Stop Six Community COVID Myths & Facts Vaccines Do Not Cause Illness November 2022 I keep hearing of people getting sick after receiving a flu or COVID vaccine. How does that happen? INFORMATION The vaccines for flu and COVID-19 cannot make people sick. The vaccines do not contain flu or COVID viruses. • Some people can have side effects of the vaccines for a few days after being vaccinated. • These are caused by the body working to build antibodies. A person can have a virus or infection, but do not yet have any symptoms. So they do not know they are already sick when they go to get a vaccine. • Many viruses and infections take a few days to develop symptoms. Also, some viruses never show symptoms. • In that case that person could develop symptoms for what they already had after they receive a vaccine. • Their illness is not caused by the vaccine. • They would have gotten sick anyway. References: Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine | CDC Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC Does Influenza Transmission Occur from Asymptomatic Infection or Prior to Symptom Onset? - PMC (nih.gov)