Vaccination - a reminder!

There are two schools of thought on this subject and I clearly categorize into the minor camp as I have always resisted getting any of them. I fall into the "keeping my immune system naturally exercised" crowd.

<< waiting for the slam now>>>

No "slam" from moi, Sho. I'll even second your post.

Proper nutrition and consistent/focused exercise go a long way in boosting one's immune system. I haven't had even a "cold" in 20-30 years.
 
Thank you. I got both shots about 2 minutes apart and nearly one on top of the other. What I was later told is it is recommended to not have both shots in the same arm. Is this wrong? My reaction was just from the flu shot?

I am also one of those individuals that has mild flu symptoms are getting a flu shot. Some say that isn't possible. I say BS. It has happened every time I have gotten a flu shot.
You can give 2 immunization in the same muscle if you separate them by at least one inch. I usually use the other arm unless they just want one arm used. No, you can not get the Flu from the shot as it is not a live virus, but you can get mild flu-like symptoms as the body reacts and builds up immunity. Mild fever, chills, aches, fatigue etc can occur.
 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...d23f2aaad09_story.html?utm_term=.63faa1ccd857

Every year as flu season emerges, so too do myths and misconceptions about the flu shot.

"Some people avoid getting the vaccine because they don’t think it works well enough to be worth it. Some think they are too healthy to need it. And some worry it will make them sick, possibly remembering a time when they got the shot and fell ill soon after.

“That’s the one I always hear from the taxi driver and the person at the grocery store: ‘The flu vaccine is going to give me the flu,’ ” says Mark Thompson, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. “That is a persistent myth.”

Despite years of consistent messages from health-care providers about the dangers of the flu and the protective power (and safety) of the flu shot, many people still hold false beliefs about both. One reason is that the flu, technically called influenza, encompasses a complicated and ever-changing group of viruses, says William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville." Washington Post
 
One hundred years ago there was an influenza pandemic that infected about 500 million people, one third of the world’s population. The pathogenicity and virulence of hat strain of flu lead to staggering mortality. As you now there is not a lone pathogen that causes influenza, but an array of changing, evolving organisms. CDC's EID journal has a extensive collection of articles about influenza in addition to the public info on its site: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/spotlight/influenza

I find it too terrifying not to get my immunizations.
 
There are two schools of thought on this subject and I clearly categorize into the minor camp as I have always resisted getting any of them. I fall into the "keeping my immune system naturally exercised" crowd.

<< waiting for the slam now>>>
It of course is great to keep your immune system in the best shape possible through lifestyle and nutrition.

However, I've heard people talk about preferring "natural" immunity instead of vaccines, like the immunity from a vaccine is unnatural - it's not - all the vaccine is doing is making sure your natural immunity is boosted and ready to fight off the bad stuff well before it gets a toehold in your system. Nothing unnatural about it. I think it's much preferable to both have a strong immune system and make it aware beforehand of specific dangerous things we know might hit it. And for kids and older folk like myself, having a little reaction at the needle spot is reassuring that the immune system did pay attention.
 
Get the flu shot every year. Had the pneumonia shot. Had the flu bad some years back. Nice throwing up while driving home. It was six weeks till i felt better. Had a friend at work get the flu. She was off for 3 weeks, It hit her that bad. The anti-vaxers are wrong. The 1917-1918 flu killed a lot of the strong people that should have survived around the world. https://www.cdc.gov/features/1918-flu-pandemic/index.html
 
I got a little freaked out by vaccinations when I was 16 and got a varicella vaccination and about 5 minute later, while walking out of the clinic, I fainted. I was told it was because I had gotten the shot on an empty stomach. Strange. Either way, I avoided getting the flu shot for the next couple years but decided to get one this year. I figure why not. I haven't had the flu in a long time but it seems better to just get the shot, even if it's not going to be as effective as it could be.
 
My thoughts as an amateur who likes to understand how and why things work, or don't work, based on the best evidence available, and not goofy stuff like "Big Pharma":

1, The overall effectiveness of flu vaccines, across the general population, seems modest, but a net positive. It's hard to tell precisely how positive because . . .

2. The best way to assess effectiveness would be placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials, which are considered unethical.

3. The evidence shows that harmful side effects are very rare.

So, I get the shot.
 
Maybe they should just make it mandatory. Wouldn't saving 80,000 lives be a small price to pay to have our liberties mildly stepped on? I wonder. .
 
Do not worry, in a couple generations, the anti-vaxers should all die off due to natural selection.
 
As I understand it, the 80k deaths figure is an estimate based on deaths likely being caused by flu and in fact many times flu is secondary to the actual cause of stroke, pneumonia etc. I would like to see a breakdown by age, and if possible (probably not possible ) by health condition. There are lots of our population that are either very unhealthy themselves, concentrated in nursing homes etc or living homeless or with drug addiction etc who just by their condition are much more likely to get the flu than a healthy person living in a healthy environment.

I personally have avoided the shot for a number of reasons, but can't say I will never get one at some point.
 
...There are lots of our population that are either very unhealthy themselves, concentrated in nursing homes etc or living homeless or with drug addiction etc who just by their condition are much more likely to get the flu than a healthy person living in a healthy environment...

But this is just the point. Getting the shot is beneficial to everyone, but especially to those with weaker immune systems because it rallies the immune system to be prepared. Of course you will still see more bad cases of flu in those with poorer health, but the numbers will be greatly reduced. And that is not even considering the benefits of "herd immunity" due to coming in contact with infected people less often.
 
And that is a mistake on your part. As you get older your immune system gets weaker, so having the flu shot helps to rev it up.
That may be, but as for mistake, I think it's hard to prove, but to each his own.

I know bacteria and viruses are different as apples and oranges but it does remind me of how badly managed/misused antibiotics have been by the medical establishment , to the point where hospitals are places of danger to strains so powerful that antibiotics are becoming ineffective.

My thought is that we are heading down another road of grand experiment on our collective immune systems. I can understand the reasons that the cdc wants everyone to have the shot. But I personally don't fit in the same category as someone who works with sick people, or is in nursing homes concentrated with others who are with reduced immune capacity.

But for myself and my wife, both of us who rarely get sick, even with a cold, I would rather not have my immune system messed with until it becomes necessary. Considering I have not in my lifetime known anyone who died of the flu, I really am dubious that the risk to healthy populations require immune boosting in a guess as to which strain is going to occur. Ymmv however.

If people feel they need it they should get it but do it without all the 'anti science ' sentiment, keeping it a personal health decision.
 
...

But for myself and my wife, both of us who rarely get sick, even with a cold, I would rather not have my immune system messed with until it becomes necessary. Considering I have not in my lifetime known anyone who died of the flu, I really am dubious that the risk to healthy populations require immune boosting in a guess as to which strain is going to occur. Ymmv however.

If people feel they need it they should get it but do it without all the 'anti science ' sentiment, keeping it a personal health decision.
This x 10^10
 
I’ve had the flu and it sucks. We all get the flu shot in the family. Once I hit 60 I’ll probably start getting the pneumonia shot as well.
 
But this is just the point. Getting the shot is beneficial to everyone, but especially to those with weaker immune systems because it rallies the immune system to be prepared

I think this is what everyone assumes to be the case and it divides us into 2 camps, the one side points at the other and accuses them of causing the spread of the flu.

How do you suppose they could know if the flu shot really works? They could make a case that it must have worked because the guy with the flu shot didn't get the flu, but he likely wouldn't have anyway so that in itself isn't proof.

Would you be surprised to know that the death toll from the flu is only a guess? Much of that guess is based on assumptions. For instance it is assumed that pneumonia is caused by the flu. It can be but certainly not in all cases but this major death cause is one of the things they use to estimate.
 
I'm nostalgic the sugar cubes.
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Maybe they should just make it mandatory. Wouldn't saving 80,000 lives be a small price to pay to have our liberties mildly stepped on? I wonder. .

I remember when seatbelts became mandatory (yeah, I'm ancient - grin)
 
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