Do you get a flu shot?

Do you get a flu shot

  • Yes I do. Thank you for asking.

    Votes: 65 53.7%

  • No. It is the government trying to poison us with Mercury

    Votes: 6 5.0%

  • No. Just wash your hands and don't touch your face.

    Votes: 22 18.2%

  • I get one but I don't believe it really works.

    Votes: 5 4.1%

  • I think it works but I don't get one.

    Votes: 6 5.0%

  • Bonanza.

    Votes: 17 14.0%
  • Total voters
    121
I always get mine simply because it has always been the recommendation from my asthma doctor. To be honest, I'm not sure if it really works. It's like clockwork for me - between November and January I end up with a cold that goes to my lungs. I just got over one.
 
Tantalum said:
Bit of a slippery slope there.. something that will kill or severely maim a healthy person should be inoculated against (yes I wear a seatbelt). But for what is basically a cold? My posts above pointed out the "healthy adult" aspect to this. If you work with the sick, elderly, or immune compromised, then yes, absolutely, go get the flu shot. But seeing millions of healthy people line up in order to go get a flu shot because "everyone else got it, it's free at work" just seems very sheep-like mentality to me.. sorry.

Plus, I see the flu as just a "life risk" type of thing.. I could die in a car crash (or plane crash), get cancer, be hit by a drunk driver, etc... I have no kids, work from home (tech) and my friends are all healthy adults. At this time in my life I elect not to stand with the masses at Walgreens getting flu shots. If I had a child at home, or had an elderly parent I saw often, worked with immune comprised, etc., that would change my mindset (I'm not an ass hole after all, but I do drive a Cirrus)


ALSO.. someone above posted about how the flu kills more people than car accidents, drug overdoses, etc.. that number varies, there are some years where the flu kills 12,000 people (per CDC).. but if we're going to look at the leading causes of death in the US, then to put this into perspective: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm and the graph below

..somehow people don't seem to get as into mass hysteria over heart disease and these other leading causes as they do about the flu shot (in fact, "millennial" people get ridiculed for eating healthy) . If you don't get a flu shot you are a social tin foil hat pariah.. but shove down a greasy cheeseburger every day for lunch and dinner and no one bats an eye.. or for that matter, suicide prevention receives remarkably little attention, yet that is one of the saddest (if not the saddest) leading cause of death. The reason why? Because the corporations want their money from the cheeseburgers, and then treating people for their heart disease.. etc. but there is very little money in mental health so outside of volunteer organizations posting crisis phone hot lines you don't get much attention about that

Someone said it above.. follow the money. Anyway. That's that for me.
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Notice that they lump pneumonia and flu together. If you separate them, the flu deaths are much lower.

There were about 2.5 million deaths in the U.S. in 2013, mostly from heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases. About 57,000 deaths were categorized “influenza and pneumonia” with the majority occurring in people over age 65. 18 Because pneumonia is not only a complication of influenza, but is also a complication of many other viral and bacterial respiratory infections, the breakdown for 2013 was about 3,700 influenza-classified deaths and 53,000 pneumonia deaths in all age groups, with 20 influenza deaths in infants under age one.
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https://www.nvic.org/nvic-vaccine-n...mits-flu-shots-fail-half-the-time.aspx#_edn19
 
Zeldman said:
What age makes someone an older folk.?? o_O :lol::lol:
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I resemble that remark. I’m either over the age or under considering I was born a long time ago but died four years ago and was revived with a few blasts of an AED.

Cheers
 
Half Fast said:
Notice that they lump pneumonia and flu together. If you separate them, the flu deaths are much lower.


https://www.nvic.org/nvic-vaccine-n...mits-flu-shots-fail-half-the-time.aspx#_edn19
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I’ve been trying not to respond to this thread; I really have.....it’s content of anecdotal reasoning and general misunderstanding is the same or worse than last year..... but please do some reading on influenza, the science behind recommendations for vaccination, the actual signs/symptoms/sequelae of the disease, etc. Here’s an example:
https://www.lung.org/lung-health-an...-lookup/pneumonia/what-is-the-connection.html
Influenza is an ETIOLOGY of pneumonia, not a separate entity.
 
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Nah, I’ll get shots for stuff that will straight kill or mame me, but sick for s couple days, meh
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I mentioned going to get a flu shot at work today and the discussion that broke out went full tin foil hat, flat earth, chemtrail.

What say the peanut gallery?
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Didn't even read the other posts. . ,

I had the real flu once, a killer version - it's not a cold, it's not a little fever, it's a body breaking, life threatening disease.

At first I was afraid I'd die - then I was afraid I wouldn't.

Two full weeks, onset to full recovery, strength back. Being fit just means it's easier to puke and crap. . .
 
Zeldman said:
I had to lie about my age to get the senior discount at Golden Corral today..... sad part was they didn't question me at all about it.....
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I get it without asking sometimes, and that was even before I was at discount age. That's very depressing. :D

And I've never had a flu shot.
 
James331 said:
Nah, I’ll get shots for stuff that will straight kill or mame me, but sick for s couple days, meh
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You can quibble with the number of US flu-related deaths - 80,000 - last flu season...

...and you can point out that the flu vaccine is only partially effective, so that some percentage of the dead had been vaccinated...

...but I still wonder how many of the unvaccinated dead thought the same way you did - and died as a result.

Regardless, the good news is apparently over half of the respondents to the poll do get vaccinated.
 
I was surprised as hell when my local CVS told me they had this year's vaccine... at the end of August.

And yes, I went for it. As I do every year. Even if it turns out to be not very effective, it always affords *some* protection. I don't see a downside to getting it... assuming you're not allergic to any of the ingredients.
 
Mooney Fan said:
CDC Admits Flu Shots Fail Half the Time
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Or, "CDC Shows that the Flue Shot Cuts Your Risk of the Flue by a Factor of Two."

azure said:
I don't see a downside to getting it...
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Old people get flue shots, old people get cataracts - how do I know that my cataracts were not caused by the flue shot? o_O
 
Mooney Fan said:
Here is an interesting read on the effectiveness of the flu vaccine. Considering it fails half the time, I'll take my chances and consider it acceptable risk

CDC Admits Flu Shots Fail Half the Time

https://www.nvic.org/nvic-vaccine-news/april-2016/cdc-admits-flu-shots-fail-half-the-time.aspx
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The fact that the vaccine is often much less than 100% effective is well-known. Before you take the other claims in that article seriously, do some research, and also consider the source. The Wikipedia article on the organization is a good start.
 
I recall in a recent year the vaccine was only about 16% effective. Most years it’s better.

Personally, if I knew it was only predicted to be 16% effective, I would still get it - it’s a risk/reward thing: there’s virtually no risk involved getting the vaccine weighed against even the possibility of getting, and conceivably dying from, the flu.

Earlier, I was going to comment on Half Fast’s characterization of a vaccine being “only” 50% effective. While other vaccines have much higher rates, 50% is still huge from a public health perspective. At that rate, were everyone who could be vaccinated was vaccinated, thousands or even 10’s of thousands of agonizing flu deaths could be avoided.
 
Flu shot in October.
Flu in November.

I was over the Flu in 2 days. Dr told me that without the shot I would not have recovered so quickly. Symptoms were fairly mild too
Fever only reached 99.

The shots are free for me. Why not?
 
FastEddieB said:
I recall in a recent year the vaccine was only about 16% effective. Most years it’s better.

Personally, if I knew it was only predicted to be 16% effective, I would still get it - it’s a risk/reward thing: there’s virtually no risk involved getting the vaccine weighed against even the possibility of getting, and conceivably dying from, the flu.

Earlier, I was going to comment on Half Fast’s characterization of a vaccine being “only” 50% effective. While other vaccines have much higher rates, 50% is still huge from a public health perspective. At that rate, were everyone who could be vaccinated was vaccinated, thousands or even 10’s of thousands of agonizing flu deaths could be avoided.
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Personal choice.

The vaccine is only moderately effective at best, and the last time I got it I had the most severe flu symptoms I've ever experienced. Maybe I simultaneously (like the next morning; figure those odds) caught a strain that wasn't covered by the serum, maybe I had a reaction to the shot,... Who knows? I have several other drug allergies, and I'm taking multiple medications.

Personally, I can't see injecting something into my body that's of dubious benefit, and may have caused a previous reaction, to reduce slightly a risk that's already very small.

That's not tin-hat paranoia, as some seem to assert. That's my personal evaluation of a risk/reward ratio. Others may choose differently and that's fine; no argument or criticism from me.
 
One thing that I don’t think was mentioned is that the flu shot takes 2 weeks for full effectiveness. If you get the flu shortly after the flu shot, then the shot was not a factor.
 
FastEddieB said:
Personally, if I knew it was only predicted to be 16% effective, I would still get it - it’s a risk/reward thing: there’s virtually no risk involved getting the vaccine weighed against even the possibility of getting, and conceivably dying from, the flu.
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Every vaccine carries risk. Even if that risk is incredibly small, its still there. With efficacy that's really not better than a dice roll, I opt to skip the vaccine. But I'm also still in a low risk category in terms of death from flu. When that changes, I may reconsider.

There is the public risk factor to consider. If I get the flu and don't die but give it to someone who does die yada yada yada. To that end when I get sick, I stay home. If everyone did just that, the public health risk would become a fraction of what it is now regardless of vaccine use.
 
Juliet Hotel said:
There is the public risk factor to consider. If I get the flu and don't die but give it to someone who does die yada yada yada. To that end when I get sick, I stay home. If everyone did just that, the public health risk would become a fraction of what it is now regardless of vaccine use.
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The staying home if you're sick is a big thing. Part of why I don't bother with it is pretty low exposure with my desk job, and staying home when I'm sick. Now, if I started spending a lot more time in commercial airports and on commercial flights around (gasp) "Regular People", I would probably change my stance.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
The staying home if you're sick is a big thing. Part of why I don't bother with it is pretty low exposure with my desk job, and staying home when I'm sick. Now, if I started spending a lot more time in commercial airports and on commercial flights around (gasp) "Regular People", I would probably change my stance.
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Good point. I'm sure it matters more for people who have frequent close contact with the public: waiters, cashiers, flight attendants, prostitutes, etc.
 
Half Fast said:
Good point. I'm sure it matters more for people who have frequent close contact with the public: waiters, cashiers, flight attendants, prostitutes, etc.
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Or healthcare professionals. My understanding is that most doctor's offices and hospitals do require their employees to get the flu shot. I would want it in that scenario, and I also think it's a good idea.
 
Lachlan said:
I thought pilots were of above average intellect and likely to be possessed of a scientific mindset. Then I read this thread, and I now understand why there’s so much confusion about how to enter a rectangular traffic pattern.
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Or ROP vs LOP. Or twin vs single. Or to have a chute or not....

Sent from my SM-J737T using Tapatalk
 
Half Fast said:
That's true, but then I don't like most people anyway.... :devil:
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tspear said:
Or ROP vs LOP. Or twin vs single. Or to have a chute or not....

Sent from my SM-J737T using Tapatalk
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All good discussions. The one that surprises me, though, is how some people here insist on running their brains on the extremely lean side of peak. ;)
 
Walboy said:
It's a benefit I get with health insurance at no additional cost. There's not much downside other than a five minute stop at Walgreen's. The upside is that it might actually work.
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It might, but I would be very surprised. Flu germs mutate like crazy, and an antigen that works for one, won't work for anything else. Your body builds up antigens for the flu germs from last year, but they won't help with this year's.
 
Crashnburn said:
It might, but I would be very surprised. Flu germs mutate like crazy, and an antigen that works for one, won't work for anything else. Your body builds up antigens for the flu germs from last year, but they won't help with this year's.
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You assume that each year is unique. From what I understand, the answer is not always.

Tim
 
As my father explained it to me (and he should know since he makes the stuff), the flu shot is essentially a guessing game. Look at the various flu strains and figure which one of them is going to big this year, then create and distribute vaccines for that. It's a very accelerated program compared to other vaccines which more or less stick around for a long time with very little if any change.

Because it's a best guess, there's a certain probability of it being an incorrect guess, plus vaccines in general don't have a 100% efficacy anyway, it should come as no surprise that it's not 100% effective. That doesn't change the fact that it can potentially offer benefits for you personally or for herd immunity factors.
 
Lachlan said:
I thought pilots were of above average intellect and likely to be possessed of a scientific mindset. Then I read this thread, and I now understand why there’s so much confusion about how to enter a rectangular traffic pattern.
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It’s been a respectful back and forth, but for some reason you feel the need to criticize personally. If we acknowledge your superior intellect and scientific mindedness, can you forego the insults
 
When I was working, getting the flu was a bit like winning the virus lottery. Too sick to work, but I felt good enough to binge-watch Netflix and drink lots of tea with honey. :D

Now that I'm retired and out of an office environment, there's a lot less exposure to flu-bearing Dilberts.
 
10 years living in US I got flu twice, both times a week after the shot. So no thanks.

I was born and raised in eastern part of India where malaria kills a bunch of people every year, never got that. Now I just choose to believe that first world born pathogens can’t attack me
 
Stuart Fraley said:
I find the paranoia and cynicism on this thread fascinating.
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The last time I was going through a type rating course one of the pilots in class had a degree in behavioral psychology. It was interesting to hear what he thought about the people in class. We ended up becoming friends and to this day refuses to comment on my psyche. Pretty much confirmed what I always felt ... I’m a complete nutter
 
I've heard there's a small chance it might not help me prevent the flu so I'm not going to do it, even though medical professionals say it does help, I know better...… No thanks, I'll just keep getting it every years, it has worked great for me for at least the last 20 years, and if it doesn't work this year, I'll still get it next year.
 
If I continue to get the flu shot after this year, it’ll be for the potential long term benefits that may accumulate over the years. When we had kids, I was sick every winter for 3-4 years. My wife never got sick, she was a pediatric nurse. I’ve since become a compulsive hand washer in the winter.
I want my immunity to be as robust as possible when I get older.
 
Cooter said:
If I continue to get the flu shot after this year, it’ll be for the potential long term benefits that may accumulate over the years. When we had kids, I was sick every winter for 3-4 years. My wife never got sick, she was a pediatric nurse. I’ve since become a compulsive hand washer in the winter.
I want my immunity to be as robust as possible when I get older.
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Your wife is probably quite good at washing her hands. Hand hygiene is paramount to staying healthy AND not transferring pathogens from one person to another. It's a large link in a relatively short chain. Covering one's mouth while sneezing is a similar control. Avoid contact with foments when possible. Wash your hands as soon as possible after contact. Don't eat yellow snow.
 
Lachlan said:
Your wife is probably quite good at washing her hands. Hand hygiene is paramount to staying healthy AND not transferring pathogens from one person to another. It's a large link in a relatively short chain. Covering one's mouth while sneezing is a similar control. Avoid contact with foments when possible. Wash your hands as soon as possible after contact. Don't eat yellow snow.
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She is, I used to make fun of her for it. I eventually learned a painful lesson and adopted her habits.
 
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