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I guess this is our regularly-scheduled "let's all pat ourselves on the back for getting our flu shots" thread. Any dissenting opinion is squashed like a steam roller.
I would like to remind my fellow seniors that freedom is more precious than any shot, for anything. If the media and the medical establishment has convinced you that the flu is too dangerous to risk, and that they have the perfect preventative, and that you are doing your kids and grandkids a disservice by not getting one, then score a point for Big Pharma. They are leading up to making this stuff mandatory, and you all sit there like willing ducks in a row, parroting what the talking heads on TV are saying.
If my kids ever suggested that I get a flu shot "for the good of the grandchildren", I would tell them to mind their own business. I got the flu once, in 1995 (when I was 48), and got over it just fine. I haven't had so much as a sniffle in over a decade. My grandparents, parents, and other family members lived during times when there wasn't a shot for everything including hangnails. They lived into their 80s and 90s without getting the flu or anything else contagious. OMG how did they do it!
I once thought that it was the banksters and politicians who were responsible for the declining freedom in this country. I was wrong. Her people themselves are willingly relinquishing it.
I don't deny people like you the right to your opinion--as ignorant a view as it is.
What I do marvel at are people who not only hold this opinion, but insist on coming on a public forum and sharing it with perhaps dozens/hundreds of others. There is nothing like public flouting one's lack of knowledge.
From the way your post is written I doubt you know much of anything about virology, infectious disease, medicine, biology, or physiology. These are not just "goofy things" that people with a lot of education play around with just to impress everyone else. Through the course of human history, more people have succumbed to infectious disease than you can imagine. In 1918-1919, approximately 600,000 Americans died from what is now known as the "Spanish Flu". Worldwide that figure was about 20 to 25 million people. The flu isn't a joke. Its a deadly serious disease. The topic of influenza shots is a highly appropriate one for retired people because mortality from the flu is greatest among the elderly population. This time of the year October is the right time to talk about it. Flu season is generally from about October through April. Some flu seasons are worse than others. Eventually, another major epidemic will strike and remind people just how deadly this disease can be.
I don't understand people who can't accept the idea that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
The pharmacy industry does not make a huge profit from influenza vaccine or other vaccines. The huge profit that is made is from producing medications that people have to take long term for chronic The conditions. The truth is that if they stopped producing the flu vaccine, they would probably make more money selling anti-viral drugs to treat cases of the flu after they occurred.
If you avoided the flu for years without taking a shot, let me say "hip, hip, hooray". Millions of others have not been so successful. Some have ended up in the hospital. A few have died. If you don't care enough to vaccinate to protect your family.....well....its nothing to brag about.
From the way your post is written I doubt you know much of anything about virology, infectious disease, medicine, biology, or physiology. These are not just "goofy things" that people with a lot of education play around with just to impress everyone else.
I have an M.S. in natural sciences, including courses in microbiology and biochemistry. My GPA was 3.9.
You should be careful who you denigrate. Some people really DO know better than the great masses.
I don't deny people like you the right to your opinion--as ignorant a view as it is.
What I do marvel at are people who not only hold this opinion, but insist on coming on a public forum and sharing it with perhaps dozens/hundreds of others. There is nothing like public flouting one's lack of knowledge.
From the way your post is written I doubt you know much of anything about virology, infectious disease, medicine, biology, or physiology. These are not just "goofy things" that people with a lot of education play around with just to impress everyone else. Through the course of human history, more people have succumbed to infectious disease than you can imagine. In 1918-1919, approximately 600,000 Americans died from what is now known as the "Spanish Flu". Worldwide that figure was about 20 to 25 million people. The flu isn't a joke. Its a deadly serious disease. The topic of influenza shots is a highly appropriate one for retired people because mortality from the flu is greatest among the elderly population. This time of the year October is the right time to talk about it. Flu season is generally from about October through April. Some flu seasons are worse than others. Eventually, another major epidemic will strike and remind people just how deadly this disease can be.
I don't understand people who can't accept the idea that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
The pharmacy industry does not make a huge profit from influenza vaccine or other vaccines. The huge profit that is made is from producing medications that people have to take long term for chronic The conditions. The truth is that if they stopped producing the flu vaccine, they would probably make more money selling anti-viral drugs to treat cases of the flu after they occurred.
If you avoided the flu for years without taking a shot, let me say "hip, hip, hooray". Millions of others have not been so successful. Some have ended up in the hospital. A few have died. If you don't care enough to vaccinate to protect your family.....well....its nothing to brag about.
Maybe instead of pushing more flu shots, they should study why there are people who somehow "avoid" the flu for many, many years minus vaccinations while still being exposed to it up close and personal? No, they do not want to do that because creating more and more vaccines for the general public is far more profitable.
This is a "Retirement" forum. Aren't the majority of people on here over 65? Just look at the number of posts saying that they do not want Flu Shots. Anti-Vaxxers, or just maybe Anti Flu Shots?
Approximately 65% of Seniors nationwide do get flu shots; some states like Florida less. That is the majority. Government and the Medical Establishment are not happy with those numbers. Goggle it. They want 90%! Ok, yeah, that old Herd Immunity concept.
Good luck. Create another flu epidemic? There is a flu epidemic every single year. Pandemic in 2009 wasn't enough to panic people into getting that 90% Flu Shot rates, not even among Seniors, let alone younger adults.
Maybe they need to have a count of deaths every day on the news to create nation wide panic? Remember when the nightly news showed all those flag draped coffins coming back from Nam? That woke up the public. Maybe I shouldn't give them ideas. Words like epidemic and pandemic apparently does not scare people enough when it comes to the flu.
You know, I just don't find these effectiveness statistics to be that impressive. I got the flu back in 2007 and yes I was on my back for a couple days not feeling so hot but it wasn't the end of my world and my guess is that it did my immune system some good.
I will not be getting a flu shot this year or subsequent years until further notice. And if I get the flu, I'll let you know so you can say "I told you so."
Like others here, I had a case of the flu that had me flat on my back for 10 days. I don't even remember what I ate for 10 days, because my husband had the flu at the same time! I think we ate canned soup. LOL Not an experience I want to repeat. So we get our flu shots every year.
I guess this is our regularly-scheduled "let's all pat ourselves on the back for getting our flu shots" thread. Any dissenting opinion is squashed like a steam roller.
I would like to remind my fellow seniors that freedom is more precious than any shot, for anything. If the media and the medical establishment has convinced you that the flu is too dangerous to risk, and that they have the perfect preventative, and that you are doing your kids and grandkids a disservice by not getting one, then score a point for Big Pharma. They are leading up to making this stuff mandatory, and you all sit there like willing ducks in a row, parroting what the talking heads on TV are saying.
If my kids ever suggested that I get a flu shot "for the good of the grandchildren", I would tell them to mind their own business. I got the flu once, in 1995 (when I was 48), and got over it just fine. I haven't had so much as a sniffle in over a decade. My grandparents, parents, and other family members lived during times when there wasn't a shot for everything including hangnails. They lived into their 80s and 90s without getting the flu or anything else contagious. OMG how did they do it!
I once thought that it was the banksters and politicians who were responsible for the declining freedom in this country. I was wrong. Her people themselves are willingly relinquishing it.
Vaccinating against flu has nothing to do with freedom or Pharma profits. Pharma would make more money from treatments for people with flu, especially those who need to be hospitalized.
You may have only gotten the flu once and did just fine; many get it once and do not do fine. Some die.
For the 2014-2015 flu season there were 146 flu deaths in children. Experience tells us that many of those children were otherwise healthy and most (90%) were not vaccinated themselves.
The people who did not survive infectious diseases often did not live long enough to reproduce. They never became parents.
If I were your child and you refused to vaccinate yourself against flu or whooping cough you would find your contact with my children severely curtailed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nor'Eastah
I have an M.S. in natural sciences, including courses in microbiology and biochemistry. My GPA was 3.9.
You should be careful who you denigrate. Some people really DO know better than the great masses.
It appears your microbiology education is deficient, no matter what your GPA was.
Quote:
Originally Posted by irootoo
In some cases, though, today's anecdotal evidence is tomorrow's science. Just off the top of my head, I remember how decades ago, I used to cure a UTI with cranberry juice (not just prevent, totally cure, rapidly and with zero side effects). The "science" at the time said that was just an old wive's tale and utter nonsense--until someone got a grant to actually do a study and what do you know--cranberry juice has now been scientifically proven to be effective against UTIs.
I always think you have to look for the money whenever "science" is involved, and that includes the current unrelenting pressure from the medical establishment to get the flu vaccine.
There is evidence that daily intake of cranberry may reduce the risk of getting a urinary infection, possibly by half in some groups. That is by inhibiting the ability of e. coli bacteria to stick to cells in the bladder. It is certainly not 100% effective, and there are other bacteria that can cause UTIs. Cranberry has to be taken daily and in significant amounts to have an effect, and waiting until symptoms start is too late. There is no evidence to date that it can be used to treat an established infection. An antibiotic would be wise for a symptomatic UTI.
There is more money to be had in treating the flu than preventing it. The profit motive argument just does not hold water.
Did you get it? Will you get it? Why do they ask if you're age 65 or older? Is it a beefed up shot? I will get around to getting the shot as I do every year but I don't think I want any extra punch because I'm 65 now. Thanks.
They ask because if you're on Medicare, it's free. some places, like drug stores have contests to see how many flu shots they can sell. I am over 65 and I get one every year. I can't see any point in not getting one.
Maybe instead of pushing more flu shots, they should study why there are people who somehow "avoid" the flu for many, many years minus vaccinations while still being exposed to it up close and personal? No, they do not want to do that because creating more and more vaccines for the general public is far more profitable.
They do study it. At least one gene may increase the risk of having severe disease.
Vaccinating against flu has nothing to do with freedom or Pharma profits. Pharma would make more money from treatments for people with flu, especially those who need to be hospitalized.
You may have only gotten the flu once and did just fine; many get it once and do not do fine. Some die.
For the 2014-2015 flu season there were 146 flu deaths in children. Experience tells us that many of those children were otherwise healthy and most (90%) were not vaccinated themselves.
The people who did not survive infectious diseases often did not live long enough to reproduce. They never became parents.
If I were your child and you refused to vaccinate yourself against flu or whooping cough you would find your contact with my children severely curtailed.
It appears your microbiology education is deficient, no matter what your GPA was.
There is evidence that daily intake of cranberry may reduce the risk of getting a urinary infection, possibly by half in some groups. That is by inhibiting the ability of e. coli bacteria to stick to cells in the bladder. It is certainly not 100% effective, and there are other bacteria that can cause UTIs. Cranberry has to be taken daily and in significant amounts to have an effect, and waiting until symptoms start is too late. There is no evidence to date that it can be used to treat an established infection. An antibiotic would be wise for a symptomatic UTI.
There is more money to be had in treating the flu than preventing it. The profit motive argument just does not hold water.
Suzy, you are on a Retirement Forum here. The majority of Seniors do not have little children so your points are moot.
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