Was Your Flu Shot A Waste Of Time This Year?

So every year we hammer home the message: get your flu shot!  Well that's still good advice.

But what do you say when you hear that the strain that's out there causing the most problems has mutated -- so the vaccine is not as effective as it should be.

The answer is still: get your flu shot!!! Don't freak over the headline that the flu shot doesn't work -- that's simply not true.

Here's what you need to know:

Typically four strains of flu are covered in each year's flu shot.

This year, one of the four -- something called H3N2 -- has mutated.

Studies show that about half of the people who get the vaccine are protected against H3N2, but half are not -- and they are getting sick.

So far this year the strain that's the most common is this mutated strain.

And it's a harsh one -- particularly in older people, children, and people with health problems. The advice: still -- get your flu shot. You need protection against the other strains—and you'll at least get partial protection from the mutated strain -- so it's not a waste.

So far the season is mild but expected to get worse as flu spreads across the country. The people who are getting sick are really getting sick. Of you would have a sudden onset of fever, chills, aches, and cough -- even if you've had a flu vaccine—see your doctor: we do have prescription medicines like tamiflu that can lessen the symptoms and length of the flu.

I got my vaccine and didn't even whimper. But I will if I get influenza.

Remember, last year's vaccine was only 60 percent effective. I like 60 percent better than zero.