(WKYT) -- For today's Good Question, Corey asks: I've only gotten the flu shot twice, and those were the only two years that I've gotten the flu really bad. I'm scared to get it now. My question is, can getting the flu shot increase the chances of getting the flu in some people? I get all the other vaccines but shy away from the flu vaccine.
According to multiple medical experts, the flu vaccine cannot give you the flu.
If you have symptoms after getting the vaccine, there are a few possibilities.
Harvard Health says the flu shot is made from an inactivated virus that can't transmit infection.
John Hopkins Medicine says the same thing. They also say it can take one to two weeks for the flu vaccine to become effective after you get it. So, it's possible you were infected right before or after getting the vaccine, before it conveyed any protection. Or, it may have been a different respiratory virus.
Getting the flu after the vaccine is still possible, but it's been shown to reduce the severity.
The CDC points to a study that showed that among adults hospitalized with flu, vaccinated patients were 59% less likely to be admitted to the ICU than those who had not been vaccinated.
The Mayo Clinic says some people have muscle aches and a fever for a day or two after getting a flu shot, "this may be a side effect of your body's production of protective antibodies."
If you still have concerns, ask your doctor. They'll be able to tell you if you have any other risk factors when it comes to getting a vaccine.
If you have a Good Question you'd like us to try to answer, send it to goodquestion@wkyt.com.