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> flu shots are useless (I've been struggling with the following sentence for several minutes but here goes): flu vaccines aren't widely distributed - never

> flu shots are useless (I've been struggling with the following sentence for several minutes but here goes): flu vaccines aren't widely distributed - never mind recommended - for healthy young people. Countries appear to prioritise flu vaccine for older and/or more vulnerable people.[0] [0] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vac...

belltaco 5y ago
On that page NHS seem to make a cost tradeoff for free flu vaccine since they have to pay the costs. From the CDC >Who should get a flu vaccine this season? >Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season with rare exceptions. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of serious complications from influenza. A full listing of people at Higher Risk of Developing Flu-Related Complications is available. >Flu vaccination has important benefits. It can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations and deaths. >Different flu vaccines are approved for use in different groups of people. >There are flu shots approved for use in children as young as 6 months old and flu shots approved for use in adults 65 years and older.
- logifail 5y ago
  > From the CDC > > Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season with rare exceptions According to the Nuffield Trust[0], international flu vaccination coverage varies widely. It appears from the chart the US is only reaching 65% - 70% of their over-65s with annual flu vaccine. How much does it cost to get the annual flu vaccine in the US? [0] https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/adult-flu-vaccination-coverage#background https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/adult-flu-vaccinat...
  - sgc 5y ago
    Around here it's free and the pharmacy gives you a $5 coupon for getting it. They definitely see it as an easy way to get people through their doors.
    - ghaff 5y ago
      Well, I assume it's covered by insurance but probably not actually free if you don't have insurance.
      - sgc 5y ago
        No insurance required. It's a loss leader to get people into the store.
  - toast0 5y ago
    > How much does it cost to get the annual flu vaccine in the US? As with all things in the US healthcare system, nobody knows how much anything costs. That said, annual flu vaccine is included under mandatory no direct user cost vaccinations in insurance plans covered by the Affordable Care Act (although your insurer can pick and choose what locations they'll cover).
    - logifail 5y ago
      > As with all things in the US healthcare system, nobody knows how much anything costs Once things are opaque one has to start wondering about motivations, financial incentives and <groan> the underlying politics. Getting the vaccine into another wealthy & healthy child "for free" vs getting the vaccine into one poor & elderly adult ("but who will pay?") would appear to have very different outcomes, at least based on what we thought we knew about seasonal flu. The wealthy & healthy child might end up being off school for half a day less (maybe). It's almost certainly a bigger deal for the poor & elderly adult. Perhaps it's just a lot easier to convince the healthy & wealthy family to take their kids to the pharmacy and have the insurer (cough) foot the bill? Side note: the EU doesn't seem to be that keen on vaccinating healthy youngsters against seasonal flu[0] "The immunity that is elicited by influenza vaccines is not as long lived as the immunity following natural influenza infection. This is especially so for individuals in the so-called risk groups, hence people have to be vaccinated annually [..] The main strategy of immunisation programmes in Europe is to directly or indirectly protect the more vulnerable individuals" [0] https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/seasonal-influenza/prevention-and-control/vaccines/vaccination-strategies https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/seasonal-influenza/prevention-...
hef19898 5y ago
They are easy o get, readily available and reasonably well distributed (nowhere near Covid-numbers so). I only took them when I was working at a retirement home years ago, more for the residents then for myself. I was, as not being in constant contact with residents, not required to take the shot (if memory serves well, nit that it would have made a difference anyway), care personal and those being in regular contact with residents were obliged so. One of the reasons I don't get the discussion about obligatory Covid shots for health care professionals...

belltaco 5y ago

On that page NHS seem to make a cost tradeoff for free flu vaccine since they have to pay the costs. From the CDC >Who should get a flu vaccine this season? >Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season with rare exceptions. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of serious complications from influenza. A full listing of people at Higher Risk of Developing Flu-Related Complications is available. >Flu vaccination has important benefits. It can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations and deaths. >Different flu vaccines are approved for use in different groups of people. >There are flu shots approved for use in children as young as 6 months old and flu shots approved for use in adults 65 years and older.

logifail 5y ago
> From the CDC > > Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season with rare exceptions According to the Nuffield Trust[0], international flu vaccination coverage varies widely. It appears from the chart the US is only reaching 65% - 70% of their over-65s with annual flu vaccine. How much does it cost to get the annual flu vaccine in the US? [0] https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/adult-flu-vaccination-coverage#background https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/adult-flu-vaccinat...
- sgc 5y ago
  Around here it's free and the pharmacy gives you a $5 coupon for getting it. They definitely see it as an easy way to get people through their doors.
  - ghaff 5y ago
    Well, I assume it's covered by insurance but probably not actually free if you don't have insurance.
    - sgc 5y ago
      No insurance required. It's a loss leader to get people into the store.
- toast0 5y ago
  > How much does it cost to get the annual flu vaccine in the US? As with all things in the US healthcare system, nobody knows how much anything costs. That said, annual flu vaccine is included under mandatory no direct user cost vaccinations in insurance plans covered by the Affordable Care Act (although your insurer can pick and choose what locations they'll cover).
  - logifail 5y ago
    > As with all things in the US healthcare system, nobody knows how much anything costs Once things are opaque one has to start wondering about motivations, financial incentives and <groan> the underlying politics. Getting the vaccine into another wealthy & healthy child "for free" vs getting the vaccine into one poor & elderly adult ("but who will pay?") would appear to have very different outcomes, at least based on what we thought we knew about seasonal flu. The wealthy & healthy child might end up being off school for half a day less (maybe). It's almost certainly a bigger deal for the poor & elderly adult. Perhaps it's just a lot easier to convince the healthy & wealthy family to take their kids to the pharmacy and have the insurer (cough) foot the bill? Side note: the EU doesn't seem to be that keen on vaccinating healthy youngsters against seasonal flu[0] "The immunity that is elicited by influenza vaccines is not as long lived as the immunity following natural influenza infection. This is especially so for individuals in the so-called risk groups, hence people have to be vaccinated annually [..] The main strategy of immunisation programmes in Europe is to directly or indirectly protect the more vulnerable individuals" [0] https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/seasonal-influenza/prevention-and-control/vaccines/vaccination-strategies https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/seasonal-influenza/prevention-...

hef19898 5y ago

They are easy o get, readily available and reasonably well distributed (nowhere near Covid-numbers so). I only took them when I was working at a retirement home years ago, more for the residents then for myself. I was, as not being in constant contact with residents, not required to take the shot (if memory serves well, nit that it would have made a difference anyway), care personal and those being in regular contact with residents were obliged so. One of the reasons I don't get the discussion about obligatory Covid shots for health care professionals...