For most people the flu means a few days of misery. For certain people, however, the flu can be very dangerous. Each year 10,000 to 20,000 Americans, most of them elderly, die from the flu or related illnesses. A flu shot can prevent or lessen the effects of the flu in 70 to 90 percent of people. The virus, however, is grown in egg so people allergic to eggs or previous flu vaccines should not get flu shots.
Pregnant women can get flu shots, preferably after the first three months of pregnancy.
Fall is the best time of year to get a flu shot, because it takes several weeks for you to build your immunity. Thus, if you get your shot in October you will be set for the peak flu months of December through February. Even if you have had a flu shot in the past, you ll need to have a new one each year because protection lasts only approximately six months. Also, new strains of flu viruses appear each year. Other ways to prevent flu and colds is to cut down on person to person transmission.