If you have ever had the flu, you know how terrible the experience can be, especially during the holidays.

However, because of myths about the flu vaccine, some people are nervous to get the shot.

Flu season is officially among us and this season’s first case of influenza was reported a few weeks ago, and confirmed by the Mississippi Public Health Laboratory.

To avoid a queasy Christmas, it is recommended to get the influenza vaccine. Many people have heard the rumors that the flu shot can give you the flu, but according to Harvard Medical School research, that is not possible.

The Harvard Medical School website states that the flu shot is made up of an inactivated virus that is essentially dead.

However, the vaccination does take up to two weeks to properly protect someone from infection.

In that two-week span, people who get a flu vaccination are still vulnerable to the virus, which is why people assume it was the flu shot that made them sick.

Another misunderstanding about the flu is the severity of the disease.

Time and again, people who have the flu think they just have cold symptoms—like sore throat, coughing and sneezing and a runny nose—and don’t get the proper medication to treat the illness.

It could be hard to distinguish if you have a cold or the flu, so a trip to the doctor’s office is a sure way to treat the illness early on. According to the Mississippi Department of Health website, up to 49,000 deaths have been reported and 200,000 people are hospitalized each year because of the flu in the U.S.

Chicken soup is a delicious meal while sick, but it does not act as medicine and will not speed your recovery. People six-months and older can get a flu vaccination, so keep yourself and your family protected by going to get a flu shot today.