coughs and sneezes, and trying to stay healthy by eating right and exercising!

I'm go into keep stressing to

I'm go into keep stressing to them the importance of washing their hands with soap and water. Also keep hand sanitizer bottles around the house and in the car.

i feed my family a good diet

i feed my family a good diet and dress the for the weather

My family will eat healthier

My family will eat healthier take our vitamins and excercise together

Our family practices great

Our family practices great oral care along with excellent handwashing. We eat and drink healthy choices and stay hydrated!

Frequently wash hands!

Frequently wash hands!

Flu shots, lots of

Flu shots, lots of hand-washing, and LOTS of hand sanitizer!!

Flu shots, exercise during

Flu shots, exercise during this busy time and eating right.

Flu shots and hand washing.

Flu shots and hand washing.

We will be washing hands

We will be washing hands frequently, using our own water bottles instead of the drinking fountains, taking vitamins and eating as healthy as possible.

I plan on stocking my

I plan on stocking my medicine cabinet.

My husband and I take

My husband and I take Emergen-C when we are around our sniffling grandkids or are headed somewhere there is a crowd, like a movie theater.

tmyoung at rochester dot rr dot com

Flu shots, healthy food,

Flu shots, healthy food, water... wiping down shopping carts and using hand sanitizer!

We keep a ton of

We keep a ton of antibacterial gel around!

I already received the 2 in 1

I already received the 2 in 1 flu shot and will get my kiddos the shot as soon as we get to their pediatrician visit. Other than that just taking care of ourselves through eating and drinking properly for the season!

I plan on getting

I plan on getting vaccinations for my family. Also always washing our hands with ANTIMICROBIAL soap!

washing hands, lots of

washing hands, lots of vitamins and good eating, disinfecting knobs, light switches, phones!

We have gotten our flu shots

We have gotten our flu shots and i have been keeping the house sanitized and make sure everyone washes hands and covers up when a cold seems to be coming on.

I try to keep us hydrated

I try to keep us hydrated with lots of water, wash hands and get plenty of rest

I plan on making sure that

I plan on making sure that everyone drinks plenty of water and eat healthy and take preventive measures away from home by using sanitizer to stay germ free

I plan on making sure my

I plan on making sure my family has plenty of rest during cold & flu season. I also plan on making sure they eat plenty of healthy fruits & vegetables. Lastly, I'm going to make sure they wash their hands frequently to help cut down on the transmittal of germs.

I plan to wash hands often,

I plan to wash hands often, use hand sanitizer and take daily vitamins.

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
By submitting this form, you accept the Mollom privacy policy.