Do you know of anyone who has had long-term effects from the flu? The two aren't as directly-comparable as people like you tend to try to make them out to be.

Either way, taking some basic precautionary measures shouldn't be confused with fear. While there are some people who seem over-the-top about it, most aren't. Many of those have their own reasons to want to avoid it, and really don't deserve to be shamed over it.