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Flu shots? For them or against ?

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  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    I'm getting my first ever flu shot this week. So I am for. I've always been kind of against them ... not "against" per say but I didn't think they were necessary or that effective and it's not worth it, but my son got the flu last year so. I'd rather try and prevent it as much as possible.
  • MellowGa
    MellowGa Posts: 1,305 Member
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    whooping cough is making a huge comeback due to anti-vax, such a shame, easily prevented. All three of my Children have gotten the HPV vaccine, A daughter and two sons, Our Daughter is our oldest child she got it when it first came out, we had to pay for it as Insurance was not covering it yet. If I can prevent my children from a form of cancer, why would I not???
  • comptonelizabeth
    comptonelizabeth Posts: 1,701 Member
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    suzannesimmons3 wrote: »
    Sigh.....does anyone get that the flu shot isn't just for you.

    Clearly not.
  • amorfati601070
    amorfati601070 Posts: 2,869 Member
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    Pro-vaccine all the way. I need one or I could potentially kill people. Shame the vaccine this year was only 40% effective *pulls collar*
  • maggibailey
    maggibailey Posts: 289 Member
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    I'm totally not anti vax. I work in a cement cave in the basement of one of the biggest hotels in Las Vegas. I'm not hanging out with babies or the elderly and if I'm sick I stay home and nurse myself back to health. I'm very lucky in the sick day package my job offers me. If I stay away from humans I'm guessing my chances of not getting the flu from them are at least as good as the 40% protection I'd get from getting the shot. My kids are vaccinated, my dogs are vaccinated. If I end up working near people or caring for the elderly, or having any desire to hold anyone's baby I'll probably start getting them :)
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    You might be a carrier and not know it. You can be infectious before symptoms appear.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    maggibailey wrote: »
    I'm totally not anti vax. I work in a cement cave in the basement of one of the biggest hotels in Las Vegas. I'm not hanging out with babies or the elderly and if I'm sick I stay home and nurse myself back to health. I'm very lucky in the sick day package my job offers me. If I stay away from humans I'm guessing my chances of not getting the flu from them are at least as good as the 40% protection I'd get from getting the shot. My kids are vaccinated, my dogs are vaccinated. If I end up working near people or caring for the elderly, or having any desire to hold anyone's baby I'll probably start getting them :)

    I'm always confused by arguments like this. Do you never shop? Go to the movies? Attend a book club or sporting event or PTA event? Do you never take your car in to get an oil change or chat with someone at the dog park?

    Some people are hermits and really do rarely encounter others, but most of us see other people fairly often even if our jobs don't involve a lot of daily contact.
  • maggibailey
    maggibailey Posts: 289 Member
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    Yes to grocery shopping not much to the rest, typing this maybe I should get out more! I really am a hermit! But I don't go grocery shopping when I don't feel well. Is 40% protection really about what the shot offers? Because that doesn't sound like great odds I know my ex didn't get the flu from the shot. But he had the shot every year and got the flu every year so it doesn't seem to me that the stoppage rate is impressive enough to make it worth it. I have every single possible side effect from every medicine I take (and no I don't read the side effects first and then imagine them). So I try not to take anything I don't have to to avoid the inevitable effects. So a shot that may or may not protect me from something I may or may not get even without it, to have the swollen soar arm and all over aches hasn't made much sense to me. That being said my mind can often be changed. I'm more than willing to chat with my GP about getting it. He has not encouraged me in the past but maybe his mind has changed.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    maggibailey wrote: »
    Yes to grocery shopping not much to the rest, typing this maybe I should get out more! I really am a hermit! But I don't go grocery shopping when I don't feel well. Is 40% protection really about what the shot offers? Because that doesn't sound like great odds I know my ex didn't get the flu from the shot. But he had the shot every year and got the flu every year so it doesn't seem to me that the stoppage rate is impressive enough to make it worth it. I have every single possible side effect from every medicine I take (and no I don't read the side effects first and then imagine them). So I try not to take anything I don't have to to avoid the inevitable effects. So a shot that may or may not protect me from something I may or may not get even without it, to have the swollen soar arm and all over aches hasn't made much sense to me. That being said my mind can often be changed. I'm more than willing to chat with my GP about getting it. He has not encouraged me in the past but maybe his mind has changed.

    As @jgnatca has said, you can be infectious before you know you're ill. So refraining from grocery shopping when you feel ill won't be enough to protect your fellow shoppers if you happen to be in the period before you begin feeling ill but after you have the flu.

    I consider 40% protection to be better than 0% protection, especially considering that I'm not just making the decision for myself, but for the young, elderly, and immuno-compromised in my community.
  • maggibailey
    maggibailey Posts: 289 Member
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    Not from what I just read. 40 is the hope for healthy adults it's even less effective for everyone else. And what does they even mean. I'm not 60% certain to catch the flu anyway. So let's say I'm 20% likely out of the population to get the flu. Does the shot then only cover 40% of the likelihood of that 20% chance that I'd get it anyway? I do understand the concept of herd immunity though so again I'm down to speak with my doctor about getting the shot. Like I said I have great health coverage so taking the days off that I feel like *kitten* from the shot wouldn't be a huge issue :)
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 4,994 Member
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    I've never had the flu so I don't get them. I am not against them though. My daughter has asthma and she is a school teacher. She has always gotten them. If I worked in healthcare or at a school I probably would, but I just usually don't spend the money on it. All in all I am pretty pro vaccines.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    maggibailey wrote: »
    Not from what I just read. 40 is the hope for healthy adults it's even less effective for everyone else. And what does they even mean. I'm not 60% certain to catch the flu anyway. So let's say I'm 20% likely out of the population to get the flu. Does the shot then only cover 40% of the likelihood of that 20% chance that I'd get it anyway? I do understand the concept of herd immunity though so again I'm down to speak with my doctor about getting the shot. Like I said I have great health coverage so taking the days off that I feel like *kitten* from the shot wouldn't be a huge issue :)

    That it's less effective for non-healthy people is even more reason why those of us who are lucky to be healthy should do our part to help reduce the amount of flu in our communities.

    Vaccine efficacy isn't your individual chance of getting the flu. It refers to the % of disease reduction in a vaccinated group as opposed to an unvaccinated one.

    Nobody is saying that you have a 60% chance of getting the flu without the vaccine. That isn't what that figure is referring to.
  • maggibailey
    maggibailey Posts: 289 Member
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    Well that makes more sense. Still a pretty poor percent in my opinion. And my poorly worded question didn't say I think anyone says I have a 60% chance of getting the flu. You can get them free at cvs. For that matter they will give you a coupon for 5 dollars off your next purchase if you get your shot from them. I am less than impressed with the staff at my cvs so I won't be letting them near me with a needle. But for those of you who don't get one simply for price there is an option.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    maggibailey wrote: »
    Well that makes more sense. Still a pretty poor percent in my opinion. And my poorly worded question didn't say I think anyone says I have a 60% chance of getting the flu. You can get them free at cvs. For that matter they will give you a coupon for 5 dollars off your next purchase if you get your shot from them. I am less than impressed with the staff at my cvs so I won't be letting them near me with a needle. But for those of you who don't get one simply for price there is an option.

    You think a 40% reduction in a disease in a group (again, keeping in mind that this disease will kill some people) is a poor percent?

    I'm wondering, if you had the chance to reduce 40% of the car accidents or SIDS deaths or strokes or ODs in your community, would you think that was a poor deal?

    I feel like people think something like 40% is poor for the flu because they don't take it seriously. Or is that you wouldn't like a 40% reduction in anything, including things you take more seriously?
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