A severe respiratory illness, the flu can be easily spread -- usually from coughing or sneezing -- and can lead to severe complications and even death.

On average each year, about 5 percent to 20 percent of the population gets the flu and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized for flu-related complications.

So how can we change these statistics?

"The best way to avoid getting the flu is to give your body a better chance to fight infection, and that starts with a flu shot," said Dr. Lubna Madani, north region medical director, Northwestern Medicine. "Flu vaccines may vary in effectiveness from year to year, but getting the shot increases your chances of being protected and lessens your symptoms if you do get ill."

Flu myths

Each year as the flu season approaches, doctors hear the same myths from patients. These include:

"The flu shot can make me sick."

The flu vaccine is made from an inactivated virus that can't cause infection. So, if you get sick after getting a flu vaccination, you were likely going to get sick anyway.

More at source: Daily Herald

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