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About 30,000 people die of flu/flu complications annually in the US.
It is ironic that that most people couldn't care less about this statistic, yet seem to think that 6,000 Ebola deaths in West Africa is some kind of harbinger of the Apocalypse. They won't get their flu shot to protect themselves from a genuine threat, yet if a vaccine for Ebola was released tomorrow they'd be lined up around the block for it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghostrider275452
My understanding is the virus has mutated, making the flu shot less effective.
My doctor told me that there are two strains making the rounds this year, but the shot is really only effective against one of them. He still recommended getting the shot tho. 50-50 are far better odds than zero any day of the week.
The only reportable flu deaths are pediatric deaths, of which there have been 15 this season already, again, mostly in the midwest and south.
http://home.elpasotexas.gov/_documen...%20Season~.pdf
First Flu-Related Death this Season in El Paso
The City of El Paso Department of Public Health has
confirmed that a middle-aged woman who tested positive for influenza
infection has died. The woman had several underlying medical conditions
and had been receiving treatment at a local hospital.
http://home.elpasotexas.gov/_documen...%20Season~.pdf
First Flu-Related Death this Season in El Paso
The City of El Paso Department of Public Health has
confirmed that a middle-aged woman who tested positive for influenza
infection has died. The woman had several underlying medical conditions
and had been receiving treatment at a local hospital.
My understanding is the virus has mutated, making the flu shot less effective.
It mutates every year and the CDC has to predict what mutation/combination of viruses will be prevalent in the upcoming flu season and what combination should in be included in flu shot manufacturing. Some years they predict better than others.
http://home.elpasotexas.gov/_documen...%20Season~.pdf
First Flu-Related Death this Season in El Paso
The City of El Paso Department of Public Health has
confirmed that a middle-aged woman who tested positive for influenza
infection has died. The woman had several underlying medical conditions
and had been receiving treatment at a local hospital.
I mean reportable to the CDC.
"Influenza-Associated Pediatric Mortality Surveillance System — Influenza-associated deaths in
children (persons less than 18 years) was added as a nationally notifiable condition in 2004. Any
laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated death in a child is reported through this system.
Demographic and clinical information are collected on each case and are transmitted to CDC.
4." http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/weekly/overview.pdf
The aim isn't to cheat death but to postpone it. I hope I get the full journey.
It isn't just for your benefit. The fewer people who come down with it, the better off we all are.
And for people who think of the flu as just a more intense cold - you have no idea how sick a person can get with it, and how many other bad things that it can open the door for.
Please take an epidemiology course and an empathy course before commenting like that again. Tell that to the parents of those dead kids. In general, flu is a vaccine preventable disease, or at least a vaccine preventable death. Keep in mind too that's just confirmedpediatric deaths. About 30,000 people die of flu/flu complications annually in the US.
The vast majority of those are old, sick, and infirm to begin with. It is very rare for healthy strong people to die from the flu. As far a flu shots, every time I get one, I get the flu. Years I don't take it, I seem to be able to avoid it.
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