Right, the shots are killed-virus. As a psychologist who works in schools (we, and teachers, should get hazardous-duty pay, as everything going around goes through the schools...) I fall into one of the exposure categories and always get one. I haven't had a serious bout of flu for 20 years since graduate school, when I didn't get one--nor, fortunately, have I ever had any more adverse reaction than a sore arm. Anyone with kids in school might want to consider it too....the darlings are germ factories. Per the cold, I know they won't give me allergy shots if I have one, but I'm not sure of the reasoning, other than that it gives your immune system something else to battle....