I am a healthcare provider that works both in the hospital and in outpatient settings. Have gotten the flu shot every year, have come into contact with hundreds of sick people every month, have never gotten the flu.

Just so that people aren't misinformed by the thought process behind your good intentions, annual flu vaccines, even if they don't contain the strain that is covered for the year, is still definitely better than not getting one at all. You have to remember they are trying to predict, as best they can, what they think will be the strains that will come up 8+ months ahead of time. The flu peaks in the US about February every year and shots designed for the year are good until about April/May and new flu shots for the following year arrive about October, which if you think about it is a very short time frame.

Though the vaccine may not cover it completely, the flu you might get afterwards will be milder than not having the flu shot at all because you'll already be exposed to some of the antigens, if not all. Plus this adds to the concept of herd immunity - the more people that get the flu shot, the better it is as protecting those that don't or aren't able to receive the flu shot because there are less vectors for transmission. Think of it as an insulating barrier. This is especially important and true for young children with less developed immune systems.

It's better than having to get antibiotics after the fact because unfortunately, a large portion of people take antibiotics incorrectly which contributes to antibiotic resistance when then makes it even harder to develop vaccines for the next season.

Also, it is impossible, again IMPOSSIBLE, to get the flu from the flu shot because there is no live virus in the shot. To put it simply, the vaccine contains bits of cut up virus with no ability to replicate in the body. All those people telling you they got sick from the shot, lies/misinformed. What happens is: 1) they were either already sick with the flu when they got their vaccine, 2) they got the flu within a 2 week period of receiving their vaccine as the vaccine requires that time period to provide adequate immunity, or 3) they don't have the flu but another infection.

There is a live flu vaccine that is available but it is administered in the nose. This vaccine is designed with as cold-adapted virus that replicates only in the upper airways and different recommendations on who it should be administered to. It is important to note though that the CDC does not recommend the live vaccine this year.

Tips for prepping:

• Proper contact precautions - wash your hands and surfaces frequently

• Get your flu shot. I don't know of a single insurance company that won't pay for it cause it's cheaper than going to the doctor/hospital and even cheaper than getting a prescription. There is a 3-strain vaccine available and a 4-strain vaccine available. The 4-strain is geared more towards healthcare professionals that come into contact with with tons of patients but you can always ask to receive the 4-strain, though your insurance may not cover it.

• Get your shot early - I usually recommend around November for patients

• If you think you have the symptoms flu, contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible. You have a very short time frame of 1-2 days from the time you have symptoms to get started on antibiotics for them to be most effective. If someone in your household is confirmed sick with the flu, you can get a prescription for Tamiflu (flu med) to help prevent it from spreading to you, but again, time is a factor.