I got my flu shot today. Have you gotten yours?
Last year 40,000 people in the US tested positive for flu, half of which I’m pretty sure I saw in my ER. 83 kids died last season of the flu or resultant complications. Actual numbers, as always, are even higher.
The flu shot is basically a syringe full of dead flu virus. It’s not alive. We won’t do CPR on the flu and bring it back to life before you get the vaccine. You will not get the flu from the shot, cross my heart.
Your doctor can hook you up with the vaccine. If you don’t have one try a Walgreens or CVS, or you can always visit your local health department. Here’s a link to the American Lung Association’s on-line flu shot locator.
The flu is pure misery. Do yourself a favor and get vaccinated.
October 2, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Even though I KNOW you can’t get the flu from the vaccine, it’s weird – I’ve gotten the flu every year since I’ve started getting the shot, and before that, I hadn’t gotten the flu since ‘99. I’ve wondered why on earth that would happen.
October 2, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Do you mean you got sick right after the vaccine, or months later you got the flu?
October 2, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I’m allergic to eggs so I can’t take the shot. I just wash my hands compulsively and keep my distance from other people.
October 2, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Thanks for the reminder! Tuesday is doctor day and the shot has now been added to my list of stuff to talk to the doctor about.
October 2, 2008 at 9:00 pm
One time I got the flu shot, sneezed a couple of times in my patients’ rooms, and by the end of my shift, all my patients had autism. Weird.
October 2, 2008 at 9:16 pm
would you endorse the flu mist thing? i’m certainly going to get the vaccination, as 1. i work in a dental office, 2. have kids in school, and 3. its just good sense; but i have received two mailers about the flu mist and haven’t otherwise heard about it.
The nasal spray is made up of an alive but weakened form of the flu virus. Unless you are immunocompromised for some reason or have lung problems such as asthma (since it goes in your lungs) it probably would be fine for you. Here are the official CDC recommendations on who should not receive it. Official 10/10 medical disclaimer: always check with your doctor before making any medical decisions
October 2, 2008 at 9:51 pm
I had real influenza about 20 years ago when I first started working in hospitals. I was in my 20s and it knocked me down and out for a whole week.
Since then I’ve been vaccinated each year until the past 2 years.
What I’d like to know is if all those years of vaccination confer any immunity going forward. Is there angtigen memory? Never been able to find an answer.
I don’t think so, my understanding is that influenza mutates every year so while you would be somewhat protected from strains from years past you would not have any protection against this years “new” strain.
October 3, 2008 at 6:57 am
Eh,
I like not getting the vaccine and having my immune system kick the living crap out of it.
My immune system fights dirty.
:-p
October 3, 2008 at 7:19 am
I’m stuck getting the vaccine b/c I work in a healthcare setting, otherwise I might consider skipping it this year (being a young healthy adult, my risk factors for serious complications are low). I’m not an anti-vaccine nut, I’ve had all my shots and am grateful for vaccines.
But dude, check it out. The first year I got the flu shot (two years ago), I got the flu a month later and was out of work for the better part of two weeks. The flu shot really doesn’t keep you from getting the flu – it keeps you from dying of the flu. And with last year’s shot not being protective against the circulating strains…
Maybe the third time is the charm. Guess we’ll find out!
The flu shot isn’t a money-back guarantee that you won’t get the flu, but it does make it less likely. How much so depends on how good that particular year’s vaccine is.
The flu virus mutates every year — this year’s flu virus will look different than last years. Vaccine production ramped up this past spring based on WHO/CDC/FDA’s best guesses as to what this year’s flu virus will look like. Contained within the vaccine are three different killed flu viruses: two influenza A and one influenza B.
Getting a good vaccine match to the actual flu means keg stands at the CDC and a 70-90% decreased chance of catching flu in those who were vaccinated. In years where the match is not as good, such as last year, vaccinated people were still 50% less likely to contract flu. Additionally, like you said, even if you go on to catch the flu the vaccine will likely decrease the severity (as well as duration) of the illness.
Vaccine upside: 50-90% less likely to catch flu, if I catch it I won’t feel as bad and I won’t feel bad for as long. Vaccine downside: my arm’s a little sore today. No brainer.
October 3, 2008 at 9:48 am
First time it was almost six months after – I got the flu during the summer, I win at life. I was completely out of it for two weeks.
Second time was a few weeks after I got the shot.
Just a coincidence I’m sure, but it’s weird timing. I’ll still end up getting the shot this year. Heck, it can’t hurt.
October 3, 2008 at 10:29 am
Yay for flu shots!
October 3, 2008 at 11:39 am
Got mine today….
October 3, 2008 at 5:09 pm
When I was young and healthy, I contracted a particular nasty strain of the flu. I. Wanted. To. Die. Now I always get the vaccine.
I don’t care how young and healthy you are, why not reduce your chances of misery? Sure, you’ll probably survive the flu, but trust me, there’s more than just dying to avoid.
October 3, 2008 at 5:26 pm
I get my shot every year. Whether subconsciously or not. It helps me every year.
October 3, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Good suggestion. I normally don’t think about it unless I have already CAUGHT the flu…
October 4, 2008 at 11:33 pm
I have had the real influenza one time. I was very sick, and co-workers were so worried, they took turns stopping by my apartment to check on me during the 4 days I was out of it. One of the docs even stopped by a few times. (My family lived several states away.)
I never miss my flu shot, and now that I have kids, neither do they.
Thanks for getting the message out!
October 5, 2008 at 4:44 am
Your advice about getting a flu shot is
because winter is coming; causing more
people to be down with the flu?
October 5, 2008 at 9:53 am
Keg stands, 10/10? My fellow CDC coworkers will find that one hilarious!
October 7, 2008 at 3:32 am
If people don’t know and I found this interesting about how they get the new mutations. Right now the southern hemisphere is starting their spring as we start our fall. They are finishing their flu season so we base our flu shot from the new mutations of those strains they are effected with then their flu shot is made from our mutations.
October 7, 2008 at 1:31 pm
We all (well, not my husband because he “doesn’t believe in that”) got our flu shots last year and my daughter ended up catching it anyway. BUT I will still get the flu shot, always. What I saw her go through (complicated by her asthma) was like torture and I’d do anything I could to avoid ever dealing with that again in any of my kids! We are getting our shots on Thursday…the kids don’t know yet though. I will tell them right about the time we pull up and they start asking what we are doing.
Nurse K’s comment is cracking me up.
(Cracking me up too.)
October 11, 2008 at 12:50 pm
It’s only anecdote and I know that claiming causation is tenuous, still I hope you medicos will understand the genesis of my flu shot phobia! In 1995, I got my flu shot during a visit to my internist who was following me after a rocky recovery from a joint replacement surgery. I wondered aloud whether I should get the shot or not, to which he replied, “What could happen?”
Thirty-six hours later, I was being resuscitated, rushed to the hospital, then placed on a ventilator for several days. It was… no fun… for a long time!
I haven’t had a flu shot since. My internist doesn’t even offer them to me, to his credit — of course, the fact that we grin in his general direction and chorus: “What could happen?” — Well, that may be influencing his reticence…
October 11, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Oops. That was in 2005. I see this same doctor next Tuesday, and — in eery similarity — just had that same joint prosthesis *removed* due to infection. Being immunocompromised, maybe I shouldn’t flirt with any more danger this year. So perhaps we will hold off on the teasing…
November 3, 2008 at 8:49 am
What a great idea! Let pharmaceutical company created, dead virus be injected into your body , so you can get diabetes when you have a reaction, and your body attacks its own beta cells, while you still get the flu, because flu vaccines are for one influenza strain, while several strains exist. What a great idea, be sure to listen to your doctor folks! He’s obviously so much more intelligent than you realize.
November 4, 2008 at 10:19 pm
My understanding is that the flu shot contains several different strains each year. I don’t know about the diabetes thing; that looks specious.
January 20, 2009 at 7:23 pm
I got a flu shot last year Oct. 2008. Now in Jan. of 2009 I am deadly ill with the flu. I dont understand it, everyone always says, oh you have to get the flu shot, well I wont get it anymore. I have never been so sick.
B.