What are the benefits of getting a flu shot?

I have got the flu shot for at least the last 5 years. In that time, I have not had the flu at all. The flu shot puts antibodies for the latest kinds of flu likely to go round in your system, so that if that flu does try and infect you, your body can fight it off straight away and you don’t get sick. Its a very good idea for older people or people who’s immune systems are slower and weaker and can’t make antibodies on their own as fast, but its a good idea for everyone I reckon - I have not had to take time off work or school for being sick from flu in that time (or for anything else for that matter, but thats probably not entirely due to the flu shot). Certainly the last thing you’d want is to come down with flu during exams - anything you can do to prevent it the better!

For the record, the flu shot CANNOT give you the flu. Some people have a reaction to the shot, but injecting antibodies into your system cannot possibly give you the flu. It takes 2 weeks or more for the antibodies to replicate inside you to a level where they can fight off the Flu and stop you from getting sick, so its still possible to catch the flu in the 2 weeks after your shot.