Myths About Flu Shots — Myth 5

Myth #5: Flu isn’t dangerous

If you catch the flu, you are at risk for potentially serious complications, including:

• Pneumonia
• Sinus or ear infections
• Inflammation of the brain or heart tissue
• Organ failure
• Sepsis

Complications often require hospitalization, and the flu causes between 12,000 and 52,000 deaths every year.

People especially at risk include:

• Young children
• The elderly
• Pregnant women
• People with respiratory illnesses
• The chronically ill

Those groups of people should always get the flu vaccine.

Even if you are not among a high-risk group, you could spread the flu to them if you do not get vaccinated. The more people who are vaccinated, the lower the risk vulnerable people will catch the virus.

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