If you have already felt flu symptoms (e.g., runny nose, sore throat, fever, or muscle aches), it is not advisable to get vaccinated. This is because the vaccine is intended to prevent the disease; once an infection has occurred, the vaccine does not cure the illness, and the body may not produce the necessary immune response.
These views were expressed by Zakir Guliyev, a specialist-expert and therapist at the Ministry of Health, during a live broadcast on the Ministry of Health's official “Instagram” account.
According to him, the flu vaccine is generally recommended for healthy individuals over 6 months of age:
“Especially elderly individuals, those with chronic illnesses (such as asthma, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular, kidney, and lung diseases), pregnant women, healthcare workers, and people in close contact with children and those with weakened immune systems benefit more from vaccination. In some cases, there may be temporary or permanent contraindications to vaccination. If there is currently a moderate or severe illness, for example, high fever or an acute respiratory infection, the vaccine should be administered after the illness has fully recovered. Individuals who have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to a previous vaccine are also not vaccinated. For those with egg allergies, special attention is needed for some types of vaccines, but many new vaccines are prepared without eggs, and in this case, consulting a doctor is important. Flu vaccines are not administered to infants younger than six months. For individuals with weakened immune systems, some types of live vaccines may not be suitable.”
The Ministry's specialist-expert noted that it is most appropriate to get vaccinated in the autumn months, before the flu season:
“It takes approximately two weeks for immunity to develop after vaccination. Therefore, it is important to get vaccinated in a timely manner before contracting the illness.”