Social Policing of "did you get your flu shot?" Yay or nay?

Jennicia

I work in the medical field and it was required this year or else u got fired. so yea...i need my job so I got one back in Oct

paulaviki

In the UK it's mainly 'at risk' groups who have the flu jab, so people with low immune systems, the elderly etc. Anyone else can pay to have it done but I don't know anyone who does. To be honest it's a good job not everyone wants it as I doubt they'd have enough vaccine to go around.

I find it odd that people would have such strong feelings about someone not having it?

cobes24

When people ask personal questions, I usually call them out on it. I think it's weird that the average person thinks that everything is their business.

HIPAA only applies in the medical field; you can't sue a PTA mom for telling someone your flu shot status, that's just gossip. Now if the PTA mom were also a nurse, and she learned of your flu shot status at work, then that's a HIPAA violation.

rduhlir

While I am an advocate for people's choice, I do prefer them to get the flu shot. Because, although I have my flu shot, that will only hasten my recovery. I can still catch it from someone else, and what happens if it is the H3N2 or H1N1? Now I am hospitalized and putting a burden on my already short staffed post, worrying my husband and family, and ending up eating nasty lime jell-o.

For those who don't get the flu shot, I hope they are washing their hands. Because honestly, though I have never gotten sick off the flu shot, I would rather get the sniffs and a cough for a week than end up in the hospital fighting for my life from influenza.

SoozeE512

I never used to get the flu shot, and co-workers would always ask, "Did you get your shot this year?" I would simply just say, "No, I have my personal reasons for not getting one" and that was enough for them to drop the subject.

Unfortunately, my doctor began strongly recommending that I get the shot every year, so I have gotten it the last couple of years -- but, go figure, I still got the flu less than two months after getting the shot.

To me, it doesn't matter whether people get the shot or not, everyone still has a chance of getting the flu regardless of the vaccine. It's not 100%. What does matter is that people take themselves away from social situations when they are experiencing symptoms. No one wants a co-worker or schoolmate walking around coughing on everything saying, "I feel kind of feverish, but I'm here anyway!"

FlaxMilk

Yeah, except your ''logic'' ignores people who are still building up their immunity after a flu shot and those that can't legitimately get the flu shot.

Damnit, I told myself I wasn't going to get sucked back in.

If it's true that the flu vaccine is only 61% effective in preventing the flu, I don't think that's a good enough efficacy to blame people who choose not to get the flu vaccine for other people getting sick. The flu vaccine doesn't cover every strain out there. People at risk are still at risk, unfortunately. If the flu vaccine had a much higher efficacy rate and was able to protect against most to all of the strains, I'd buy that argument more. Over the years in my area, the advice on whether or not to get the vaccine has ranged from, "Only the elderly and sick and very young need it, save the supplies for them" to "There's enough for more people to get it this year, so even if you aren't in a risk category, come on in." I have never heard it argued though that it's necessary to protect the at risk populations for all of us to get the flu vaccine (before this thread.) Like I said though, it's not something I know tons about or have spent much time looking into.

I'm not anti-vaccines, but I'm not agreeing that Joe's failure to get the flu vaccine caused Betty to die. High risk populations should be offered the vaccine prior to influenza season to begin building their immunity. Joe still has a 40% chance of getting the flu with the vaccine and passing it to Betty. If I were Betty, I wouldn't be hanging my hat on not getting the flu if 100% of people still have a 40% chance of transmitting it to her.

sleepytexan

I do not follow the lemmings to the cliff and jump off. They can inject themselves and their children with toxic chemicals that are required to be red-bagged and labeled with skull and crossbones all they want. Morons. Self-correcting problem.

MinMin97

No thank-you, no thank-you, NO THANK-YOU!!!!

MinMin97

I do not follow the lemmings to the cliff and jump off. They can inject themselves and their children with toxic chemicals that are required to be red-bagged and labeled with skull and crossbones all they want. Morons. Self-correcting problem.

Yes to strong rejection of flu shots!

Mustang_Susie

I think it would be interesting to see how many people died from the Spanish Flu epidemic (circa 1918) before influenza vaccines were available and how many people die from the flu now with widespread vaccinations.

Just sayin...

cmriverside

I think it would be interesting to see how many people died from the Spanish Flu epidemic (circa 1918) before influenza vaccines were available and how many people die from the flu now with widespread vaccinations.

Just sayin...

For the sake of all the arguing that flu shots create, let's say," I think it would be interesting to see the percentage of world population who were exposed died from the Spanish Flu epidemic (circa 1918) before influenza vaccines were available and the percentage of the world's population who are exposed die from the flu now with widespread vaccinations."


...and I'm waiting for someone to pick that apart, too. :laugh:

cmriverside

....Like, for instance....taking into account the improved health care system in general...


There. I'll pick apart my own argument.

toddis

On a similar note I asked someone at work who was obviously very sick for a long period if they were infectious and they told me it was none of my business =/

I'm not sure you can compare 1918 to now due to so many different factors.

pseudomuffin

I do not subject myself to superfluous vaccinations.

LeviLeDoux

No, I do not support aleopathy, nor do I put pharmaceuticals in my body. -_-

proudandprejudiced

I haven't had any vaccinations since I was 2 years old and have never had any problems with anyone about it. Flu shots are only really encouraged to the elderly or vulnerable in the UK, I think.

Mrder37

I sat no to the flue shot ill get the flue the way god intended me to get it that is unless its man flue women you wouldn't understand that living hell:)

Mustang_Susie

I think it would be interesting to see how many people died from the Spanish Flu epidemic (circa 1918) before influenza vaccines were available and how many people die from the flu now with widespread vaccinations.

Just sayin...

For the sake of all the arguing that flu shots create, let's say," I think it would be interesting to see the percentage of world population who were exposed died from the Spanish Flu epidemic (circa 1918) before influenza vaccines were available and the percentage of the world's population who are exposed die from the flu now with widespread vaccinations."


...and I'm waiting for someone to pick that apart, too. :laugh:

Or, for instance, how do you know who had/has been exposed?
(To the flu, not like a steaker running thru a stadium full of people )

robot_potato

I think it's absurd how people think what I do for my children is any of their business. I am the one who gets to weigh the pros and cons and make those decisions for my family.

cmriverside

I think it would be interesting to see how many people died from the Spanish Flu epidemic (circa 1918) before influenza vaccines were available and how many people die from the flu now with widespread vaccinations.

Just sayin...

For the sake of all the arguing that flu shots create, let's say," I think it would be interesting to see the percentage of world population who were exposed died from the Spanish Flu epidemic (circa 1918) before influenza vaccines were available and the percentage of the world's population who are exposed die from the flu now with widespread vaccinations."


...and I'm waiting for someone to pick that apart, too. :laugh:

Or, for instance, how do you know who had/has been exposed?
(To the flu, not like a steaker running thru a stadium full of people )

Well that's easy. You ask every person on the planet, then you multiply that times 60%, then subtract the distance in miles they have travelled from home in the previous two weeks. Then calculate the number of influenza strains and multiply THAT by the average age of the population of Switzerland.

Then subtract .0035 - as a margin of error.