Getting the flu shot is important.

After all,influenzais no joke.

In short, it’s nothing that anyone wants to experience.

A woman getting a flu shot

Read on to find out.

Who should definitely get a flu shot?

But according to theCDC, getting the flu shot is super important for most people.

A woman getting a flu shot, smiling

It’s the only way to truly protect yourself against the very real threat of the flu.

And if you’ve ever hadGuillain-Barre Syndrome, you should consult your doctor as well.

“So it’s a double protection: Mom is protected, and the baby’s protected.”

A mother with her baby

Sounds like a win-win!

So see to it you plan accordingly for maximum benefit.

Additionally, there are still some very significant benefits afforded by the flu vaccine in its current form.

Women at a baby shower

This was again confirmed in a 2018studyin the journalVaccine.

That’s some good news!

Even when you have the most deft hand wielding the syringe, it can still be ananxiety-inducing experience.

A woman planning her calendar

“I don’t like needles either,” she confessed in an interview withDelaware Online.

No one likes having a sore arm!

So don’t let that stop you from getting immunized.

A woman in the hospital with a doctor and nurse

“These side effects … are likely the body’s normal response to vaccination.”

This reaction will usually happen on your first day, and fortunately will abate in two days or less.

They’re so rare, in fact, that according toDr.

Hands administering a flu shot in a woman’s arm

Eve Switzer, an Oklahoma-based pediatrician, they’ve never been a problem for her.

“Typical concerns reported by patents are mild in nature and include sore limbs and fever/fussiness.”

That’s good news!

A woman with swelling on her arm after a flu shot

If any of these symptoms happen to you, it’s important to contact your doctor right away.

“But that is simply not true.

The virus in the vaccine is not active, and an inactive virus cannot transmit disease.”

A woman laying down taking her temperature

Therefore, it’s physically impossible to get the flu from the flu shot.

That’s simply one of manymyths about the flu you gotta stop believing.

So why is it that some people feel sick after getting their influenza vaccine?

A woman feeling ill in bed

“But that does not mean you have the flu.”

They do contain a mercury-based preservative called thimerosal, which contains ethylmercury but that’s different than methylmercury.

As always, if you have concerns, talk to your doctor.

A patient consulting with her doctor

That can be a scary prospect for anyone!

But according to theU.S.

So when it comes to your flu shot, if you have any hesitations, talk to your doctor.

A multi-generational family

A gloved hand holding the flu shot

A senior women receiving a flu shot

A doctor and a patient having a consultation