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if patients believe that influenza vaccines can cause influenza because they were ill after receiving the vaccine last year, pharmacists should educate them that:

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Pharmacists should educate patients that influenza vaccines do not cause influenza. The vaccine may cause mild side effects such as soreness, redness, or swelling at the injection site, or even a low-grade fever and aches, but these are not the same as contracting the flu. It is essential to understand that the vaccine contains inactivated or weakened viruses, which cannot cause the disease. Patients may have fallen ill due to other factors, such as exposure to the flu virus before the vaccine took full effect, as it takes about two weeks for the body to develop immunity. Moreover, the vaccine may not provide complete protection against all strains of the virus, but it significantly reduces the risk of severe illness and complications.
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