# Man up, people: flu shots are here. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 15, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876 "2013-09-15T00:56:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![smee\_goan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@smee\_goan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smee_goan)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/61 "2013-09-16T04:59:13Z")
I overheard… Guy ahead of me at Giant Eagle had aids, he still got a flu shot. (and his ‘partner’) ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/62 "2013-09-16T05:47:33Z")
Good! If they have AIDS, their immune systems are weak, and they’re more at risk of serious complications from the flu. [So the CDC especially recommends them to get the flu shot.](http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/hiv-flu.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/63 "2013-09-16T05:49:47Z")
> [@smee\_goan](#): > > I overheard… > > Guy ahead of me at Giant Eagle had aids, > > he still got a flu shot. > > (and his ‘partner’) What the fuck is this supposed to mean? And the scare quotes around “partner” are because…? ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/64 "2013-09-16T20:00:05Z")
Is the OP a parody of some kind ? 'Cause I counted seven distinct points of patronizing offence. ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/65 "2013-09-16T20:46:26Z")
I may have had the flu once, the time when my parents took me to the hospital on new year’s eve for a fever going over 104 degrees. Fever broke while waiting for admittance and everyone felt damn foolish. Hard to tell when I literally have the flu because my reaction to the average cold is similar. Body reacts horribly to all shots I’ve ever had and I get sick, feverish, swollen, bruised, and miserable for a week. Once had to get shots in both arms. Moving them for a week afterwards made me want to cry. Even just getting my blood drawn or getting an IV in results in swelling, bruising, and all around pain in the area for several days. This thread is making me wonder if maybe I’m actually allergic to something. Thought it was like this for everybody. Honestly I’d rather have the flu once every 20 years than a flu shot every year. Especially since the flu shot is not a guarantee and only a best guess at the upcoming strains. My tune will likely change once I’m past the age of 50-60 or if I have a compromised immune system, but until then, nope. I also wouldn’t complain about it if it was required for routine surgery or somesuch as that actually makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/66 "2013-09-16T21:04:35Z")
I guess if nothing else, this thread illustrates that a lot of people have different reactions to vaccinations. I dunno if they have over-active immune systems or if there’s something else going on. But every time I’ve had a flu shot, I’ve had some extremely mild soreness in the injection site and that’s it. Then again, the couple of times I’ve had the actual flu, I’ve lost a complete week where I was unable to get out of bed and was so miserable that I couldn’t even imagine ever getting better. \* Really \* don’t want to do that again. ---
**Author:** ![NeverKnownNormal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@NeverKnownNormal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeverKnownNormal)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/67 "2013-09-17T00:37:16Z")
I started getting flu shots when I was in college (covered by the student health plan) and I generally get a sore patch on my arm, might feel just a little bit achy the next day. (When I get a tetanus booster, I can’t use the arm for three days, and feel like I was run over by a truck, but I’d prefer not to chance dying of tetanus–go figure.) As an aside, I never had a year of perfect attendance until college. Always before, lots of sick days. Of course, not all flu, but it was probably in the mix. My current employer will pay for a flu shot, so I’ll wait 'till they set up the at-work clinic. I expect the sign-up sheets are likely to go up any day now. I did learn my lesson on the pneumonia vaccine. Got both, same day, several years ago, and the arm with the p-vac broke out in swollen hives, I ran a fever of 104, gasped and wheezed my way through most of a day, and missed a week of work. Good news (for me) was that they said I should only need that one once. ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/68 "2013-09-17T01:07:48Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > I usually wait until October or November to get the flu shot. Am I wrong that it only lasts a few months? Often flu season doesn’t really get going around here until March, so if I got the shot now, it would be 6 months until I might be exposed to the virus. Would it still be effective? Short answer: It takes about two weeks to build up protection against the flu once you’ve been vaccinated. The protection lasts one year. > [@"\[CDC](#): > > ([http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/misconceptions.htm](http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/misconceptions.htm))"] **Should I wait to get vaccinated so that my immunity lasts through the end of the season?** > > No. CDC recommends that influenza vaccination begin as soon as flu vaccine becomes available and continues throughout the flu season. The flu season is unpredictable, and since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body that protect against influenza virus infection, it is best that people get vaccinated early so they are protected before influenza begins spreading in their community. While immunity can vary by person, previously published studies suggest that immunity lasts through a full flu season. Although adults 65 and older typically have a reduced immune response to flu vaccination compared with young healthy adults, their immune protection still extends through one flu season. > [@Finagle](#): > > I guess if nothing else, this thread illustrates that a lot of people have different reactions to vaccinations. I dunno if they have over-active immune systems or if there’s something else going on. But every time I’ve had a flu shot, I’ve had some extremely mild soreness in the injection site and that’s it. > > Then again, the couple of times I’ve had the actual flu, I’ve lost a complete week where I was unable to get out of bed and was so miserable that I couldn’t even imagine ever getting better. \* Really \* don’t want to do that again. I used to feel pretty icky and rundown for a couple of days after the flu shot, but for the last few years all I’ve had was the soreness you mention. Sadly, the posts in this thread have convinced me that there is no hope of herd immunity for influenza. I never will understand some of the attitudes towards vaccines and I’m even more determined to get the flu shot to protect myself and my own loved ones. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/69 "2013-09-17T01:22:30Z")
Got mine today. I feel fine, just as I have every year. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/70 "2013-09-17T02:22:40Z")
Went to the doc today for my annual check up stuff. He said he hadn’t heard about the no-egg shot but if I found out anything more to let him know. Suggested Walgreens, as they definitely are in the flu vaccine business around here. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/71 "2013-09-17T02:45:46Z")
> [@Silophant](#): > > Good! If they have AIDS, their immune systems are weak, and they’re more at risk of serious complications from the flu. [So the CDC especially recommends them to get the flu shot.](http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/hiv-flu.htm) I was wondering if a flu shot (or any other vaccination) would do any good in someone with AIDS. If AIDS destroys your immune system, you would think that a vaccine wouldn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/72 "2013-09-17T03:02:51Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Last time I got my car washed, I ended up with the worst case of gastroenteritis of my entire life. I couldn’t keep anything in either end for four days. I was moments away from telling my husband to call 911, 'cause there was just no way I could walk down three floors of stairs to get to the car to have him take me to the ER, I was going to need some strapping young men with a transport chair to carry me. Luckily, my friend who’s a nurse came over, took one look at me, and silently stuck an enema tube up my butt and topped me off with a liter of saline. Handed my husband three more liters to use as needed. Rehydrated me enough to stay home and live in bed for the next 48 hours. > > Oh, it couldn’t have been the car wash that did it? Yeah, you’re probably right, it was probably something I ate. The car wash was probably a coincidence. Last time I checked, a car wash didn’t involve injecting some foreign\* substance into your body the way a flu shot does. But if you did inject hot wax or something, then no, probably not a coincidence. - [sup]foreign as in not normally there, not foreign as in “made in China” though I’d probably double check and make sure your flu shot wasn’t made in China before getting injected, probably wind up having lead in it or something[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/73 "2013-09-17T03:07:58Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > Is the OP a parody of some kind ? 'Cause I counted seven distinct points of patronizing offence. What on earth are you going on about? It was just a reminder that it’s that time of year. Christ, people. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/74 "2013-09-17T03:13:58Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > I was wondering if a flu shot (or any other vaccination) would do any good in someone with AIDS. If AIDS destroys your immune system, you would think that a vaccine wouldn’t work. The vaccine does help. Most of these folks do have immune systems, they are just compromised, which means they are less able to fight an infection, but not entirely helpless against it on their own. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/75 "2013-09-18T18:29:07Z")
Had the flu once as a child, and I am never going through that again. I’ll get the flu shot, thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/76 "2013-09-19T04:04:11Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Many scientists seem to think that because they understand one branch of science, they’re experts in all things science. If you have a hard science background, you don’t necessarily know anything more about biology than a layperson, and sometimes less. Except you should know, from a science/engineering background, how to interpret data. And read sciency/engineery academic papers. And be able to distinguish solid, proper research and data, published in reputable journals from cherry-picked nonsense from conspiracy sources. …but I guess not all do, because I work with some otherwise smart and educated people of whom a few hold ridiculously stupid ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/77 "2013-09-19T04:05:53Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > What on earth are you going on about? It was just a reminder that it’s that time of year. Christ, people. :rolleyes: It’s always “that time of year.” I’m not falling for it. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/78 "2013-09-19T04:43:23Z")
> [@Implicit](#): > > Short answer: It takes about two weeks to build up protection against the flu once you’ve been vaccinated. The protection lasts one year. Related question: I’ve been waiting to get my flu shot so that it’s as close to the expiration of the one year mark as possible out of concern that “overlapping” the shots too much would be detrimental somehow. Is there anything to that concern? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/79 "2013-09-19T06:45:21Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > Except you should know, from a science/engineering background, how to interpret data. And read sciency/engineery academic papers. And be able to distinguish solid, proper research and data, published in reputable journals from cherry-picked nonsense from conspiracy sources. > > …but I guess not all do, because I work with some otherwise smart and educated people of whom a few hold ridiculously stupid ideas. Actually, I think that those skills are valuable for EVERYONE to have, but especially for the science and engineer types. My husband comes home with some pretty hair raising stories about some of his co-workers. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876/80 "2013-09-19T13:27:11Z")
> [@Macca26](#): > > I may have had the flu once, the time when my parents took me to the hospital on new year’s eve for a fever going over 104 degrees. Fever broke while waiting for admittance and everyone felt damn foolish. Hard to tell when I literally have the flu because my reaction to the average cold is similar. You probably haven’t had the real flu. Colds can be pretty bad, but the flu is noticeably worse. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-up-people-flu-shots-are-here/668876.md?page=5)