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What other diseases are you referring to that make the nightly news as frequently as flu deaths? When pertinent: measles, chicken pox, zika, ebola, lime..... the list is endless
Deaths from car accidents also occur nationally (and at a much higher rate then flu deaths) and it's impact is national if you're talking about the number of people killed nationally in car accidents. If a disease on the east coast is spreading, it is of national news to the rest of the country because they may be affected. If you crash your car in Birmingham, it's not going to affect anyone else.
I don't agree that flu deaths are somehow so different from deaths from other causes that they need to be headline news on a daily or near daily basis for months on end.That's your personal view,
not widely held. Most people do want to know if there is a disease/illness circulating that may or will come to their area.
Everyone knows it's flu season. Do we really need a daily reminder?
See above.
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Lab confirmed flu deaths are only accounted for in children. The numbers are questionable and controversial when applied to adults without confirmation. Approximately 40,000 people died in car accidents in 2016 so not exactly close to the average estimate of flu deaths.
I don't have time to google sources but even though this is Huff Post, it does a pretty good job of discussing why flu death estimates are controversial at best. Don't Believe Everything You Read About Flu Deaths
As for your last sentence, are you saying that you agree that the news surrounding flu is meant to scare people into getting vaccinated?
I do not work in a PR department; I work production when I work. Starting in January I am not even working. It is an interesting link that you post. I cannot talk for the CDC; you should ask them about that. I cannot even really talk for my company; especially since I am not currently working. However; I will stand by my statement that if the vaccine saves your life or your loved ones; what difference does it make why you got the vaccine?
Originally Posted by MissTerri
What other diseases are you referring to that make the nightly news as frequently as flu deaths?
When pertinent: measles, chicken pox, zika, ebola, lime..... the list is endless
Deaths from car accidents also occur nationally (and at a much higher rate then flu deaths) and it's impact is national if you're talking about the number of people killed nationally in car accidents.
I don't agree that flu deaths are somehow so different from deaths from other causes that they need to be headline news on a daily or near daily basis for months on end.
That's your personal view,
not widely held. Most people do want to know if there is a disease/illness circulating that may or will come to their area.
Everyone knows it's flu season. Do we really need a daily reminder?
Mikala's in red
Your list includes two illnesses such as chicken pox and measles which we have vaccines for and who are similar to flu as in they were common in the pre-vaccine era and a somewhat expected illness that all kids would go through at one point or another. I would question if those cases are hyped in the media as well with the same intent, to get more people to vaccinate. The measles outbreak at Disney certainly helped with the passage of the laws surrounding vaccines in CA.
Flu is still common in the post vaccine era and will likely always be common since it is a quickly mutating virus. Flu season happens every single year. I think most people are well aware. Roughly half the us population gets their flu vaccine so there is quite the market if in fact the op's premise is correct and this media coverage was a calculated push to scare people into getting vaccinated.
You say that my personal view is not widely held, how do you know? Most people seem to be well aware that it's flu season and that the flu will likely hit their area at one point or another. It happens every year.
Your list includes two illnesses such as chicken pox and measles which we have vaccines for and who are similar to flu as in they were common in the pre-vaccine era and a somewhat expected illness that all kids would go through at one point or another. I would question if those cases are hyped in the media as well with the same intent, to get more people to vaccinate. The measles outbreak at Disney certainly helped with the passage of the laws surrounding vaccines in CA.
Flu is still common in the post vaccine era and will likely always be common since it is a quickly mutating virus. Flu season happens every single year. I think most people are well aware. Roughly half the us population gets their flu vaccine so there is quite the market if in fact the op's premise is correct and this media coverage was a calculated push to scare people into getting vaccinated.
You say that my personal view is not widely held, how do you know? Most people seem to be well aware that it's flu season and that the flu will likely hit their area at one point or another. It happens every year.
Why does it bother you so much that flu is in the news? If you do not want to hear it, turn it off or don't read it.
If you are not going to vaccinate your family, why don't you want others to take the vaccine, even if it reduces the chance you or your family will be exposed to someone with the flu, though only by 10% to 30%?
What harm do you perceive other people vaccinating against flu will do to you?
Why does it bother you so much that flu is in the news? If you do not want to hear it, turn it off or don't read it.
I never said it bothers me. I'm just discussing the topic.
Quote:
If you are not going to vaccinate your family, why don't you want others to take the vaccine, even if it reduces the chance you or your family will be exposed to someone with the flu, though only by 10% to 30%?
What harm do you perceive other people vaccinating against flu will do to you?
About half of the population does not vaccinate for the flu so it's not like my decision regarding this health care decision is unusual. I don't care what others choose to do in terms of getting or not getting the flu shot.
I never said it bothers me. I'm just discussing the topic.
About half of the population does not vaccinate for the flu so it's not like my decision regarding this health care decision is unusual. I don't care what others choose to do in terms of getting or not getting the flu shot.
If more people vaccinated in most seasons we could achieve herd immunity for flu and a lot fewer people would get sick.
So why do you object to news articles suggesting that more people get the vaccine? You say it doesn't bother you, but you do not want the media to do it.
So why do you object to news articles suggesting that more people get the vaccine? You say it doesn't bother you, but you do not want the media to do it.
I'm not objecting. I'm discussing the topic. Also, I'm sure that I already told you what I'd love to see the media do more of and you showed me one good example where they actually did it right (imo) and that is, educating people on signs and symptoms regarding complications.
I get what you're saying...however, the spread of the flu is a bit different then the spread of other germs from playing in the dirt.
If a person with the flu coughs and expels something on your desk and you touch that and then touch your mouth, you've swallowed the flu. In this case, handwashing is a good thing during flu season.
I'm not a big hand sanitizer or wipes user during most of the year, but I am careful at this time.
TBH, I think kids should wash their hands before eating especially when they've been playing in the dirt. That whole "hygiene hypothesis" has been very misinterpreted, especially considering every professional source says "more research is needed". But back to topic. Flu has been found to be spread simply by breathing. You don't have to cough to spread the virus. Study confirms flu likely spreads by aerosols, not just coughs, sneezes | CIDRAP "Donald Milton, MD, MPH, who led the team and is a professor of environmental health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, said in a press release from the college that sick patients contaminate the air around them, just by breathing, and not just by coughing or sneezing, especially during the first few days of illness."
Also, see this: https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0118142611.htm " "The study findings suggest that keeping surfaces clean, washing our hands all the time, and avoiding people who are coughing does not provide complete protection from getting the flu," said Sheryl Ehrman, Don Beall Dean of the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering at San José State University. "Staying home and out of public spaces could make a difference in the spread of the influenza virus."
While washing one's hands frequently is always good practice, you don't have to be fanatic about it, and you certainly shouldn't count on it to keep you well. There is research that handwashing helps more with colds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gusano
I nearly died from the Asian flu in 1957. I was five. I get the flu shot every year because I want to take as many measures as possible to avoid going through that again.
I also believe in hand washing, good nutrition, and sufficient rest and exercise. None of these things is mutually exclusive with regard to the others.
Excellent points!
Quote:
Originally Posted by newtovenice
The vaccine has an efficacy of about 30% per the CDC. And people are NOT dying in droves. Not even close. It's an AVERAGE year.
I wish people would actually ACKNOWLEDGE, CONSIDER, UNDERSTAND and ACCEPT these two UNDISPUTED FACTS.
But people are brainwashed, truly. It's really sad. They believe that people are keeling over, dying on the street and the ONLY, SOLE reason other people are not dead is because they took something that may or may not be 30% effective. NO other factors need apply.
It's ludicrous how far critical thinking skills have fallen in this country. Absolutely ludicrous.
There has been no CDC estimate for the US yet.
Depends on what you call "dying in droves". This has been a big year for deaths, and we're reading all these stories about people being well one day and dead the next.
Quote:
Originally Posted by newtovenice
For now.
Give it 10 years.
"Slippery slope" is a logical fallacy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by newtovenice
I've seen those too.
I use the 30% stat because that is directly from the CDC.
Which makes me feel like the lower stats are accurate, because CDC is most likely presenting best case scenario. It's likely lower than 30%, no question.
That's my common sense analysis, although I know common sense isn't too popular these days, lol.
The CDC has not published a vaccine efficacy yet for this season.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChristineVA
I was born in 1963 and had the vaccine probably around the time I was a year old (or a little over) so maybe 1965. Maybe I didn't get the one you developed!!!
I certainly don't remember the vaccine, but my mother does. It's one of the reasons I have not had a flu vaccine. I seem to have over-the-top reactions to things that most people don't have.
The smallpox vaccine made a lot of people sick. I vaguely recall getting sick from it myself. However, that doesn't mean a flu shot will make you sick. I've been a flu shot administrator and I've heard this story many times: "I never got a flu shot and then one year I got the flu. (Follows with a description of their flu experience.) Now I get one every year. I never want that again. My daughter got a bad flu at age 9 and said that! If you work outside the home, you should really consider getting vaccinated. Even if you stay home, you'll still be exposed when you go out in public. Adults are contagious for a day before they have symptoms, and kids can be contagious for several days for showing symptoms.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MissTerri
Lab confirmed flu deaths are only accounted for in children. The numbers are questionable and controversial when applied to adults without confirmation. Approximately 40,000 people died in car accidents in 2016 so not exactly close to the average estimate of flu deaths.
I don't have time to google sources but even though this is Huff Post, it does a pretty good job of discussing why flu death estimates are controversial at best. Don't Believe Everything You Read About Flu Deaths
As for your last sentence, are you saying that you agree that the news surrounding flu is meant to scare people into getting vaccinated?
That article from the HuffPo is 4 years old and HuffPo used to be quite anti-vax. They've come around a little.
I don't think the news is supposed to scare people into getting vaccinated. Most of the news articles I read/hear get the information quite confused. Recently, they have been saying that the CDC does recommend getting the vaccine even though the season is underway and the vaccine doesn't appear to be extremely effective.
aren't the news medias just using sensational reporting tactics to help them and to boost their own ratings?
Yes. But they do that about everything. It's just who they are, so I choose not to watch. If I want to be scared ****less I'll watch a horror flick.
My personal experience the last time I had one is I got sick as hell. Could have been an unfortunate coincidence but still...I'm not doing that again. Of course, in all things individual mileage may vary.
TBH, I think kids should wash their hands before eating especially when they've been playing in the dirt. That whole "hygiene hypothesis" has been very misinterpreted, especially considering every professional source says "more research is needed". But back to topic. Flu has been found to be spread simply by breathing. You don't have to cough to spread the virus. Study confirms flu likely spreads by aerosols, not just coughs, sneezes | CIDRAP "Donald Milton, MD, MPH, who led the team and is a professor of environmental health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, said in a press release from the college that sick patients contaminate the air around them, just by breathing, and not just by coughing or sneezing, especially during the first few days of illness."
Also, see this: https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0118142611.htm " "The study findings suggest that keeping surfaces clean, washing our hands all the time, and avoiding people who are coughing does not provide complete protection from getting the flu," said Sheryl Ehrman, Don Beall Dean of the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering at San José State University. "Staying home and out of public spaces could make a difference in the spread of the influenza virus."
While washing one's hands frequently is always good practice, you don't have to be fanatic about it, and you certainly shouldn't count on it to keep you well. There is research that handwashing helps more with colds.
Excellent points!
There has been no CDC estimate for the US yet.
Depends on what you call "dying in droves". This has been a big year for deaths, and we're reading all these stories about people being well one day and dead the next.
"Slippery slope" is a logical fallacy.
The CDC has not published a vaccine efficacy yet for this season.
The smallpox vaccine made a lot of people sick. I vaguely recall getting sick from it myself. However, that doesn't mean a flu shot will make you sick. I've been a flu shot administrator and I've heard this story many times: "I never got a flu shot and then one year I got the flu. (Follows with a description of their flu experience.) Now I get one every year. I never want that again. My daughter got a bad flu at age 9 and said that! If you work outside the home, you should really consider getting vaccinated. Even if you stay home, you'll still be exposed when you go out in public. Adults are contagious for a day before they have symptoms, and kids can be contagious for several days for showing symptoms.
That article from the HuffPo is 4 years old and HuffPo used to be quite anti-vax. They've come around a little.
I don't think the news is supposed to scare people into getting vaccinated. Most of the news articles I read/hear get the information quite confused. Recently, they have been saying that the CDC does recommend getting the vaccine even though the season is underway and the vaccine doesn't appear to be extremely effective.
They've been quoted numerous times stating the 30% efficacy as an estimate. Pretty easy to find.
And it will likely be LOWER than that because in instances of estimates, groups will choose the higher/lower level to support whatever it is they are supporting. And in this case, the CDC supports the vaccine 100%.
I suspect the final efficacy will be LOWER than 30%.
Then why does the news tell people EVERY SINGLE NIGHT to go get vaccinated?
What other drug gets THIS much publicity from the media?
Is the news telling women to take BC, people with depression to take their antpsychoticas, people with diabetes to take their metformin?
Why? Do people NOT KNOW that it's 'flu season"? Do people NOT KNOW a vaccine is available?
Of course they do.
So WHY the push push push advertise advertise advertise through the NEWS?
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