Three reasons why even young, healthy adults need yearly flu shots
Family Health
If you’re like many young, healthy people, you may wonder whether you really need a yearly flu shot. You might believe that the flu doesn’t pose a threat to you and your family or, you might worry that the vaccine itself could give you the flu.
Those are common concerns, but also misconceptions. You can’t catch the flu from the flu vaccine because it’s not a live virus, says Dr. Michael McNeely, primary care physician at St. Joseph’s/Candler Primary Care on the Islands. And even if you’re young and healthy, there are important benefits to getting the vaccine.
“I encourage people to not delay unnecessarily getting their flu shot,” Dr. McNeely says. “It’s important to understand the immune response takes about two weeks before you really get it to the level where it’s reasonable for protection. You don’t want to wait until you are in the thick of flu season or exposed to a bunch of people.” 
Related Article: Who should get the flu shot? Everyone.
Here are three reasons everyone should get the flu shot now – and every year to come:
Reason 1: To protect your own health
The flu is a viral illness that can cause fever, chills, coughing, a sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, headaches and fatigue. That’s bad enough, but even worse, the flu sometimes leads to serious complications, such as pneumonia, hospitalization or even death. The flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths each year.
“I have seen people throughout my career die from complications of the flu,” Dr. McNeely says. “It can be quite severe.”
Reason 2: To cut down on sick days
In the U.S., the flu is responsible for nearly 17 million missed work days each flu season. If you’re employed, the flu vaccine helps decrease sick days and lost work output. If you’re a student, it helps reduce missed classes and lost academic productivity.
Reason 3: To protect those around you
Maybe you’ve gone years without a flu shot and have never gotten sick. So why make the trip to the pharmacy or doctor’s office now? Because getting vaccinated is about more than just your personal health. By reducing your own chance of catching and spreading the flu virus, you’re helping protect others as well. Some people are particularly vulnerable to serious flu-related problems. They include:
- Babies
- Young children
- Older adults
- Those with certain health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and chronic lung disease
Getting your flu shot every year is the best way to protect your community and avoid catching a miserable case of the flu. Now is the time to get your flu vaccine. Flu shots are available at almost every neighborhood pharmacy, as well as most primary care offices.