 It's that time of the year again. The Saasibo Naval Branch Health Clinic has been administering this season's influenza vaccine. But what is the flu shot and why is it important? The vaccine itself is delivered in two forms. One is a live, inactivated virus, which is delivered intranasally, and the other is a shot. Both of them trick the body into thinking they've already been exposed to the virus, which allows our immune system to now fight off the real thing. Being in the military community, it's especially important because the density of our population is pretty high and it's very easy to communicate the virus specifically in our population. By being proactive and staying a step ahead of the flu, the Saasibo Naval Branch Health Clinic is keeping sailors mission ready. Petty Officer Michael Sanchez, Fleet Activities Saasibo, Japan.