Each year flu vaccines are created by drug companies for the most commonly expected forms of influenza. However, there has been a growing controversy as to whether or not the shot is effective. Most health professionals disregard this, saying the vaccine is the best preventive measure against the flu. The CDCP also reports this year's batch of vaccine guards against strains of the flu from Moscow, New Caledonia and Beijing. These strains were designated the most common forms by the CDCP, the World Health Organization and the Canadian Public Health Service because they are representative of currently circulating A and B viruses.
Some doctors swear by the flu shot.
Lutz said that if you don't receive the vaccine, you could feel symptoms for more than a month. With flu, it hits you like a freight train. You can feel symptoms for two to three days, but it can take two to four weeks before you feel yourself again, he said. Lutz said it takes even longer for smokers to recover. Lutz also said depression is sometimes associated with getting the flu as with every systemic infection, such as mononucleosis or mumps.