TAKE OUR POLL: Flu shot OR Not?!?

Flu shot or not to flu shot? That is the question. Before we even get started with out poll, we feel that we have to tell you NO, GETTING THE SHOT DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE FLU OR MAKE YOU SICK. That's a myth.

Can a flu vaccine give you the flu?

No, flu vaccines cannot cause flu illness. Flu vaccines given with a needle (i.e., flu shots) are currently made in two ways: the vaccine is made either with a) flu viruses that have been ‘inactivated’ (killed) and that therefore are not infectious, or b) using only a single gene from a flu virus (as opposed to the full virus) in order to produce an immune response without causing infection. This is the case for  recombinant influenza vaccines. (CDC)

But that's one of the major reasons people don't get the shot. And each year, influenza season gets worse. And people are dying from it.

Last season, 110 children died from flu in the U.S. In the 2009 pandemic of H1N1 swine flu, that new strain killed 282 children and 358 children in total died from influenza that season. Every year, influenza kills between 12,000 and 49,000 people and can send more than 700,000 people to the hospital, the CDC says. (NBC News)

Next week, we'll be speaking on air with some experts about misconceptions about the flu shot and how easy it is to get one before the season gets in full swing. This is important for everyone, especially kids and the elderly. But, please take our poll and we'll discuss the results on Monday.