Ew, Flu

Whether you call it the flu jab, flu shot, or influenza vaccination, there is one thing I know for certain: I've been hearing about it nonstop sine December. We're now ending January and the peak of flu season. It is said to be extremely important for people with chronic illnesses and weakened immune systems to receive the flu vaccine. For obvious reasons, flu can send one into horrible flares or become very serious in individuals with such health concerns. But still, no one really wants that jab. Including me.

Yep, me. I hate getting the flu vaccine. The person who doesn't flinch at getting eight tubes of blood taken or giving herself a shot twice a week is afraid of a little flu shot. I admit it: I haven't gotten it this year. I wasn't raised getting vaccinated yearly and it's still a foreign idea to me. Not only that, but I haven't been well the last few weeks. I've gotten sick several times since November and it tends to last a few weeks. I'm just getting over my fourth or fifth (I lost count) cold of the winter. Despite not having a fever, I didn't feel it would be a good idea to get the vaccine when I was sick. That and I didn't want to go to a place full of sick and contagious people, get jabbed, and be more sore and a little more sick for a few days when I was already sick. Are these justifiable reasons for not getting the flu vaccine?

Not at all. At least according to my rheumatologist. If you haven't gotten the flu vaccine yet, there's probably still time to. Do as I say and not as I do: just get it. The flu season won't be over until spring starts and there is still plenty of time to catch it.

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