Get the flu shot every year. No excuses.

Thank you, to USA TODAY’s Editorial Board for publishing the editorial “Focus on the flu, not the new.” I am a family physician, and I abhor the number of my patients who refuse the annual influenza vaccination. When patients refuse, I always follow up with questions to understand their concerns. Unfortunately, the majority of responses are related to conspiracy theories propagated online. The second most common excuse is: “I’ve never had it before, why do I need it now?” and “I don’t believe in the flu shot.” I find the latter particularly troubling, as these patients have no faith in science.

My job is wellness. I expect that patients come to see me because they want to remain well. Therefore, I find it frustrating when patients do not accept my recommendations. It is especially frustrating when they refuse to acknowledge the various posters in my exam rooms highlighting the seriousness of influenza. And it’s quite simple: Influenza can kill you or your child, or maybe my child.

The herd is only as strong as the weakest member. People who refuse to become vaccinated against the flu put others in the community at risk. This is incredibly selfish. Look at Disneyland 2015, where kids of parents who refused to vaccinate their kids from measles transmitted the illness to others, who either could not be vaccinated because of chronic illness or were too young to be vaccinated.

This is ignorant thinking and places others at unnecessary risk. I am seriously considering making an annual flu shot mandatory to be a patient in my practice (although my employer will probably not allow this).

I wish the news media would spend more time encouraging people to be vaccinated. I believe it would dramatically improve the health of our country, save millions of dollars that could be spent on other aspects of health care, and ultimately keep our herd stronger. Todd Nelson, M.D.

Burlington, Wis.

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