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Flu shots? For them or against ?
Replies
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Never had one. Don't plan on getting one any time soon but when I'm older I might need them.
I don't view vaccines as being for yourself, they are for the community. Its a societal thing. I don't get a flu shot because I am super worried that I am going to get deathly ill from the flu, I get a flu shot because I view it as part of the protective shield helping stave off potentially life threatening diseases from the community as a whole. Not because I am old but because I might be around people who are.
I get the TDAP vaccine because I'm occassionally around children, not because I'm worried about pertussus for myself. I get the flu shot for similar reasons.
I view it as a civic duty. Unless I have a very good reason to not get one I get one and to date I haven't had a good reason to not get one. I have medical insurance so its 100% free, so why wouldn't I?
With everything its a cost:benefit analysis
Cost: No money. No risk of illness (other posters are right you cannot get sick from a flu vaccine).
Benefit: Possibly avoid the flu yourself. Avoid transmitting the flu to others.
Seems like a no brainer to me.37 -
singingflutelady wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »I get mine annually. View it as a civic duty not really something to question. An exception would be if you were somehow immunocomprimised and it was an attenuated strain then you might have a reason to avoid it.
I was talking about vaccines in general when I mentioned if it is an attenuated strain. MMR for example.1 -
I'll admit getting a flu shot is about as easy as it gets for me. My work brings someone in annually to administer flu shots. So all we have to do is take 2 minutes out of our workday to go get one.3
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I make my kid get one, because I don't want to deal with him puking all over the place (mother-of-the-year material, I am). I get one because I hate puking. Hubby never gets one.7
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I just got mine today. This year and last year my work organized a flu shot clinic so we don't have to go anywhere.
Besides wanting to protect myself and my family, I work in the event business, so at times 1000's of people are around. I don't want to catch anything, but also don't want to pass along anything to someone who can't get the flu shot.
I've never had any negative side effects.3 -
singingflutelady wrote: »Before I was immunosuppressed I never got them but now that I am hell yes I am getting them. I know they only cover a few strains but since I could get very, very sick any immunity is better than none
^This. My family gets them because of me as well.2 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »Never had one. Don't plan on getting one any time soon but when I'm older I might need them.
I don't view vaccines as being for yourself, they are for the community. Its a societal thing. I don't get a flu shot because I am super worried that I am going to get deathly ill from the flu, I get a flu shot because I view it as part of the protective shield helping stave off potentially life threatening diseases from the community as a whole. Not because I am old but because I might be around people who are.
I get the TDAP vaccine because I'm occassionally around children, not because I'm worried about pertussus for myself. I get the flu shot for similar reasons.
I view it as a civic duty. Unless I have a very good reason to not get one I get one and to date I haven't had a good reason to not get one. I have medical insurance so its 100% free, so why wouldn't I?
With everything its a cost:benefit analysis
Cost: No money. No risk of illness (other posters are right you cannot get sick from a flu vaccine).
Benefit: Possibly avoid the flu yourself. Avoid transmitting the flu to others.
Seems like a no brainer to me.
Good for you.5 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »I make my kid get one, because I don't want to deal with him puking all over the place (mother-of-the-year material, I am). I get one because I hate puking. Hubby never gets one.
He must love to puke!7 -
I used to only get them if they were doing it free at work. Then I got the flu and was down hard for a week, and took a good month the feel human again. Now I get them every year. I did get the flu 2 years ago, even though I had the shot, but I recovered much more quickly than the previous time I had the flu. The 3 anti-flu shot people at work that gave it to me all ended up with pneumonia, so in my completely anecdotal experience, it was still worthwhile to get the shot.7
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Aaron_K123 wrote: »I'll admit getting a flu shot is about as easy as it gets for me. My work brings someone in annually to administer flu shots. So all we have to do is take 2 minutes out of our workday to go get one.
This is me as well. My work provides it. I just have to walk a few feet and get one.3 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »Never had one. Don't plan on getting one any time soon but when I'm older I might need them.
I don't view vaccines as being for yourself, they are for the community. Its a societal thing. I don't get a flu shot because I am super worried that I am going to get deathly ill from the flu, I get a flu shot because I view it as part of the protective shield helping stave off potentially life threatening diseases from the community as a whole. Not because I am old but because I might be around people who are.
I get the TDAP vaccine because I'm occassionally around children, not because I'm worried about pertussus for myself. I get the flu shot for similar reasons.
I view it as a civic duty. Unless I have a very good reason to not get one I get one and to date I haven't had a good reason to not get one. I have medical insurance so its 100% free, so why wouldn't I?
With everything its a cost:benefit analysis
Cost: No money. No risk of illness (other posters are right you cannot get sick from a flu vaccine).
Benefit: Possibly avoid the flu yourself. Avoid transmitting the flu to others.
Seems like a no brainer to me.
Pretty much my thoughts as well...it's the primary reason we had to get them annually when I was in the military.4 -
I get mine for free at the pharmacy. I have to wait 2 weeks to get mine as I just got my infliximab (remicade) infusion and they recommend it getting it within 2 weeks of it.2
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Pro - but I'm not at high risk so don't go out of my way to get them.
Herd immunity is important though.
Fail to see a downside in receiving a dead vaccine.5 -
Not for or against. I haven't had the flu or gotten sick in the last 5 years now (along with my DD and wife), but did have to get the flu shot for a couple of years because it was mandatory when I worked at a Wellness Center.
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I've never had an influenza shot nor do I ever intend to, I haven't had the flu since the year 20018
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DresdenSinn wrote: »I've never had an influenza shot nor do I ever intend to, I haven't had the flu since the year 2001
Thats cool. Just make sure to thank those who do get vaccinated for the fact that you haven't been exposed to it enough to contract it.25 -
I used to get one every year because I am mildly immunosuppressed (no spleen) but I would then get a fever and the flu within a few days. I found I would rather risk not getting the flu or getting the flu, and being a bit sicker for maybe a day or too longer, rather than guaranteeing myself a sickness.
For me, I skip the flu shot. Just a personal choice.6 -
I used to get one every year because I am mildly immunosuppressed (no spleen) but I would then get a fever and the flu within a few days. I found I would rather risk not getting the flu or getting the flu, and being a bit sicker for maybe a day or too longer, rather than guaranteeing myself a sickness.
For me, I skip the flu shot. Just a personal choice.9 -
singingflutelady wrote: »I used to get one every year because I am mildly immunosuppressed (no spleen) but I would then get a fever and the flu within a few days. I found I would rather risk not getting the flu or getting the flu, and being a bit sicker for maybe a day or too longer, rather than guaranteeing myself a sickness.
For me, I skip the flu shot. Just a personal choice.
That's what they told me. I guess I got tired of the yearly coinidence of getting sick within days of getting the shot. Happily the coincidence stopped once I stopped getting the shots.
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Fifteen years ago I had a very bad flu that ruined a muscle in my shoulder. Once I found out it could do that, I went for the flu shot every year. Hubby too.2
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I don't take any injections that I don't technically need.
I have an autoimmune disease in which I'm drug free.
I''ve also survived cancer for six years in which I was only given a 40% to make it two years.
My kidneys have thrown some red flags as well.
I've learned since chemo/radiation just to be more careful around people and using basic prevention agsinst common colds and flu. I've been sick one time since 2010, not seeing any benefit for taking a shot at this point.10 -
I am pro-immunization for everything. I almost never get sick. Tell me I need a shot for something and I'll get it.
I get a flu shot every year (already got mine this year) and, being over 60, got both of my pneumonia shots and, having had chickenpox b4, got a shingles shot too.
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I am pro vaccination but within reason, I follow nothing blindly! I had had influenza vaccinations, until I was 14 years old. I found via the internet over a decade later, that that year the prediction; wasn't correct & thus I received a vaccination, for a strain that didn't exist but was left vulnerable for the 1 that did! I got the flu, projectile vomited; for 10 days straight & had to be hospitalized. I never made a full recovery, I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), with intensity levels so varied & unpredictable that it's rendered me unemployable. I haven't had the flu since, so no I won't risk receiving it again; unless I ever get the flu again & then I'll only receive it, if/when the prediction; matches the strain. Also a bad batch was causing Narcolepsy, so I'd also wait awhile; to ensure that it's good otherwise!5
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here's my flu shot: avocado, blueberry, broccoli, vitamins, banana, etc every day. I don't want the globalists thought serum in my body. 2+2=5 y'all!13
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DeficitDuchess wrote: »I am pro vaccination but within reason, I follow nothing blindly! I had had influenza vaccinations, until I was 14 years old. I found via the internet over a decade later, that that year the prediction; wasn't correct & thus I received a vaccination, for a strain that didn't exist but was left vulnerable for the 1 that did! I got the flu, projectile vomited; for 10 days straight & had to be hospitalized. I never made a full recovery, I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), with intensity levels so varied & unpredictable that it's rendered me unemployable. I haven't had the flu since, so no I won't risk receiving it again; unless I ever get the flu again & then I'll only receive it, if/when the prediction; matches the strain. Also a bad batch was causing narcolepsy, so I'd also wait awhile; to ensure that it's good otherwise!
That can certainly happen but if you wait to see if the prediction matches the actual outbreak before getting vaccinated it's too late at that point. That is why the have to make a prediction in the first place.8 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »DeficitDuchess wrote: »I am pro vaccination but within reason, I follow nothing blindly! I had had influenza vaccinations, until I was 14 years old. I found via the internet over a decade later, that that year the prediction; wasn't correct & thus I received a vaccination, for a strain that didn't exist but was left vulnerable for the 1 that did! I got the flu, projectile vomited; for 10 days straight & had to be hospitalized. I never made a full recovery, I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), with intensity levels so varied & unpredictable that it's rendered me unemployable. I haven't had the flu since, so no I won't risk receiving it again; unless I ever get the flu again & then I'll only receive it, if/when the prediction; matches the strain. Also a bad batch was causing narcolepsy, so I'd also wait awhile; to ensure that it's good otherwise!
That can certainly happen but if you wait to see if the prediction matches the actual outbreak before getting vaccinated it's too late at that point. That is why the have to make a prediction in the first place.
While true, many people get the flu regardless & make full recoveries!0 -
I work with kids, and I'm a caregiver of an immunocompromised person. I get my flu shot. Before I started getting my immunization, I used to get pneumonia secondary to influenza every year. That hasn't happened once since.6
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I'm against them for me personally because the one year I got a flu shot, I got the worst case of flu I've probably ever had about a week after getting the shot. I rarely ever get sick, but I sure did that year. Maybe it was just a coincidence, but I've never gotten one again since.
I'm not at all against them in general, not against them being offered, not against other people getting them if they so choose. I'm not an anti-vaxxer and have no tinfoil hat theories about them.
My best guess is you were exposed before you got the shot so the shot did you absolutely no good in that case. It takes up to 2 weeks for the vaccine to protect you. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I forget. I've had the flu twice in the past 30 years...remember how that felt I guess I should go get poked.3 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »I make my kid get one, because I don't want to deal with him puking all over the place (mother-of-the-year material, I am). I get one because I hate puking. Hubby never gets one.
Puking is not a symptom typically. A stomach virus, now that I agree with you, I hate puking and hate cleaning up the aftermath. Kids NEVER make it to the bathroom or even the bucket in time. If they had a vaccine for that, I'd get one for sure.7 -
I'm against them for me personally because the one year I got a flu shot, I got the worst case of flu I've probably ever had about a week after getting the shot. I rarely ever get sick, but I sure did that year. Maybe it was just a coincidence, but I've never gotten one again since.
I'm not at all against them in general, not against them being offered, not against other people getting them if they so choose. I'm not an anti-vaxxer and have no tinfoil hat theories about them.
My best guess is you were exposed before you got the shot so the shot did you absolutely no good in that case. It takes up to 2 weeks for the vaccine to protect you. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I forget. I've had the flu twice in the past 30 years...remember how that felt I guess I should go get poked.
Either that or it was one of those years where the shot was not a good match. Also, the shot is not 100% effective, but usually you will get a milder case in that situation. My daughter got the flu a few years back even though she had been vaccinated, but it was fairly mild. And she still gets vaccinated.3
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