As we enter a new flu season, all Americans should be seriously considering getting vaccinated against the latest variant of the flu. As we have moved through, although not completely, our concerns over the multiple variations of COVID, many of us have put our concerns about the “regular flu” on the back burner. Although perhaps it should go without saying, the “regular flu” is here to stay, and very virulent strains of the “regular flu” will continue to cycle through, killing thousands of Americans every year.

Unfortunately, misinformation has stoked fears about vaccination. The reality is that serious adverse reactions to vaccines generally are “one in a million” occurrences. Despite misleading accounts spread through the internet, the COVID vaccine has saved hundreds of thousands of lives. One simple but rarely publicized fact is critical to understand: since the COVID vaccine became available, the risk of death or hospitalization from COVID is dramatically reduced for a fully vaccinated individual. By some accounts, that number is even higher. It is evident that the COVID vaccine has saved many thousands of lives. Similarly, the flu vaccine, while not perfect, saves tens of thousands of lives every year. There is empirical data that demonstrates that the population that has been vaccinated with each year’s flu vaccination, against the known strains, has a far lower rate of hospitalization, and a dramatically lower mortality rate.

It would be misleading to suggest that vaccines have no risk. We do know that vaccines can cause rare immune system reactions leading to conditions such as GBS (Guillain-Barre Syndrome), CIDP (Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy) and a few others. This happens through a very rare and unusual process called molecular mimicry where the body’s immune system, in reacting to the vaccination, misfires and attacks one’s own body. But here is the critical fact: this reaction occurs in response to one out of a million vaccinations. The level of rarity of these reactions is so low, that there is no epidemiology or other medical evidence which statistically supports the conclusion that these reactions are even caused by the vaccine. In contrast, the hundreds of thousands of lives that have been saved by vaccines is well documented and supported by objective evidence. Not getting vaccinated out of fear of such a rare reaction is as irrational as not going outside out of fear of being struck by lightning, or not getting in a car out of fear of being in an accident. In fact, the risk of being in a car accident is far greater than the risk of suffering a catastrophic reaction to a vaccine.

So as we enter another flu season this fall, carefully consider the reality of the benefits of a vaccination against the comparatively miniscule risk of not getting that vaccination. Get your flu shot. Be one of the millions that have avoided diseases such as polio, diphtheria, chicken pox, measles, COVID and the “regular flu” by virtue of being willing to get vaccinated. While doing so, you will make everyone around you safer by not contracting any one of these diseases, and your family and friends will be happier to have you around.