Do you avoid flu shots?

More people avoid them than you might think.

You may find it surprising that an informal, unscientific Chronicle survey of health care providers found that many don’t get the shots.

Their reason: They are young and healthy and the flu shots only protect you against certain strains.

For maximum protection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that 70% of us should get the shots. Since 2009, fewer than 50% got shots annually and sometimes only 42%.

That makes those who cannot be vaccinated, including 1.9 million babies, more vulnerable.

Flu can cause lethal inflammation of the heart, brain or spinal cord.

At greatest risk are senior citizens age 65 and older.

They accounted for 86% of flu-related deaths and 69% of hospitalizations in the 2017-18 flu season

Altogether, an estimated 960,000 people were hospitalized that season, and more than 79,000 died.

The CDC doesn’t publish the number of infants who are sickened by the flu, but it estimated that 27,778 children ages 4 and younger were hospitalized with the virus and 118 died.

Flu vaccines with a needle are made with killed viruses or with only a single virus gene. Neither causes the flu, but it does take 2 weeks for the vaccine to take effect.

Flu nasal sprays contain weakened live viruses and won’t cause the flu.

The spray is not approved for pregnant women, but the shot is safe for them.

Flu vaccines are 60% effective, meaning you are 60% less likely to get sick.