My mother is the only one who had a flu shot recently in my family and also the first one to get sick(we believe the flu). The last time my brother got sick was shortly after having the flu shot. Based on your experience, does it work?
The flu shot
- Thread starter rainforests1
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beancounter
The Fire That Burns Within
Yes it works. It is my understanding that this year, the strain of flu that infected so many people was not one that was included in the vaccine. At the time the vaccine was being manufactured, they used their best (educated) guess as to which strains to include in the vaccine.
ledboots
Peace
If someone has an underlying infection, like a head cold, and they receive the flu vaccine, their immune system turns to fight the new invader (flu virus), and the original infection has an opportunity to flourish. Have the vaccine when healthy.
The nasal spray vaccine is a live influenza virus, but even it cannot give anyone the flu. The injections are dead viruses. If it was influenza that your parent had, it was likely an unprotected strain, or too soon an exposure for the vaccine to have taken effect. This year's vaccine covered less than half the active strains. They usually are far better at predicting.
Typically you should check if you belong to one of the risk groups.
If you are a normal, healthy person, chances are that the flu itself is not very dangerous for you. For infants, old people or people with weakened immune system, this might look different.
When my wife was undergoing chemotherapy, and had a weakened immune system, it was logical for me to get the flu shot for myself and our kids, simply to reduce the risk of any of us picking up the flu and infecting her (although the flu shot is not vegan most of the time).
Best regards,
Andy
If you are a normal, healthy person, chances are that the flu itself is not very dangerous for you. For infants, old people or people with weakened immune system, this might look different.
When my wife was undergoing chemotherapy, and had a weakened immune system, it was logical for me to get the flu shot for myself and our kids, simply to reduce the risk of any of us picking up the flu and infecting her (although the flu shot is not vegan most of the time).
Best regards,
Andy
... I understand that.
Which is why I understand why hospitals would require it from their staff (who can be expected to have an above-average number of contacts with members of the risk group), although those employees might personally be opposed to it for good reasons.
Which is why I understand why hospitals would require it from their staff (who can be expected to have an above-average number of contacts with members of the risk group), although those employees might personally be opposed to it for good reasons.
beancounter
The Fire That Burns Within
If you're already convinced that the flu shot isn't any good. Why bother asking?
This is about people's experiences. Only one person gave theirs and said they had the flu. Not convincing, but can't say I'm 100% convinced one way or the other.
Spang
Foot Fetisher
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Your healthy family members are increasing the chances that an at-risk person will get the flu and die.
Dedalus
Mercurial and fleeting
I'm not anti-vaccination in general - however, my wife and I decline the flu shot every year. Going on 20 years - we have not been sick. We don't feel like being part of the yearly experiment to see if the medical community are able to correctly predict the strain of the virus. It's like predicting the weather - they are wrong as often or more often than they are right. And every year we watch others who get the shot - suffer with the illness anyway.
Spang
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This year's flu shot only reduced the risk by 23%, but that's a lot better than 0%, and blah, blah, blah people are less likely to die.
Dedalus
Mercurial and fleeting
Dedalus
Mercurial and fleeting
It would be interesting to see the percentages of people that declined the shot and still came down with the virus.
Spang
Foot Fetisher
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Dedalus
Mercurial and fleeting
Lol - whatever that is. How can the healthy family member endanger someone if they are indeed healthy? Can one be a carrier of the virus and not become ill? (I'm asking...I really don't know the answer to this.)
Edit: Technically, if the strain of the vaccine is incorrect - even those getting the shot would also be endangering others.
ledboots
Peace
Actually, shaming is very effective. Hospitals and physicians offices often require employees who decline the flu vaccine to wear masks all the time, even if they don't work in patient care areas. It is like a scarlet letter.
And pediatricians shame parents into getting their children vaccinated all the time.
