I get that, Crankin, but the other objection that I have to the flu shot is that it so often only covers a small % of strains of the flu. I think last year they said it would only be effective on about 15% of the strains! Not worth it to me to possible feel like a dog for a day, given the small risk of getting the flu. Yes, I'm playing the odds, but given my lifestyle, they are usually on my side. It's a personal decision that everyone has to make.

My mother, who is nearly 84 now, used to get the flu with some frequency when she was a schoolteacher. She has the same kind of reaction to the shot as I do. She stopped getting shots after she retired, and has never gotten the flu since. I know, that's anecdotal, but I understand and support her decision.