Flu shots are coming soon – in October and November. Watch your email for sign-up information to get yours for free!

How do vaccines like the flu shot work?

When you’re sick, your body’s immune system kicks in to fight off germs. And the immune system has a memory — it recalls what you’ve been exposed to before and helps protect you the next time around. Without this protection, even the common cold could be deadly.

But some germs are so strong, they can overwhelm the immune system. That’s where vaccines come into play. Vaccines are made of germs — but germs that have been weakened or killed, so they don’t cause illness. They do help your body build up its immunity, and that helps you fight off the bad germs better.

Before we had vaccines, the only way to become immune to an illness was to get it. That could be serious, or even deadly. Vaccination is a way to build up your immunity with less risk.

For more about flu shots, look at this information from the Centers for Disease Control.