About Me

What are the reasons why a person would get the Influenza vaccine? Let’s count; shall we?

1) “I hate feeling sick and miserable.” Influenza (flu) will make you exceedingly sick and miserable for 10 – 14 days. You will vomit and have diarrhea, experience both fever and chills, every part of your body will hurt, and you will be congested, coughing, and sneezing for days. I don’t know about you; but, I would much rather not feel like that.

2) “I don’t want to suffer permanent damage to my body or die.” Recent flu variations have been much more severe and are more lethal. You could end up with permanent damage to lungs, heart, kidneys and brain from the high fevers and thousands of people die every year from influenza and it’s complications. This is especially true if you are very young or very old, have an impaired immune system, or already have a chronic illness; but, even healthy adults can suffer complications and death from influenza.

3) “I am pregnant and don’t want to have a miscarriage or cause birth defects in my unborn child.” This is a risk that pregnant women run if they get the flu while they are expecting a baby. Knowing that you ARE responsible for your babies death or birth defects is not a risk most women want to face.

4) “I can’t afford to take the time off work.” Many people do not have enough sick leave and/or vacation time to cover them for the duration of the flu. They also do not have enough money saved to cover their expenses during that time if they have to be absent without pay. So an influenza vaccine actually saves you money.

5) “I don’t want my family to get sick with the flu.” By getting the influenza vaccine, you reduce the risk of other family members getting the flu. Even if they are not in a high risk group; if you get the flu and pass it on to them, you will end up having to take care of them when you are not fully recovered yourself! Most people do not like to see loved ones suffer with any illness and people with the flu are miserable and do suffer.

6) “I don’t want my coworkers to get sick with the flu.” If you bring the flu into where you work and your coworkers get sick, it just means more work for you while they are out sick. If your coworkers are also your friends, do you really want to know you are the reason why your friends are miserable.

7) “I don’t like people around me to be sick.” I don’t want my beautician/barber to work on me when they have the flu; I don’t want to be served food by people who have the flu, I do not want my customers to catch the flu from me; etc. If you get the influenza vaccine, there is one less person out there spreading this disease to other people.

“I need to set a good example.” You cannot expect your friends, family, and coworkers to get an influenza vaccinations if you aren’t willing to yourself. If you can honestly tell them you have been vaccinated or if you get them together and go as a group; you can be a positive influence and help save even more people from a bad case of the flu.

9) “I don’t have to get a shot and get stuck with a needle.” That’s right. The influenza vaccine does NOT have to be injected. There is a very simple, effective nasal spray that can vaccinate you against the influenza virus without a nasty, pointy, sharp, painful needle even being in the same room! It doesn’t have to hurt or be scary to get the flu vaccine. So take a few minutes each year and get it done and over with. You won’t be sorry.