STAMFORD, Ct. -- This season’s flu vaccine shortage was front-page news, but many of us still don’t know how to prevent and treat the flu. There are some common myths to be aware of.

MYTH 1: Last year’s flu vaccine won’t protect you this year.

Doctors anticipate a mild flu season because the dominant strain this year, A/Fujian virus, is the same as last year’s. People who were vaccinated last season still will have some protection this season. Also, more vaccine is now available, and even now it’s not too late to get a flu shot.

Manufacturers design the vaccine nine months before flu season starts, so there’s always a chance that the strains used in a vaccine won’t match the dominant flu strains that appear. Even in that case, however, the vaccine provides some protection by shortening the duration, easing severity of symptoms and reducing the risk of pneumonia and hospitalization.

MYTH 2: A flu shot can give you the flu.

This is one of the most dangerous myths. Each year, millions of Americans refuse to get vaccinated because they believe that the vaccine can cause the illness. The truth is that it’s impossible to get the flu from a flu shot because the vaccine is made from killed viruses.

The myth probably started because some people who received the vaccine were coincidentally exposed to another, nonflu virus at about the same time. They assumed that they had the flu and blamed it on the vaccine. Also, after receiving a flu shot, it takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop and it is possible to get the flu during that time.

Some people experience mild side effects after getting the nasal vaccine FluMist. It is made from a weakened live virus that has been altered so the virus can’t multiply in the lungs. It may cause a mild runny nose and sore throat for a few days.

MYTH 3: The mercury in the flu vaccine is dangerous.

Some flu vaccines contain thimerosal, a preservative that contains very tiny amounts of mercury. There is no evidence that this very small amount causes any health problems.

This doesn’t mean that vaccines are completely free of side effects. People who are allergic to eggs should not get the flu vaccine—it contains trace amounts of egg protein.

Some people experience minor arm soreness after getting a vaccination. A very small percentage may experience minor fever and/or congestion. These are not symptoms of the flu but of local inflammation.

The swine flu vaccine given in 1976-1977 was suspected of causing Guillain-Barré syndrome, an immune system illness that occurs in about one in one million Americans.

Recent studies suggest that the vaccines in subsequent years did not produce this reaction, but to be safe, people who have had Guillain-Barré syndrome in the past should consider forgoing the flu vaccine.

MYTH 4: It has been proven that washing hands prevents flu transmission.

There is no scientific proof that washing hands prevents flu transmission. Even so, it makes sense to wash your hands frequently. Certainly every time you come home after being out and about.

Carry hand sanitizers in your purse or briefcase. When you don’t have access to water, apply them to your hands. The alcohol in these products kills the flu virus.

MYTH 5: If you inhale the virus and haven’t had a flu shot, you’re sure to get sick.

Merely being around someone who has the flu doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get sick. Other factors include how strong your immune system is, whether you have been exposed to the same virus in the past and therefore have developed protective antibodies, and whether prior flu vaccinations are effective against that particular strain.

MYTH 6: There are cures for the flu.

There are medications that can treat the flu, but they can’t cure it. Today’s antiviral drugs reduce the duration and severity, if taken within 48 hours after symptoms appear, preferably sooner.

Rimantadine (Flumadine) and oseltamivir (Tamiflu) can reduce the duration of the illness by up to a day and a half. These drugs also reduce fever and the severity of muscle aches and other symptoms.

If you’re at high risk for flu complications, like if you’re elderly or have a chronic illness such as asthma, your doctor may give you a prescription for one of these drugs. That way, you can take it if you think you’re coming down with the flu.

MYTH 7: If you get the flu, you’re contagious only after symptoms start.

Not true. You also are contagious before your symptoms appear. The flu virus can rest on mucous membranes for two days before it reaches sufficient numbers to cause illness. You can spread the virus to others during this time.

You are most contagious the day before you get sick as well as 48 to 72 hours after symptoms begin. That’s when the viral load is highest and you are most likely to infect others.

To protect others: Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze—and use a tissue, your elbow or your sleeve to reduce viral spread.

To protect yourself: Stay at least three feet away from people who are coughing or sneezing. Most flu viruses are transmitted within this distance.

Older adults or those with chronic health problems that impair immunity should consider staying away from places where large numbers of people congregate, such as malls and theaters, during flu season (from late December through early March).

Bottom Line/Personal interviewed William Schaffner, MD, director, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, and chair, department of preventive medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville.

Reprinted with the permission of: Boardroom Inc. and Bottom Line Publications 281 Tresser Blvd. Stamford, CT 06901 www.BottomLineSecrets.com