As Chilliwack joins the largest immunization project in the nation’s history this week, there are still people who wonder what all the fuss is about.

They question whether too much is being made of the H1N1 threat, and suggest the vaccine is not worth the trouble.

We disagree.

True, the flu virus is not unusual during the Canadian winter.

But it is that familiarity that has many people believing this strain is no worse than usual.

We’ll defer to the health experts, who agree that the H1N1 has the potential to be much more deadly than the regular seasonal flu virus – a virus that still kills thousands of people annually.

The difference is that this particular strain is killing people who are normally only inconvenienced by the seasonal variety – the young and healthy.

That’s not meant to scare people; it’s simply the reality of the statistics so far.

If that has health officials nervous it is because they understand what damage a flu virus can do. The pandemic of 1918 killed 50,000 Canadians, and perhaps 40 to 50 million worldwide.

Vaccines and a better understanding of how the flu spreads offer the promise we will not see a pandemic on that scale any time soon.

But it does provide a sobering reminder of a flu virus’s potential harm.

Public health officials rightly point out that getting a flu shot is a matter of choice.

But it should be an educated choice. It should be based on the scientific facts, not anecdotes, internet blogs or conspiracy theories.

No vaccine carries an ironclad guarantee. But the risks are minimal.

“We would not be recommending a vaccine we did not think was safe,” said provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall last week.

If you are eligible to get the H1N1 vaccine, get it.

If you are waiting your turn, keep washing your hands, sneezing into your arm and staying healthy.

We’ll be happy if this flu season turns out to be better than the experts predict. But in the meantime, we’re urging people to err on the side of caution and get the flu shot when it’s available to them.

Prevention is always preferable to a week in bed, or worse.