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7 cold and flu myths you should stop believing

Learn the facts about the common cold and the flu, and protect yourself and your community.

Updated on April 9, 2024

Black woman sitting on bed, sick with a cold or the flu and coughing
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The trees are losing leaves, the air is cooler, and the sun sets earlier. Once fall is in full swing, flu season and the rise of other infections, like colds, is also on the way. Before long, it may seem like everyone you know is sick. And sometimes, myths or misconceptions about the flu or colds (things that aren't really true) may make it harder to know what to do, orShow More

sick man on couch blowing nose
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Myth: The flu isn’t that serious

The flu is a serious illness. Some people develop symptoms so severe they end up in the hospital. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that between 2010 and 2020, the flu caused between 140,000 and 710,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 to 52,000 deaths each year.

ChildrenShow More

being vaccinated in left arm
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Myth: You can get the flu from the flu vaccine

Sometimes people come down with the flu soon after they’ve received a flu vaccine. That’s because the vaccinations can take up to two weeks to work. If someone becomes ill with the flu, it’s most likely because they were exposed to the virus either before or within two weeks of getting the shot.Show More

adult women walking in rain with an umbrella
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Myth: You’ll catch a cold from stepping outside with wet hair

Being cold or wet has little to do with whether you develop a cold or the flu. The only way to become infected is to be exposed to a virus.

It’s true that you are more likely to get sick when the weather is cold, but it’s because viruses thrive in cold air. Dry air also sucks moisture out of theShow More

chicken noodle soup
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Myth: Feed a cold, starve a fever

When you’re sick, it's important to maintain a healthy diet and drink plenty of fluids, such as water, juice, and hot tea. This is true even if you do not have a fever. There are no foods or drinks that can cure a cold or the flu. But certain foods can help ease your symptoms. For example, a bigShow More

oranges
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Myth: Vitamin C can fend off a cold

While vitamin C is important for our bodies, there is little scientific proof that it is effective for preventing colds. There is some evidence that when taken regularly in high doses—greater than 200 milligrams a day—vitamin C may shorten the duration of cold symptoms slightly. But keep in mind,Show More

young healthy woman with a nurse placing a bandaid on her arm after a flu shot
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Myth: Healthy people don’t need the flu vaccine

Your best line of defense against the flu is to get the flu vaccine. The CDC recommends that most people 6 months and older get vaccinated every year. If you have severe, life-threatening allergies to any ingredient in a flu vaccine, you should not get that vaccine.  

If you have a history ofShow More

Young woman blowing her nose
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Myth: A bad cold can turn into the flu

Colds and flu are both viral infections, but they stem from different viruses. A cold will never turn into the flu. While a cold can make you feel as lousy as the flu, they have different symptoms.

Cold symptoms primarily include a runny or stuffy nose and a sore throat. Flu symptoms tend to comeShow More

Slideshow sources open slideshow sources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seasonal Flu: Burden of Flu. Page last reviewed October 4, 2022.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seasonal Flu: Who is at higher risk of flu complications. Page last reviewed September 6, 2022.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seasonal Flu: Key facts about seasonal flu vaccine. Page last reviewed December 19, 2022.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Common colds: protect yourself and others. Page last reviewed November 29, 2021.
National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus: Common cold. Accessed on February 24, 2023.
National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin C fact sheet for health professionals. Page last updated March 26, 2021.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seasonal Flu: Prevent Flu: Who should and who should NOT get a flu vaccine. Page last reviewed August 25, 2022.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seasonal Flu: Cold versus flu. Page last reviewed September 29, 2022.

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