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I took my first (and last) influenza vaccine in 1999 at age 50. Weeks later I got the chronic form of Guillain–Barré syndrome. I still suffer with to this day When I went into the military they forced us to get flu shots every year. In 1996 I got mine and was flat on my back three hours later. Two days later when I finally managed to get out of bed and to the doc he admitted the shot caused it. After that I refused them and didn't take one again until this year when I turned 50. 22 years without the shot I got the flu a couple of times but like most healthy young persons I got over it in a couple of weeks. It was a calculated risk to not take the shot but in light of my experience before I chose not to and everything worked out fine. Now that I'm getting older I decided to take the shot and risk having a reaction to it. From a public health point of view it's better for those around you if everyone is vaccinated, it'll slow the spread of the flu. From an individual perspective however I don't believe it's in everyone's best interest to take it. The standard line is that you can't get sick from it but that's BS, I did and many others have. For a young person that's going to weather a bout with the flu just fine I'd be hesitant to take it, the risk of getting sick from the shot are there and contracting the flu isn't that great of a risk. For an older person the flu can be dangerous so I'd get the shot. I think the insistence that everyone get vaccinated is a case of the CDC wanting to protect society as a whole at the risk to the individual. They portray the shot as risk free but it isn't, I know that for a fact because it knocked me for a loop once. Anyone telling you that it's totally risk free is lying to you.

I’ll be 70 in 2 months. I would die before taking another flu shot. I’m still sick from the last one 19 years ago.

You can’t get the flu from the vaccine. It’s not a live strain.