Can it be dangerous to get a flu shot?

Flu shot: No, it's not dangerous to get a flu shot.

Influenza vaccine: Flu shot side effects may include: slight swelling, redness or pain at vaccination site. If headache, nausea, fever or muscular pain occur they usually resolve within one to two days. Influenza vaccine is contraindicated in infants less than 6 months old, if you have a high fever, a moderate to severe acute illness, or if you have had a past severe allergic reaction to the vaccine.

Yes: The flu shot has many known side effects. Quoting the CDC it can cause "soreness. redness, swelling, hoarseness, sore, red or itchy eyes,cough,fever,aches, headache, itching, fatigue and small increased risk of Guillan-Barre Syndrome" as well as "severe allergic reaction." Serious side effects are rare but do happen. Most docs believe the benefits outweigh the risks. Please see comments for more.

Dangerous to skip it: One of my saddest days in years was discharging a newborn baby to it's maternal grandmother after the mother died of flu related pneumonia. Baby was delivered at 37 wks c-section while mom was dying. I almost lost a 3 yo to flu pneumonia last season.Rare problems arise in a few, but I get it every year for a reason.

About flu shots...: Flu (influenza) is dangerous, while the flu shot is not dangerous. The Flu kills thousands and thousands of Americans every year. Ask anyone who says the flu shot is dangerous, "How many Americans does the shot kill each year?" There's just no comparison. So, use common sense and get a flu shot each year unless there is a good medical reason not to (such as having an allergy to past flu shots).