Call them what you want — immunizations, vaccinations or the good ol’ fashioned shot, but the important part is get them because they are one of the best weapons our nation has against a number of serious diseases.

We think it’s a pretty simple idea: You don’t want to get the flu or give it to your family and friends, so get a flu vaccination.

Contrary to rumor, you cannot get influenza by getting a flu vaccination. That’s the science; it is an inactive virus that cannot give you the flu. It can, however, make you feel some of the minor symptoms of the flu after the vaccination. But those feelings go away in about 24 hours.

Yes, getting a shot from a needle hurts a little, but helps a lot in keeping a potentially serious illness from settling into your body and the bodies of the people which you come into contact. Those bodies may include vulnerable people, including babies, elderly people, and others with health issues, who could die if they contract the flu.

Just like a flu vaccination, other immunizations have helped our nation rid itself of diseases that were once prevalent and impacted many people. Among the diseases preventable by vaccinations are chickenpox, diphtheria, mumps, and polio.

Take polio, for example. Polio is caused by a virus that lives in the throat and intestinal tract. It is spread through contact with the bowel movements of an infected person, for instance, by changing diapers. Polio was eliminated from the United States in 1979. However, polio still exists in some developing countries, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

But the effects of this disease can still be seen in a few Borderland residents who walk with difficulty caused by the paralysis polio can cause.

Continued success in keeping polio from spreading and disabling depends upon maintaining high immunization rates.

For some people, the plethora of information on the Internet may make it difficult to distinguish between propaganda that vaccinations cause a variety of issues, such as autism, or hard science that shows no link between those issues and vaccinations. But, science has shown — again and again and again — vaccines do not cause the harm they’ve been accused of causing.

The answer to avoid serious complications of influenza or several other potentially dangerous diseases is easy: Get vaccinated for yourself, your family and friends, and your community.