The Flu Vaccine Can Lower Your Risk Of Heart Attack And Stroke — Even If You Wind Up Infected

WEDNESDAY, April 8, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The influenza vaccine can significantly reduce the risk of a flu-related heart attack or stroke, even among folks who become infected after vaccination, a new study reports.

The systemic inflammation caused by a flu infection is known to increase short-term risk of heart problems, and the flu vaccine has been shown to reduce this risk by preventing infection in the first place, researchers report in the April issue of the journal Eurosurveillance.

But this new study shows that the vaccine can even help people who wind up with the flu despite getting the jab.