Article from USATODAY about the flu shot
Health_Gal
Posts: 715 Member
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2013/02/21/flu-vaccine-doesnt-work-over-65/1934651/
This season's flu vaccine was almost completely ineffective in people 65 and older, which could explain why rates of hospitalization and death have been some of the highest ever recorded for that age group, according to early estimates released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For people under 65, getting vaccinated this season reduced the need to go to the doctor for the flu by one-half to two-thirds.
For those 65 and older, though, it helped in just 9% of cases, a number too low to be statistically significant, according to a report in the CDC's Weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report released Thursday. The study was based on a survey of 2,697 children and adults by the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network from Dec. 3, 2012, through Jan. 19, 2013.
(more at link)
This season's flu vaccine was almost completely ineffective in people 65 and older, which could explain why rates of hospitalization and death have been some of the highest ever recorded for that age group, according to early estimates released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For people under 65, getting vaccinated this season reduced the need to go to the doctor for the flu by one-half to two-thirds.
For those 65 and older, though, it helped in just 9% of cases, a number too low to be statistically significant, according to a report in the CDC's Weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report released Thursday. The study was based on a survey of 2,697 children and adults by the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network from Dec. 3, 2012, through Jan. 19, 2013.
(more at link)
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http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2013/02/21/flu-vaccine-doesnt-work-over-65/1934651/
This season's flu vaccine was almost completely ineffective in people 65 and older, which could explain why rates of hospitalization and death have been some of the highest ever recorded for that age group, according to early estimates released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For people under 65, getting vaccinated this season reduced the need to go to the doctor for the flu by one-half to two-thirds.
For those 65 and older, though, it helped in just 9% of cases, a number too low to be statistically significant, according to a report in the CDC's Weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report released Thursday. The study was based on a survey of 2,697 children and adults by the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network from Dec. 3, 2012, through Jan. 19, 2013.
(more at link)
Interesting read, especially if you read it all through and don't just Cherry Pick the big scary stat out of context.
The study was based on a survey of 2,697 children and adults by the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network from Dec. 3, 2012, through Jan. 19, 2013. I suppose that's as current as they get with stats, but still they are last years flu season stats.
The 9% was for just one of the three strains included in the flu shot,The vaccine was 67% effective against influenza B in adults over 65.
More quotes from the article.
As people age, the immune system becomes less able to battle sickness. Some studies in past flu seasons have found the vaccine to be a strong benefit for older adults, some less. A study that looked at several years worth of data found the vaccine reduced the risk of influenza-associated hospitalizations among older adults by 61%.
This doesn't mean people 65 and older shouldn't get vaccinated, Joe Bresee, Chief of the Epidemiology and Prevention Branch in the CDC's influenza division said. "What we know about people over 65 is that they're at extremely high risk of getting hospitalized or even dying of flu," he said, and even moderate protection is helpful.
So if you work with older adults and chose not to get vaccinated, for whatever reason you have, at least make an effort not to spread the flu if you come down with it.0 -
"The Flu" is just one of the many severe illnesses people that work with the elderly can get.
The vast majority of viruses and bacterial illnesses that can be dangerous to the elderly are not preventable by any vaccination.
Most of the time when people think they have the flu, they have one of those illnesses.
Outside of the arguments about injecting toxic chemicals into your body, taking the flu shot can do more damage than good by giving people a false sense of security, making them feel they are safe from any major virus or bacterial illness and don't need to take precautions to avoid becoming ill or spreading disease.0 -
Very true.the flu is not the only illness out there, though that's what this "group" is supposedly about, not the whole "evil Vaccination" theory.
What other serious illnesses are there, the the elderly are carriers of and transmitting to those who work with them? Guess those who work with the elderly need to be careful of the old germs they are exposed too.
Other than Typhoid and Tuberculosis, I don't recall any other bacterial vaccines so the remainder are viral. Which of the "vast majority" of illnesses are you thinking of that are not preventable by vaccines?
Unless your living in a bubble, I would be concerned about the environmental exposures to toxic chemicals than anything I may get from any number of vaccinations. As far as a feeling safe and invulnerable from all manor of illness after a flu shot, that condition I have noticed more from people who believe in the homeo/naturo-pathic treatments, they are usually more deluded than ones who have received a proper education on the flu shot0
