[BPt111]

Nearly 100 as died as result of flu so far this flu season and numbers are increasing every week ? Did you get sick this season ? It deadliest flu deaths since 2009 Fairfield County is leading the state followed by New Haven County.

Connecticut flu deaths rise again with 97 now dead | WTNH Connecticut News

[mels]

Anecdotally, we have only had one flu case in my office this year (60-ish people). We’ve done fairly well as far as illness in general. Speaking for myself, I don’t have kids so I miss out on a lot of the viruses that make the rounds every year. Keeping my fingers crossed that my luck continues through the end of flu season.

[Vandy-bound]

Just one data point among many, but I got the flu vaccination in October yet was diagnosed with the flu in the mid/end of January. Thankfully, the 3 other members of our household (who were all also vaccinated) did not get the flu and only had mild viruses.

[Mike 75]

Have been getting the flu shot for 10+ years and have not had the flu during that time (knock on wood). Have had my fair share of colds and stomach bugs though.

[RunD1987]

Heard that this flu shot was contaminated and not effective. Not 100% how true that is. I know last year I received the flu shot from the company in CT that doesn't use egg products and guarantees 60 to 80% effectiveness. This year received my shot from CVS so not sure what type of shot I got.

Had some nasty colds this year so far. Hospital almost went into disaster mode once due to overflow of patients with the flu. So far worked with 3 or 4 people with the flu. For a good month my wife's place of work almost 80 percent of residents had the flu or flu like symptoms. She had to wear a mask and take Tamiflu as a precaution.

[CTartist]

I did not get the flu shot (shame on me) and I got the flu. My husband did get the flu shot and he got the flu from me. We both went to the doctor right away and he put us both on Tamiflu which lessons the symptoms.

[Lalalally]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Heard that this flu shot was contaminated and not effective. Not 100% how true that is. I know last year I received the flu shot from the company in CT that doesn't use egg products and guarantees 60 to 80% effectiveness. This year received my shot from CVS so not sure what type of shot I got.

Had some nasty colds this year so far. Hospital almost went into disaster mode once due to overflow of patients with the flu. So far worked with 3 or 4 people with the flu. For a good month my wife's place of work almost 80 percent of residents had the flu or flu like symptoms. She had to wear a mask and take Tamiflu as a precaution.

My understanding is that every year (before flu season even begins)a best guess estimate as to which strain of flu is likely to hit is made and the drug manufactures then produce a vaccine based on that estimation. They usually get it right, but some years they’re off the mark. This year is one of those years. They didn’t anticipate the A strain to be the most prevalent, but it was and the vaccine produced for this season is not as effective as it usually is

[Cambium]

I never get the flu shot. Never get sick. I did feel like something was about to happen but 12hrs later back to normal... Either I'm immuned, strong immune system, or just lucky. Everyone seemed to have gotten it this yr. It was spreading like wild fire everywhere.

Flu shot only protects from certain viruses and you don't know which string will be around for the season. I know many that get it, and get sick as well as those who don't get and don't get sick.


I sleep with a circulating fan on every single night, even when the Polar Vortex is overhead.

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by Lalalally

My understanding is that every year (before flu season even begins)a best guess estimate as to which strain of flu is likely to hit is made and the drug manufactures then produce a vaccine based on that estimation. They usually get it right, but some years they’re off the mark. This year is one of those years. They didn’t anticipate the A strain to be the most prevalent, but it was and the vaccine produced for this season is not as effective as it usually is

The CT based one is pretty cool. It guarantees high effective rate and can create new vaccine in weeks if needed depending on mutations of the strain. Where it's nearly impossible with an egg based vaccine that takes 6 months to create.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Lalalally

My understanding is that every year (before flu season even begins)a best guess estimate as to which strain of flu is likely to hit is made and the drug manufactures then produce a vaccine based on that estimation. They usually get it right, but some years they’re off the mark. This year is one of those years. They didn’t anticipate the A strain to be the most prevalent, but it was and the vaccine produced for this season is not as effective as it usually is

No, the manufacturers don't just guess. Here is the process: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season...-selection.htm
It's a long article, here's a selection: "More than 100 national influenza centers in over 100 countries conduct year-round surveillance for influenza. This involves receiving and testing thousands of influenza virus samples from patients. The laboratories send representative viruses to five World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centers for Reference and Research on Influenza, which are located in the following places:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC);
London, United Kingdom (The Francis Crick Institute);
Melbourne, Australia (Victoria Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory);
Tokyo, Japan (National Institute for Infectious Diseases); and
Beijing, China (National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention).
Twice a year, the World Health Organization (WHO) organizes a consultation with the Directors of the WHO Collaborating Centers, essential regulatory laboratories and representatives of key national laboratories and academies. They review the results of surveillance, laboratory, and clinical studies, and the availability of vaccine viruses and make recommendations on the composition of the influenza vaccine. These meetings take place in February for selection of the upcoming Northern Hemisphere’s seasonal influenza vaccine and in September for the Southern Hemisphere’s vaccine. WHO recommends specific vaccine viruses for inclusion in influenza vaccines, but then each country makes their own decision about which viruses should be included in influenza vaccines licensed in their country.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) makes the final decision about vaccine viruses for influenza vaccines to be sold in the U.S."
(Mod: This is a govt. site so I can quote more than 3 sentences.)

As you can see, that's a little more than guessing.

Also, this year's main circulating strain is A-H3N2 and it is in the vaccine. It is thought to have mutated since the vaccine was made, plus it's thought to have mutated while being grown in the eggs.

Even so, the A-H3N2 has been found to be 25% effective overall, and higher for kids.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6706a2.htm