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Some years back I had a terrible case of the flu. My wife got it and we were near going to the hospital. Since then we have both gotten the shot (this time of year) and have not (knock on wood) ever gotten the flu.
Yep, took my late eighties parents and myself for our shots this week. My mother psyched us out. All three of us were lined up, waiting to get our shots. They did her first. She acted as though it was awfully painful, making the most horrible face and horrible noises. Dad and I looked at each other, startled, dreading that it was going to be really nasty this year. It wasn't bad at all, and she did it on purpose. She and the nurse had a jolly good time laughing about putting us in fear. Moral: I'm really not sure. Always go first? Never do shots as a family fun activity? Let your mother drive herself to get her flu shot next year?
I'm one of the 2% that have severe allergy reactions to the flu shot. My doctor took me off of it years ago and it's noted in my medical files not to give me the flus shot.
Use to have to get it every year because I was a nurse, but sure asked my provider for it at my apt this past month. Would not want to be sick and wishing I had got it. Also got the Pnemovax this year....MAN, did that one hurt for 3 days! Still, having suffered from pneumonia once, I would take it 100 times again to keep from getting pneumonia again. SICKER THAN A DOG and took 3 weeks to finally shake it.
As the old saying goes, "an ounce of prevention"....
I got that pnemovax one (that's the 1-time vaccine against pneumonia, right?) but my dr. doesn't really recommend the flu vaccine unless one has other health problems or bad lungs, etc. She says the percent of those it helps is very low (I believe she said 16% or something) and the percent of times they actually get the vaccine right according to which bug is actually around is low also. She says many many people get a slight sickness from the shot. I had a family member sick one whole winter after receiving the flu shot...and he never tried it again.
That said, I seem to get either the flu or just a case of bronchitis every winter and it's not pleasant. I'm bucking the tide not getting the shot I guess.
"When VE against all influenza viruses was combined, the overall VE estimate was 19% (95% CI: 7%– 29%). In practical terms, this means the flu vaccine reduced a person’s risk of having to seek medical care at a doctor’s office for flu illness by 19%."
Yes, last year's vaccine was mismatched for the A virus that was the dominant circulating strain. It did better for the B strain. I notice you chose not to quote this from your link:
"The VE estimate against influenza B viruses this season was 45% (95% CI: 14% – 65%)."
"It is not possible to predict which influenza virus will predominate or how severe influenza-related disease activity will be during the 2015–16 season, nor is it possible to say with certainty how effective influenza vaccine will be; however, laboratory analysis of influenza viruses to date suggests that the majority of viruses circulating worldwide in the past few months are similar to 2015–16 vaccine viruses."
Since it is impossible to know for sure how effective the vaccine will be, taking it now would be prudent.
Yes, last year's vaccine was mismatched for the A virus that was the dominant circulating strain. It did better for the B strain. I notice you chose not to quote this from your link:
"The VE estimate against influenza B viruses this season was 45% (95% CI: 14% – 65%)."
"It is not possible to predict which influenza virus will predominate or how severe influenza-related disease activity will be during the 2015–16 season, nor is it possible to say with certainty how effective influenza vaccine will be; however, laboratory analysis of influenza viruses to date suggests that the majority of viruses circulating worldwide in the past few months are similar to 2015–16 vaccine viruses."
Since it is impossible to know for sure how effective the vaccine will be, taking it now would be prudent.
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."
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."
Even if you don't care about yourself, and are shortsighted enough to think that the NEXT time you get the flu when you are nearly 10 years older it wont be worse (wishful thinking....)..... think about those around you. By having the flu, you expose your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, elderly, and the young to this infection as well for a long time. Could be days to 1-2 weeks of being infectious. It may hurt one of them even more than it hurts you.
Thank you for your comment. The last time I had the flu I knew I wasn't well and quarantined myself to my bedroom to ride the storm. Nobody I knew of caught the flu as a result of my shortsightedness.
You drink your Kool-Aid and I'll drink mine.
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