Mother knows best

Here's some aid and comfort for those panicked about not being able to get their flu shot this year. Experts are recommending back-up strategies to help you avoid the flu in the absence of immunity, and they include: Eat well. Get plenty of rest. Wash your hands. Avoid sick people. Stay home if you don't feel well. If only they'd added "Wear a sweater when you go outside" and "Don't go out with wet hair," they'd pretty much have covered all my mother's greatest hits. This is all common sense, of course, and good advice for keeping us all healthy, wealthy and wise. But I gotta ask: If doing these things will help us avoid the flu, then we need a flu shot ... why?