I don't understand people's reluctnce to taking a yearly flu shot. If you ever had a bad case of the flu, where you were bed ridden for a week, you would be more careful about your health.
Those who don't get a flu shot simply rely on others to get one and prevent the spread of a disease throughout the community. Peoples reluctance to get vaccinated unfortunately comes from the extreme success that vaccines have had in preventing disease. We no longer see plagues killing millions as in the past so people don't see the need for vaccines. Just ask any of our grandparents about Polio if you want to know the devastation caused before vaccines.
Also they likely have never gotten a case of influenza. Influenza is a serious viral infection that does unnecessarily kill many people every year. Especially the elderly and those with a compromised immune system. If you have been sick throwing up headache you likely did not have the "flu".
I've never received a flu shot and don't intend on it this year either, especially the swine flu vaccine. It's too new and the risks associated with it haven't been fully explored not to mention I'm a healthy young female. If I get the flu I will recover from it naturally. The flu shot itself does NOT guarantee that you won't get it either, especially with the different strains of it.
I don't see the need to get a vaccine that is going to make me sick temporarily because I *might* get the flu which is not going to kill me. The same cannot be said for other vaccines that I've received as a child such as IPV, MMR or DTaP. Those diseases are much more deadly and the vaccines have been around much longer.
The flu shot will not make you sick. The vaccine is made up of inactivated, dead, influenza virus strains. The nasal mist does have a weakened for of the virus so with that you may get minor flu symptoms. While it's true that the vaccine doesn't contain every strain of flu it protects against what is determined to be the most likely strains. Just because someone is "healthy" is no reason to take it for granted. Influenza kills approximately 36,000 people per year. I don't want to be the one dying from it saying "I'm healthy this isn't supposed to happen to me."
I used to get a flu shot every year. 15 years ago I stopped getting them and I've never had what I would call the flu. The real flu lasts a week or two, not 2, 3 or 4 days. Getting sick for that short of time with a fever and chills is just a bad cold.
Robert, I don't rely on others to get a flu shot to protect me, either. I rely on my own hygiene and not putting my hands near my face. Yes, that does work and has worked for me for the last 15 years. I've seen people in my own office get sick while I keep right on carrying on.
The southern hemisphere is coming out of its winter right now and there was no pandemic of the flu or H1N1.
I'm not anti-vaccine. Of course vaccines have put many diseases out of business. In this instance however, I don't believe there's a real need for "everyone" to be vaccinated. Clean water and good hygiene have saved far more lives, though.
Doug don't get me wrong I'm not accusing people of relying on others to prevent them from getting sick. What I'm talking about is a real medical phenomena. If the majority of people in a group are vaccinated the spread of disease is much more difficult, thus keeping the non-vaccinated from also getting sick.
Good hygiene is the most important and easiest way to prevent spread of any disease especially the flu. Soap and hot water along with the use of hand sanitizers and not touching your face is the best form of prevention. Unfortunately they are not always available and you cannot account for other people's actions.
The southern hemisphere is coming out of winter now but that really doesn't mean much. Mexico and the United States is the epicenter of the swine flu breakout and there have been cases all over the country including 2 confirmed deaths from the swine flu in New York. Both of which occurred in individuals in the 18-24 age range. I don't think I need to say how unusual this is. The fact that flu season has already started in September is also very unusual!
A few years ago I had a flu shot & had a terrible reaction to it, so bad that the nurses at Tops would not let me leave for over 30 minutes. I have not had one since, and have never had the flu. I practice good hygiene and so do my co-workers. Most of them do get the shot, and we are instructed to "stay home" if you're sick!
I get a flu shot every year. (Once even drove up to a clinic in Canada to get one because there was a shortage here in the states.) It's a precaution I'm willing to make "just in case"
My Ins company actually sent me a letter with a check list saying that I hadn't had my yearly flu shot. (OMG a company that actually reads the records!) lol They said because I have an existing heart problem they strongly advise that I take preventative action. I have to call my doctors office to make an appointment and it doesn't have to be pre approved.
I think it's awesome that they take notice of preventative medicine.
Along those lines, I also received a letter about a month ago telling me that they assigned me a case nurse to manage my heart condition. If I have any questions or concerns I can call her. They send out information on the meds I take and send a news letter with tips on diet, exercise and new info on new procedures and treatments. Nice to know someone is looking out for the little guy for a change. :)
For the record, the flu shot CAN make you sick, it can also cause serious and/or painful reactions. I don't rely on others to keep me healthy, I take a daily multi-vitamin and practice good hygiene. My mom is in the "high risk" pool, and when I lived in residence halls at a college, I would get the vaccine. My mother lives with a compromised immune system, and has for many years, I know how scary the idea of spreading the flu is, however, the flu vaccine is generally a best-guess vaccine. They don't know what strain is going to really come out, and if the swine flu mutates enough, the vaccine won't protect you.
It can take up to two weeks for the flu vaccine to go into "full effect". Same with the swine flu vaccine. And, even if you receive the vaccine, you aren't fully protected from all strains of the flu.
There's too much guessing, and my fear of needles, for me to get one, let alone two, vaccines.
I don't understand people's
I don't understand people's reluctnce to taking a yearly flu shot. If you ever had a bad case of the flu, where you were bed ridden for a week, you would be more careful about your health.
Those who don't get a flu
Those who don't get a flu shot simply rely on others to get one and prevent the spread of a disease throughout the community. Peoples reluctance to get vaccinated unfortunately comes from the extreme success that vaccines have had in preventing disease. We no longer see plagues killing millions as in the past so people don't see the need for vaccines. Just ask any of our grandparents about Polio if you want to know the devastation caused before vaccines.
Also they likely have never gotten a case of influenza. Influenza is a serious viral infection that does unnecessarily kill many people every year. Especially the elderly and those with a compromised immune system. If you have been sick throwing up headache you likely did not have the "flu".
I've never received a flu
I've never received a flu shot and don't intend on it this year either, especially the swine flu vaccine. It's too new and the risks associated with it haven't been fully explored not to mention I'm a healthy young female. If I get the flu I will recover from it naturally. The flu shot itself does NOT guarantee that you won't get it either, especially with the different strains of it.
I don't see the need to get a vaccine that is going to make me sick temporarily because I *might* get the flu which is not going to kill me. The same cannot be said for other vaccines that I've received as a child such as IPV, MMR or DTaP. Those diseases are much more deadly and the vaccines have been around much longer.
The flu shot will not make
The flu shot will not make you sick. The vaccine is made up of inactivated, dead, influenza virus strains. The nasal mist does have a weakened for of the virus so with that you may get minor flu symptoms. While it's true that the vaccine doesn't contain every strain of flu it protects against what is determined to be the most likely strains. Just because someone is "healthy" is no reason to take it for granted. Influenza kills approximately 36,000 people per year. I don't want to be the one dying from it saying "I'm healthy this isn't supposed to happen to me."
I used to get a flu shot
I used to get a flu shot every year. 15 years ago I stopped getting them and I've never had what I would call the flu. The real flu lasts a week or two, not 2, 3 or 4 days. Getting sick for that short of time with a fever and chills is just a bad cold.
Robert, I don't rely on others to get a flu shot to protect me, either. I rely on my own hygiene and not putting my hands near my face. Yes, that does work and has worked for me for the last 15 years. I've seen people in my own office get sick while I keep right on carrying on.
The southern hemisphere is coming out of its winter right now and there was no pandemic of the flu or H1N1.
I'm not anti-vaccine. Of course vaccines have put many diseases out of business. In this instance however, I don't believe there's a real need for "everyone" to be vaccinated. Clean water and good hygiene have saved far more lives, though.
Doug don't get me wrong I'm
Doug don't get me wrong I'm not accusing people of relying on others to prevent them from getting sick. What I'm talking about is a real medical phenomena. If the majority of people in a group are vaccinated the spread of disease is much more difficult, thus keeping the non-vaccinated from also getting sick.
Good hygiene is the most important and easiest way to prevent spread of any disease especially the flu. Soap and hot water along with the use of hand sanitizers and not touching your face is the best form of prevention. Unfortunately they are not always available and you cannot account for other people's actions.
The southern hemisphere is coming out of winter now but that really doesn't mean much. Mexico and the United States is the epicenter of the swine flu breakout and there have been cases all over the country including 2 confirmed deaths from the swine flu in New York. Both of which occurred in individuals in the 18-24 age range. I don't think I need to say how unusual this is. The fact that flu season has already started in September is also very unusual!
A few years ago I had a flu
A few years ago I had a flu shot & had a terrible reaction to it, so bad that the nurses at Tops would not let me leave for over 30 minutes. I have not had one since, and have never had the flu. I practice good hygiene and so do my co-workers. Most of them do get the shot, and we are instructed to "stay home" if you're sick!
I get a flu shot every year.
I get a flu shot every year. (Once even drove up to a clinic in Canada to get one because there was a shortage here in the states.) It's a precaution I'm willing to make "just in case"
My Ins company actually sent me a letter with a check list saying that I hadn't had my yearly flu shot. (OMG a company that actually reads the records!) lol They said because I have an existing heart problem they strongly advise that I take preventative action. I have to call my doctors office to make an appointment and it doesn't have to be pre approved.
I think it's awesome that they take notice of preventative medicine.
Along those lines, I also received a letter about a month ago telling me that they assigned me a case nurse to manage my heart condition. If I have any questions or concerns I can call her. They send out information on the meds I take and send a news letter with tips on diet, exercise and new info on new procedures and treatments. Nice to know someone is looking out for the little guy for a change. :)
For the record, the flu shot
For the record, the flu shot CAN make you sick, it can also cause serious and/or painful reactions. I don't rely on others to keep me healthy, I take a daily multi-vitamin and practice good hygiene. My mom is in the "high risk" pool, and when I lived in residence halls at a college, I would get the vaccine. My mother lives with a compromised immune system, and has for many years, I know how scary the idea of spreading the flu is, however, the flu vaccine is generally a best-guess vaccine. They don't know what strain is going to really come out, and if the swine flu mutates enough, the vaccine won't protect you.
It can take up to two weeks for the flu vaccine to go into "full effect". Same with the swine flu vaccine. And, even if you receive the vaccine, you aren't fully protected from all strains of the flu.
There's too much guessing, and my fear of needles, for me to get one, let alone two, vaccines.