When people say, “I don’t believe in the flu shot,” or “the flu shot doesn’t work,” it drives me absolutely crazy.

Do people think that doctors are just poking us with needles that do nothing?

Doctors would not be encouraging flu shots if they didn’t work. Doctors are some of the smartest people and when they’re telling you to do something, it’s serious.

People complain that flu shots cause you to get sick after you get them, but that’s just your immune response and flu shots can’t transmit infection, so people who get sick after receiving a flu vaccination were going to get sick anyway. It takes a week or two to actually start getting protection from the vaccine.

Getting the flu is never fun. Getting that super high fever, aching muscles, that piercing headache, sore throat, your nose so stuffed that you can barely breathe, and that dry and constant cough is unbearable. Including the fact that you’re so tired and weak.

But you don’t have to worry about any of those things if you get the flu shot. Getting the flu shot is proven to be the most effective way to prevent yourself from getting the flu, so why not try it?

The flu shot has been proven to be effective most of the time, so please get it. If you don’t like needles, then too bad for you. If you really wanted to protect yourself from the flu, you would get the tiny needle poked in your arm for 1.6 seconds of your life and stop complaining.

Do not get a flu shot too late in the season because the vaccine starts working two weeks after you get the shot, so if you haven’t gotten your flu shot already, go get it now before it’s too late.

Getting the flu shot can also help prevent getting pneumonia, that terrible infection in your lungs, which is also a plus.

Teachers, nurses, and people who work with children, patients, and other others should definitely get the flu shot because they are way more likely to get the flu. Elderly people are also big targets for this deadly illness.

So do us all a favor, and get your flu shot so your body can start to fight off any signs of this awful illness known as the flu.