It’s that time of year again.  The sequences are in, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have made their recommendations, and the vaccine has been prepared.  As an immunologist, I’m sad to say that I know far too many people who decide to forgo their flu shots each year.  When I ask why, I’ve gotten a variety of answers including:

“I never get the flu”  
“I once got flu from the shot”
“The flu shot never works, it’s just a guess”
And my all-time favorite:
“My body is stronger than the flu”

I’d like to set the record straight since each of these statements is ultimately and ridiculously flawed.

Continue reading For the sake of my (soon-to-arrive) baby niece, go get your flu shot →