Why Should Healthy People Get Flu Shots?

Think you’re so healthy that you don’t need a flu shot? Get one anyway.

Many people avoid flu shots, believing they don’t need the vaccination, even when offered free of charge or at a low cost by employers and retail outlets. But getting vaccinated not only can protect you, it also protects others – especially babies and older people who are most vulnerable to the virus.

“What people don’t realize is deciding not to get a flu shot contributes to spreading the flu virus to others,” said Dr. Zachary Simoni, senior lecturer of sociology.

Simoni said if a majority of the population is vaccinated, chances of exposure to the disease  are lessened. It’s often referred to as  the “herd immunity.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that most people get annual flu vaccinations, with rare exceptions for people with certain health conditions. The 2017-2018 flu season was one of the most severe in recent years, with high levels of outpatient clinic and emergency room visits for influenza, according to the CDC.