It’s that time of year again, when flu shots are offered everywhere for free, to stave off the epidemic. And, of course, there are the naysayers who refuse to get it on some grounds or other that I’ve never been clear on.
I am cynical when the government tells me what’s best for me.
But I also hate getting the flu !
So, what’s up? What do people have against it?
Is the government really saying that getting a flu shot is what’s best for you? I know that they recommend getting a flu shot, but I’d hardly call that the same thing.
Besides, what’s wrong with that anyway? They also say that it’s best not to drink and drive. Granted, that’s a more extreme case, but I think it goes to show that there’s nothing inherently abhorrent about the government stating what it thinks is best.
I say get the shot. It doesn’t cost much, and it could save you from losing days of productive work.
Just personal experience . . . But the one year I didn’t get the shot, I caught the flu and was sicker than three pups.
Here’s my question: I’ve never had the flu shot and I’ve never had the flu. I rarely get colds and never use up my sick time unless I’ve had surgery or a physical injury of some sort.
I guess I have a strong immune system. Probably from playing in the dirt as a child.
So, does a 28 year old, very healthy woman who almost never gets sick need a flu shot? If the answer is “yes” please elaborate.
If you never get a flu or colds, then, no, you probably don’t need one.
(Unless you have just given yourself a huge kina hora.)
Yes.
The minimal chances of a few minor downsides is far outweighed by the benefits.
IANAD, but here is what I’ve heard and read.
In past years, availability of the flu shot was tight…so only the high risk folks were highly encouraged to get the shot.
This year, supplies of the flu shot are more plentiful. Predictions are that this will be a nasty flu season, so more folks are being encouraged to get the shot. (There is also the FluMist spray…which is more expensive $40-50 than the shot which is about $17 See here ).
There are other consideration…do you have kids that you could spread the flu to…etc…
Check out the CDC …they have a good overview.
For additional considerations: As a matter of fact I have no kids, ailing grandmothers, or immune-suppressed friends. Footloose and fancy-free, me.
I didn’t get one last year and was healthy all winter. Told my doctor this and she said that was probably because of a healthy immune system, but that it’s a craps shoot. While it’s generally recommended for older folks and other at-risks, she said that she had a lot of 20-somethings in her office last year that were begging for cyanide tablets to put them out of misery. I got one this year.
Your doctor gives out cyanide tablets?
Must go to Dr. Mengele, who attended medical school in Buenos Aires, IIRC. Competent physicain, but not much bed-side manner.
“You vill take zees pills mit out qvestion!”
Last fall my mother and wife told me to get a flu shot. They told me and told me and told me. I didn’t get one. I got the flu. Big time. This year I’m getting a flu shot, not because I fear the flu, but because I fear the incessant “I told you so” chants I had to put up with for weeks on end.
Dang, I keep forgetting those pesky smilies, don’t I? And my sentence structure sucks, too.
In my town the clinic identifies specific groups that they recommend get the shot. They don’t recommend it for everyone. I’ve been getting one for the last four years because five years ago I got the flu and suffered the after-effects for weeks. I had never had it before and didn’t realize how sick you get.
Get it. I’ve gotten a flu shot for three years and haven’t had the flu or a cold in three years. I’ve heard that this winter is supposed to be worse than last years so, get the shot!
If I don’t voluntarily get my flu shot, the Student Health Care Center will send out their bounty hunters and take me down with dart guns.
Hm. I started this thread because I know there are people who say “DON’T GET THE FLU SHOT!!!” and I wanted to know why they said that - it seems that none of them are here ! So asked around IRL (strange concept, I know) and discovered that some people say getting the shot will make your immune system less able to fight the flu in the future. After a bit of googling I found this:
from here:
Now, I don’t pretend to understand that. The article isn’t clear to me.
From here:
From here
From here
So what does this mean? I dunno. Any comments?
Hello Again, remember that I’ve got a little germ vector in my house, and he goes to not just one but TWO different school environments with other little snot-nosed anklebiters. Three, if you count karate. It’s gonna be a long winter.
We’ll get you yet. Just keeeeeeeep on coming overrrrrrr… P.S. I have 8 cups of frozen raspberries awaiting our mad canning skillz.
I got the flu shot last fall, and haven’t had a sniffle since. No flu, no colds, and I usually get two little head colds every year.
I decided to get the shot because I couldn’t afford to get knocked out of my studies for two weeks plus recuperation time, and because I go to school at a medical university where I’m in constant contact with clinicians, who are in constant contact with (imagine this!) sick people. I’ll get it again this year … I can afford the down time even less this fall.
The naysayers are usually 1) selling some sort of herbal product, and 2) generally a bunch of quacks.
Take 1 dose of Quackwatch and call me in the morning.