Does the flu shot really work?

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves

Did you get a flu shot this season?

  • Yes

    Votes: 408 56.7%

  • No, I don't think they work

    Votes: 143 19.9%

  • No, they are not safe

    Votes: 93 12.9%

  • No, I have a health issue that doesn't allow it

    Votes: 21 2.9%

  • Other: please explain

    Votes: 55 7.6%
  • Total voters
    720

New Posts

Safeguard said:
I (unapologetically) choose not to, as I feel something injected yearly, into the masses, is not something I am comfortable with just assuming they are 'Tamper Proof.
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Not understanding your logic...:notgood:
A good friend of mine was hospitalized a couple of weeks ago and still is with Pneumonia and she had a collapsed lung. They think it followed a bout of the flu. She has a trachea now and feeding tube and is on a ventilator. Perhaps this could have been prevented had she had the flu shot and a pneumonia shot. She was reasonably healthy a month prior. She has a long road ahead of her.
 
LinasK said:
Not understanding your logic...:notgood:
A good friend of mine was hospitalized a couple of weeks ago and still is with Pneumonia and she had a collapsed lung. They think it followed a bout of the flu. She has a trachea now and feeding tube and is on a ventilator. Perhaps this could have been prevented had she had the flu shot and a pneumonia shot. She was reasonably healthy a month prior. She has a long road ahead of her.
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I'm terribly sorry to hear about your friend!
As you said, "perhaps it could have been prevented"...perhaps not. The vaccine is only partially effective. (So much for the 'Herd Immunity' concept).

I often revisit my decision, and sometime I feel right on the fence, even. I do currently feel I am making the right choice for myself, ( while I still have the right to choose).
Life itself, is a terminal condition, 100% fatal.
I would like to think I have some say in how I choose to live mine.
 
Safeguard said:
I'm terribly sorry to hear about your friend!
As you said, "perhaps it could have been prevented"...perhaps not. The vaccine is only partially effective. (So much for the 'Herd Immunity' concept).

I often revisit my decision, and sometime I feel right on the fence, even. I do currently feel I am making the right choice for myself, ( while I still have the right to choose).
Life itself, is a terminal condition, 100% fatal.
I would like to think I have some say in how I choose to live mine.
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Yes, but death or incapacitation by pneumonia is entirely preventable, and your public health choice may also endanger the health of others, much like the choice of smoking leading to 2nd hand smoke for others. I have a cousin who years ago died of pneumonia solely because he refused to go to the doctor once he was sick. Tragic loss of a really nice guy.
 
Not buying a ticket on that guilt trip.
What's next? Prosecuting those who don't get the flu shot for public endangerment?
 
Safeguard said:
Not buying a ticket on that guilt trip.
What's next? Prosecuting those who don't get the flu shot for public endangerment?
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Yeah and while we're at it let's impose a tax penalty for those who don't have "affordable health care" [emoji39]
 
There are numerous strains of the flu going around at any time and the way I understand it is the flu shot is specific to which of the influenza viruses are making people sick for the year. So really I think it depends on whether or not it's one of those viruses you come in contact with or a different strain altogether.

It's a guessing game, backed up by research, as far as which viruses should be in the vaccine. Unfortunately, it's not until a lot of people get sick from a particular virus that causes influenza that the decision is made to create a vaccine for it. It will protect many, it won't protect all, and some were likely already immune before getting the vaccine.

As far as one's decision not to get the flu shot impacting another's health consequence . . I imagine the other person also had the choice to get the shot, in most cases anyway.
 
Aeronomy said:
There are numerous strains of the flu going around at any time and the way I understand it is the flu shot is specific to which of the influenza viruses are making people sick for the year. So really I think it depends on whether or not it's one of those viruses you come in contact with or a different strain altogether.

It's a guessing game, backed up by research, as far as which viruses should be in the vaccine. Unfortunately, it's not until a lot of people get sick from a particular virus that causes influenza that the decision is made to create a vaccine for it. It will protect many, it won't protect all, and some were likely already immune before getting the vaccine.

As far as one's decision not to get the flu shot impacting another's health consequence . . I imagine the other person also had the choice to get the shot, in most cases anyway.
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What about people who can't get the shot? I mean if you're assuming the other person had the choice to get it but that person was unable to get the shot.
 
bluesneakers said:
What about people who can't get the shot? I mean if you're assuming the other person had the choice to get it but that person was unable to get the shot.
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I made sure to say most people because I understand there may be a reason someone can't get it. However, my understanding is those persons are very, very few and far between. What reasons would one have other than not wanting to get it? [Not trying to be confrontational, just curious]
 
People who are allergic to components of the flu vaccine shouldn't get it (eggs, gelatin...I'm not sure what else). Also people who have or have had Guillain-Barre Syndrome shouldn't get it. Some people may not be able to afford it; some people may not be able to get to free clinics.

I've been getting the flu shot for years. I can't remember the last time I had the flu, but it was at least 15 years ago. I know I'm lucky as some years the strains in the flu shot weren't the strains that caused the outbreaks.

Two years ago, the 26-year-old daughter of my husband's cousin died from the flu. She and her husband had both been hospitalized with it. She appeared to be getting better for a couple of days, then had a sudden relapse and died before the 911 EMTs could respond.
 
Just a side note, they do make an alternate flu vaccine for people with allergies (ie eggs, latex etc) that would affect them with a traditional shot.
 
Oakland Co. child dies of flu-related illness

Candice Williams, The Detroit News 11:43 p.m. EST February 9, 2016

The first pediatric death in Michigan from influenza this flu season has been reported, health officials said Tuesday.

The Oakland County Health Division did not identify the child. But local mother Melody Arabo said her son, Ashton Arabo, 6, of West Bloomfield died Jan. 25 after complications from the flu.

Ashton was a kindergartner in the Walled Lake Consolidated School District...

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...2016/02/09/oakland-county-flu-death/80079634/
 
I used to get a cold/flu about twice a year. After I became caretaker for my mom about ten years ago, I would take her to get one and get one for myself since I was right there. I haven't had a cold or the flu ever since. Mom passed away a few years ago at the age of 90, but I still get the shot.
 
I never had a flu shot, never had the flu, nor will I ever get a shot. Who needs flu injected into their system? I know I don't. Myself and my family appear to be flu free, even the kiddies of all ages, for over 20 years in their young lives, and longer in mine.

Eat well, sleep right and don't let anyone compromise your immune system, says "I". I believe I said this once on here but couldn't find my comment.

At any rate, if you believe you need the shot, you very well might - the mind is a strange thing. And, so is the health system in these United States.

:cow:
 
Trident said:
I never had a flu shot, never had the flu, nor will I ever get a shot. Who needs flu injected into their system? I know I don't. Myself and my family appear to be flu free, even the kiddies of all ages, for over 20 years in their young lives, and longer in mine.

Eat well, sleep right and don't let anyone compromise your immune system, says "I". I believe I said this once on here but couldn't find my comment.

At any rate, if you believe you need the shot, you very well might - the mind is a strange thing. And, so is the health system in these United States.

:cow:
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BBM. Because you receive very small doses so that your body develops immunity to it and learns to fight it off in the event you should ever be exposed to it. You have been extremely lucky so far. Eating well and getting enough sleep are NOT protection from the flu should you ever be exposed to it. If you get the flu, you may well find yourself wishing you'd gotten the shot.
 
I have never had a flu shot before. I have not gotten the flu so far..............
 
LinasK said:
BBM. Because you receive very small doses so that your body develops immunity to it and learns to fight it off in the event you should ever be exposed to it. You have been extremely lucky so far. Eating well and getting enough sleep are NOT protection from the flu should you ever be exposed to it. If you get the flu, you may well find yourself wishing you'd gotten the shot.
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The same is true for allergy injections. Some people don't like them (especially children!) or the inconvenience of getting shots weekly/monthly, but I'm convinced they work. I make sure to get my injection at least monthly, more often when I know I'm more susceptible to environmental allergens. I also prefer occasional injections to using multiple medications to relieve symptoms.
 
Trident said:
I never had a flu shot, never had the flu, nor will I ever get a shot. Who needs flu injected into their system? I know I don't. Myself and my family appear to be flu free, even the kiddies of all ages, for over 20 years in their young lives, and longer in mine.

Eat well, sleep right and don't let anyone compromise your immune system, says "I". I believe I said this once on here but couldn't find my comment.

At any rate, if you believe you need the shot, you very well might - the mind is a strange thing. And, so is the health system in these United States.

:cow:
Click to expand...
If you are young and healthy it's no problem if you get the flu, but an older person (65+) and/or people with hearth and/or lung disease, or a weakened immune system (for example having had some kind of organ transplant), or suffer from chronic kidney or liver failure, or have asthma, or a child with multiple disabilities, for them the flu can get very serious, they may get a pneumonia afterwards and need hospital care, and in some cases it can even lead to a death. In Sweden in the winter of 2012 about 1000 people more than usually died, and of them 75% were above the age of 85.

Here in Sweden people over the age of 65 can get the flu shot for free, as well as people who have any of the above-mentioned risk factors (but not all of those want to take it for various reasons). The flu season is here at the moment, and our local hospital have had to cancel operations and other procedures for in-patients as they have so many flu patients needing the beds. So everyone, if you have the flu or suspect you have the flu, stay at home and avoid visit those who might become seriously ill from the flu.
 
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