Flu shot? Does it help?

[Smith1942]

I always get my flu shot and so does my husband. I've never had real flu but it sounds absolutely dreadful.

As someone else said, it's a simple thing to do to avoid getting sick, especially since I travel by plane quite a bit. While I'm sure the shot isn't foolproof, it's better than nothing in my opinion. And I've never got sick from the shot.

 

[hippi_pixi]

Based on everyone else comments i'm sure to get ripped apart for this but

I've never bothered. I'm under the impression that the flu vaccine is made by taking the most common strains of the flu from 1 winter creating a flu vaccine from them over the summer and offering it as a flu vaccine the following winter. So the vaccine protects against last years flu strains. And like all good viruses its constantly mutating into new strains. Of course anythings better that nothing for the elderly and immunocompromised but i wouldn't bother myself as a young adult. We'll see if that changes once i have kids!

 

[justginger]

Based on everyone else comments i'm sure to get ripped apart for this but

I've never bothered. I'm under the impression that the flu vaccine is made by taking the most common strains of the flu from 1 winter creating a flu vaccine from them over the summer and offering it as a flu vaccine the following winter. So the vaccine protects against last years flu strains. And like all good viruses its constantly mutating into new strains. Of course anythings better that nothing for the elderly and immunocompromised but i wouldn't bother myself as a young adult. We'll see if that changes once i have kids!

Your understanding of how the strains are chosen is a bit incorrect. Data is collected from epidemiological centers around the world, compiled and passed on to main WHO departments, and in February of each year recommendations are put forth to the VRBPAC. They have the final decision. The epidemiological data works on trends, and short of a very pronounced genetic shift due to recombination between different host viruses, it is pretty accurate. It is compiled continuously, as winter and flu season never ends - it just bounces back and forth between the hemispheres. In a sense, there is no 'last winter.' You are not receiving 'last year's' strains - you are receiving the strains that are trending to be the most contagious or produce the most severe symptoms. For us, what is happening in Asia during their winter is of the most concern to us in our winter, a few short months later.

 

[Tuckins1]

Lol, for everyone that says they NEVER get the flu (I didn't either), do they have a 2 year old at home who is in pre-school? Because that's where mine came from. Wash your hands all you want, when a toddler is constantly sneezing and coughing and you are the one cleaning him up, it's almost inevitable!!

 

[amc80]

Lol, for everyone that says they NEVER get the flu (I didn't either), do they have a 2 year old at home who is in pre-school? Because that's where mine came from. Wash your hands all you want, when a toddler is constantly sneezing and coughing and you are the one cleaning him up, it's almost inevitable!!

We are "lucky" as b hasn't brought home the flu yet. Just hand foot mouth, norovirus, and about 20 colds...in the past year.

 

[movie zombie]

no, I don't take the flu shot.
I have chemical allergies.
I do not get injections for anything that I am not given a complete list of "ingredients".
the last time I had the flu was in December 1999.
and the time before that was over 10 years.
I tend to keep my immune system supported with herbs, eating right, and taking my emergency herbs at the first hint of something going wrong.
this year will be interesting because I usually start an extra regimen in July [astralagus] in order to further build/support my immune system. I didn't do that this year.

 

[diamondringlover]

Lol, for everyone that says they NEVER get the flu (I didn't either), do they have a 2 year old at home who is in pre-school? Because that's where mine came from. Wash your hands all you want, when a toddler is constantly sneezing and coughing and you are the one cleaning him up, it's almost inevitable!!

Yep I totally agree with this lol...and that threat continues as they age...I just got a cold and caught it from my 16 year old son who got it from school..in spite of constant hand washing and hand sanitizer I still got it....ugh...and yes I get a flu shot every year, I have asthma and diabetes so I dont take any chances...I dont want the actual flu!

 

[msop04]

Hi all,

I haven't read every single post on this thread, but as a pharmacist, I wanted to weigh in on the whole "to flu shot, or not to flu shot" issue. First things first... the flu vaccination will NOT give you the flu. It is not a live virus, so there is no way anyone can contract the flu via the vaccination. **Flumist is the exception -- it is not a shot, but given by intranasal route -- it IS LIVE (live attenuated), and therefore there is a small chance you can contract the flu via this product. Flumist is given mostly to children, mainly because of their fear of needles.

Receiving the shot doesn't mean that you will not contract the flu virus. If you have ever received the flu shot and contracted the flu afterwards, one of two things have happened: you were either exposed to the virus prior to getting the shot (the most common -- usually seen in those who get the shot "too late" into the flu season) or you contracted a different strain of the flu (least common, as the CDC is extremely accurate in predicting the active strains each season). This happened to me once in 18 years of getting the flu shot... most likely because I procrastinated and waited until January to get mine (yeah... really dumb on my part).

PSA: If you are a health care worker, have small children or are around small children and/or the elderly, it is very important to be vaccinated each season. Unless you are a part of the very small percentage who is allergic to ingredients in the vaccination, please consider getting the flu shot. People with egg allergies do not have to worry about that anymore... unless your allergy is severe (anaphylaxis), you will most likely have no issues with the flu shot. If you are worried about it anyway, you can always get Flublok (which is not made with egg use).

 

[msop04]

Your understanding of how the strains are chosen is a bit incorrect. Data is collected from epidemiological centers around the world, compiled and passed on to main WHO departments, and in February of each year recommendations are put forth to the VRBPAC. They have the final decision. The epidemiological data works on trends, and short of a very pronounced genetic shift due to recombination between different host viruses, it is pretty accurate. It is compiled continuously, as winter and flu season never ends - it just bounces back and forth between the hemispheres. In a sense, there is no 'last winter.' You are not receiving 'last year's' strains - you are receiving the strains that are trending to be the most contagious or produce the most severe symptoms. For us, what is happening in Asia during their winter is of the most concern to us in our winter, a few short months later.

Great explanation, justginger.

 

[msop04]

I have never gotten the flu in my life, EXCEPT the one year I got a flu shot. I came down with it within a month. It was horrible and I have never felt that ill in my life. I swore I would never get a flu vac again in my life and haven't since. After speaking with a few doctors most of them say it is uncessary unless you are pregant or elderly. So if I'm going to roll the dice I would rather not putting weird chemicals and viruses into my system.

Guess it depends on the doctors... I've never talked to a doctor that didn't recommend the flu shot.

I would seriously question the competence of any health care professional that advised against a flu vaccination or said it was unnecessary -- esp. for those with younger children.