Despite last year's record number of flu-related deaths, 40 percent of Americans have not gotten their flu shot and do not intend to, according to the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, per Fox 5 N.Y.
For those that reject the flu shot, they point to bad side effects, fear the shot gives them the flu, or thinking it does not work. But the Fox 5 N.Y. report claims those tend to be myths and "usually the only side effect is a sore arm."
The flu vaccine is an inactive strain and does not cause the infection, scientists claim.
They also claim, while the flu shot is not 100 percent effective at stopping the virus, it does lessen the severity and makes it 60 percent less likely you will need treatment, according to the report.
More than 900,000 people were hospitalized and more than 80,000 died, Fox 5 N.Y. reported. Most of the deaths were adults older than 65, but 180 children also died from the flu, per the report.
It takes two weeks to take full effect and the peak flu season is January and February, although it extended into March last year.
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