By SHUBHAJIT Chakraborty

People have scared you by detailing the real dangers of the flu, are you wondering if you need a shot for it? There are plenty of reasons to get one. But surprisingly, most adults choose not to. Why? The reason may lie in the misconceptions.

Rumor has it that you will catch the flu from the vaccine, but the truth is, you can’t. Only dead viruses are used to make it, and they cannot seriously harm you. Some people, says, Carolyn Bridges, M.D. medical epidemiologist with the US based Centers for disease control and prevention’s national immunization program, may contract an illness at the same time they get a shot and then incorrectly attribute it to the later.

The vaccine can cause a reaction, but it’s usually just mild soreness at the site of the injection, and less commonly a vague, achy feeling that lasts just a day or two. Only two groups need to avoid the shot: people who are allergic to eggs, which the virus is grown inside of, and people who have had allergic reactions to previous shots.

Now why get one? That’s easy: people who get the vaccine miss fewer days of work, are less likely to contract respiratory illnesses requiring antibiotics, and don’t have to go to the doctor as much, Bridges says.

Still, public health authorities stop short of recommending that everyone be vaccinated. CDC literature says only that people who are vulnerable to serious infections should receive the shot. That means adults over 50, youngsters between 6 months and 23 months of age, people with chronic illnesses, and women who are at least three months pregnant (and those in close contact with them). And that message is largely ignored. Whatever, you decide, keep in mind that one flu shot won’t protect you forever. Because the virus mutates, you need a new vaccination every year.