# to shot or not to shot. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 30, 2000, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shot-or-not-to-shot/38906 "2000-10-30T07:16:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aceospades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Aceospades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aceospades)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shot-or-not-to-shot/38906/1 "2000-10-30T07:16:51Z")
I am a 25 year old healthy white male. Should I get inoculated for the flue? How many flue viruses does one inoculation cover? I’ve been told it’s only one. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shot-or-not-to-shot/38906/2 "2000-10-30T07:51:27Z")
Interestingly, you spelled correctly the most commonly misspelled word in your entire post “inoculate”. As a 25-year old male, you will have a hard time finding any doctor who will have any flu vaccine to give you. Nearly all of it is being diverted to high risk groups, such as the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shot-or-not-to-shot/38906/3 "2000-10-30T12:50:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > \*\*As a 25-year old male, you will have a hard time finding any doctor who will have any flu vaccine to give you. Nearly all of it is being diverted to high risk groups, such as the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. \*\* Actually, they are setting up stands at grocery stores, malls, and Wal-Marts here in Kansas City to give it to anyone who sits down and pays for it. ---
**Author:** ![Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/779978/32.png) [@Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zumba_The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shot-or-not-to-shot/38906/4 "2000-10-30T13:01:16Z")
BobT: In my area they are asking that the high risk get first dibs on the shots because they are concerned about a shortage this year. However after that anyone can get a shot who wants one and is willing to pay for one. They haven’t had this problem in previous years. I am 25 and healthy and get one every year. aceospades: I would vote for the flu shot. I have not gotten the flu once since I have started getting the shot every year. In my line of work getting sick during the winter is frowned on. A few people have some side affects from the shot but it is impossible to get the flu from the shot. I have never had any side affects other then a sore arm for a day. The flu shot with inoculate you from the viruses that they think will be most prevalent this year. As far as I know it inoculates you from quite a few flu viruses, but they are different ones every year. ---
**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shot-or-not-to-shot/38906/5 "2000-10-30T13:26:27Z")
Personal experience, extrapolate what you wish…I have had precisely 3 colds in 21 years, and I had the flu when I was 14 (28 years ago.) I absolutely never get sick, no matter how many sick people I’m around, and for 7 years I volunteered at Denver General Hospital. The only year I got a flu shot was the same year I got my last cold, 5 years ago. I got the cold within a week of the flu shot. Since I apparently have an iron-clad immune system, I won’t get a flu shot again as long as I’m otherwise healthy. ---
**Author:** ![Aceospades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Aceospades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aceospades)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shot-or-not-to-shot/38906/6 "2000-10-31T04:20:28Z")
do you know for sure that the flu shot covers more then one type of flu for sure? do you possibly have a site to back this up? i’d really like to know ---
**Author:** ![Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/779978/32.png) [@Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zumba_The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shot-or-not-to-shot/38906/7 "2000-10-31T12:53:40Z")
Yes, I know for sure. I didn’t have a site to back it up. But, a quick Yahoo search pulled this up. [http://thedailyapple.com/level3/ds3/ddfluhm.htm](http://thedailyapple.com/level3/ds3/ddfluhm.htm) You might want to read the whole article, but in reference to your specific question: > [@](#): > > The influenza virus continually changes, and each year’s flu shot includes the most current virus strains. > [@](#): > > Currently, there are three different influenza virus strains, and the vaccine contains viruses representing each strain. The above quote was talking about the 1999-2000 flu shot. But, it does show that the flu shot protects against more then one flu. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shot-or-not-to-shot/38906/8 "2000-10-31T15:14:17Z")
I received a flu shot through my work place two weeks ago. The information sheet listed the strains against which the shot was supposed to be effective. There ware I think four listed. However I don’t remember a one of them.