Vaccines are an important advance in medical science. They help prevent and treat diseases that, in the past, we had no way of curing or preventing. Today, there are vaccines for countless viruses, and receiving them can often mean the difference between health and sickness. But regardless of how important vaccines are, there are still those few people who complain and avoid them altogether.

It’s true, shots are no fun, but at the cost of your overall health, they’re more than worth the tiny prick of pain in your arm. And still, more people complain about the cost of vaccines, when in reality, they’re covered under most, if not all, insurance policies. If you’re truly concerned about your annual flu shots costing you extra money out of your pocket, then you can always call an urgent care center and ask about insurance policies. On average, urgent care centers see about 350 patients every week, and while most of those visits are not for flu shots, they’re still available at your local urgent care center!

If you think that the flu only comes around once a year, you’re wrong. Although winter weather conditions increase the likelihood that you’ll contract the virus, that doesn’t mean it only exists around that time of year! The flu is a virus with strains that are constantly evolving and changing, so you could catch a slightly different variation at any time throughout the year. Contrary to popular belief, it’s possible to get more than one flu shot every year for this very reason. If you ask your local pharmacist or your primary care physician, they’ll most likely tell you that it’s reasonable to receive more than one flu shot every year.

The only good thing about the constant evolution of the flu is how many medical resources are out there as a result of it. Any urgent care facility that you visit will be able to administer intravenous fluids and get you to a doctor quickly, so you don’t have to worry about the cost of any emergency room visits in the case that something does come up. But even though these services are available in worst case scenarios, there’s still no excuse to shirk off your flu shot!