We all as kids had the experience of getting flu shots and never wanting to get those awfully helpful shots even if they prevented us from getting sick. Flu season always seems to be the most dreadful. However, flu vaccinations may not always be as helpful as you think. In 1997, a man in college died from a reaction to the swine flu vaccine. Having two different flu vaccines, the shot and nasal spray, each having few different risks. The vaccine in a shot version of it, is grown in eggs and anyone with an egg allergy can have an allergic reaction. Another possibility with the shot it the development of a nerve disorder, although it affects very few. The spray, on the other hand, can actually cause the virus to happen to anyone with a weak immune system and nasal spray is also connected to Reye’s syndrome. Although these two vaccines have few risks, the flu itself kills thousands every year. Therefore, getting the vaccine and chance facing the risks of it, is better than possibly dying from the flu. To me, dying of the flu is definitely not the way I want to die. I get the shot vaccine every year around this time. Risking the chances of having side effects sounds better than getting the actual flu itself. Not only do I get the shots every year, but not one time have I had any of these side effects happen to me (knock on wood). But, there’s always the “what if?” thought that pops in your head, especially after reading that someone died from the vaccine. Not only does this affect me, but reading this article, it can cause people to not even think twice about their lives. Yes, getting the vaccine you have a chance of dying to a reaction, but wouldn’t you want to risk that instead of actually getting the flu? People have a higher risk of dying from the flu itself than dying from the vaccination. Seeing the beginning of this article, it may scare people from buying the vaccination at the thought of dying from it, but when you read further down in the article it explains that having the flu itself is more risky than the vaccine. Dr. Doron explains that “When you get the flu shot, it’s for yourself and it’s for everybody else.” So, going to get that pesky, yet helping vaccine may not be such a bad idea after all.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/10/16/ask-well-flu-vaccine-risks/?ref=health