4 ms·

I've never gotten the flu shot, and hadn't planned to this year. I'm in great health; my immune system seems to be functioning extremely well. I never get sic

by jMyles 12y ago

I've never gotten the flu shot, and hadn't planned to this year. I'm in great health; my immune system seems to be functioning extremely well. I never get sick. However, I am concerned about the needle-haystack phenomenon with ebola. Can you link me to a reasonable, digestible abstract about the real pros-and-cons of flu shot?

jfoutz 12y ago
Is your immune system unusually effective, or do you simply have a lower exposure because people you come in contact with get their vaccines?
- jMyles 12y ago
  I surmise that I just have a good immune system (I'm not sure if it's "unusually" good). I don't go around asking all my friends and colleagues if they've gotten a flu shot, but I don't think they do? edit: Jeez, downvotes? Did I say something wrong? I'm not trying to troll, just answering the question.
  - dghughes 12y ago
    It's called being an asymptomatic carrier look up Typhoid Mary. You may be infecting elderly and babies but are unaffected, as others have said a flu shot isn't so much about protecting you it's about people around you. My 70 year-old dad has IPF his lungs are shot and if he catches the flu he's as good as dead. It's frustrating the ambivalence or apathy or just outright paranoia is so prevalent these days. At my workplace out of 400 people one year only 3 people got a flu shot; myself and two others. The majority are 20-somethings and others who don't get the concept of a vaccines. I feel like saying "We don't care about just you we care about everyone!" but it's not a very good catch phrase.
    - PavlovsCat 12y ago
      But if you actually grant the "good immune system" bit, then wouldn't that imply that the immune system already is prepared to fight off the flu, or learns so very quickly; and then what ultimaltey is the difference between someone who was vaccinated with a syringe, and someone who was "vaccinated" by an actual infection, if you know what I mean?
      - maxerickson 12y ago
        Several days of shedding virus. Also, with influenza, you start spreading virus before you have symptoms. So keeping away from people once you notice you are sick isn't enough.
    - hga 12y ago
      Unfortunately, given the minuscule coverage compared to what's needed for good herd immunity, approximately 134.5 million doses distributed last year, and 100 million so far this year (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/vaccinesupply.htm http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/vaccinesupp...), while your advocacy doesn't hurt, how well can you ring fence your father? (As in get all the people he comes into contact with inoculated.)
binaryorganic 12y ago
Healthy people with healthy immune systems aren't supposed to get the flu shot to prevent themselves from getting sick. They're supposed to get it because it drastically reduces the chances of passing the virus to at risk populations (who would have a much harder time fighting the virus than you). There are almost a quarter of a million hospitalizations due to the flu in the U.S. each year.
- samplonius 12y ago
  And while the number of deaths varies each season, the CDC estimates that the flu kills a minimum of 3,000 people in the US each year. Just to put this Ebola thing in perspective.
ColinDabritz 12y ago
Current Flu shots have few side effects, and decent protection. I believe there is a chance of mild flu-like symptoms, a chance of ache near the injection site for a day or two. The CDC has changed stances to recommend everyone (over 6 months) get a flu shot every season. The CDC has a good rundown: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm
- ianlevesque 12y ago
  The injected flu shot has completely inactivated (colloquially, dead) virus and cannot cause flu like symptoms. Recent formulation removed the egg allergy restrictions as well. There's effectively no reason for anyone to avoid being vaccinated.
  - jrkatz 12y ago
    My understanding has always been that since the dead virus works by triggering an immune response, 'symptoms' (that are actually part of the immune response, e.g. fever, soreness) can still occur, though they end quickly, as the body easily 'beats' the non-reproducing virus. Is this not the case? Regardless, a person with nothing to fear from the flu getting the shot anyhow and having a fever for a few hours sounds like a cakewalk compared to what happens if they don't and infect me, even through my vaccination: I am very asthmatic and the flu for me can easily turn into months of bronchitis, or -- even worse -- pneumonia and hospital trips. People like me rely on herd immunity to supplement our own vaccinations. Please get vaccinated.
    - ianlevesque 12y ago
      It's easiest to just go straight to the source for this info: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/vaccine_safety.htm http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/vaccine_saf... The two key points: 1. "The most frequent reactions reported after vaccination in children and adults are pain and other injection-site reactions. Up to 64% of people vaccinated with IIV experience pain at the injection site, which usually resolves in <2 days without treatment." 2. "Fever, malaise, myalgia, and other systemic symptoms that can occur after vaccination with IIV most often affect persons who have had no previous exposure to the influenza virus antigens in the vaccine (e.g., young children). In adults the rate of having these events is similar after IIV and after a placebo injection." So other than your arm aching for <2 days where injected, the 'symptoms' are no more common than a placebo injection.
krschultz 12y ago
http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/healthcare-triage-you-should-get-a-flu-shot/ http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/healthcare-triag...
tokenadult 12y ago
I was young and in good health when during one semester of law school, I caught the flu during finals week. All the studying I had done all semester to learn the material was very hard to drag out of my brain while I was worn out and sore and barely able to breathe from the flu. Since then, I have received the flu shot most years, and I can keep productive during the winter while other people have to take time off from work to recover from a case of the flu. As other comments have said, the main reason for healthy young people to take flu shots is to limit spread of the disease to people who will die from the flu or who cannot take flu shots. But you may very well get direct benefit for yourself, and the risk is very small. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/whoshouldvax.htm http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/whoshouldvax.htm
- pdabbadabba 12y ago
  Got swine flu just before my property final (thankfully, the others were over). Word.

by jMyles 12y ago

jfoutz 12y ago

Is your immune system unusually effective, or do you simply have a lower exposure because people you come in contact with get their vaccines?

jMyles 12y ago
I surmise that I just have a good immune system (I'm not sure if it's "unusually" good). I don't go around asking all my friends and colleagues if they've gotten a flu shot, but I don't think they do? edit: Jeez, downvotes? Did I say something wrong? I'm not trying to troll, just answering the question.
- dghughes 12y ago
  It's called being an asymptomatic carrier look up Typhoid Mary. You may be infecting elderly and babies but are unaffected, as others have said a flu shot isn't so much about protecting you it's about people around you. My 70 year-old dad has IPF his lungs are shot and if he catches the flu he's as good as dead. It's frustrating the ambivalence or apathy or just outright paranoia is so prevalent these days. At my workplace out of 400 people one year only 3 people got a flu shot; myself and two others. The majority are 20-somethings and others who don't get the concept of a vaccines. I feel like saying "We don't care about just you we care about everyone!" but it's not a very good catch phrase.
  - PavlovsCat 12y ago
    But if you actually grant the "good immune system" bit, then wouldn't that imply that the immune system already is prepared to fight off the flu, or learns so very quickly; and then what ultimaltey is the difference between someone who was vaccinated with a syringe, and someone who was "vaccinated" by an actual infection, if you know what I mean?
    - maxerickson 12y ago
      Several days of shedding virus. Also, with influenza, you start spreading virus before you have symptoms. So keeping away from people once you notice you are sick isn't enough.
  - hga 12y ago
    Unfortunately, given the minuscule coverage compared to what's needed for good herd immunity, approximately 134.5 million doses distributed last year, and 100 million so far this year (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/vaccinesupply.htm http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/vaccinesupp...), while your advocacy doesn't hurt, how well can you ring fence your father? (As in get all the people he comes into contact with inoculated.)

binaryorganic 12y ago

Healthy people with healthy immune systems aren't supposed to get the flu shot to prevent themselves from getting sick. They're supposed to get it because it drastically reduces the chances of passing the virus to at risk populations (who would have a much harder time fighting the virus than you). There are almost a quarter of a million hospitalizations due to the flu in the U.S. each year.

samplonius 12y ago
And while the number of deaths varies each season, the CDC estimates that the flu kills a minimum of 3,000 people in the US each year. Just to put this Ebola thing in perspective.

ColinDabritz 12y ago

Current Flu shots have few side effects, and decent protection. I believe there is a chance of mild flu-like symptoms, a chance of ache near the injection site for a day or two. The CDC has changed stances to recommend everyone (over 6 months) get a flu shot every season. The CDC has a good rundown: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm

ianlevesque 12y ago
The injected flu shot has completely inactivated (colloquially, dead) virus and cannot cause flu like symptoms. Recent formulation removed the egg allergy restrictions as well. There's effectively no reason for anyone to avoid being vaccinated.
- jrkatz 12y ago
  My understanding has always been that since the dead virus works by triggering an immune response, 'symptoms' (that are actually part of the immune response, e.g. fever, soreness) can still occur, though they end quickly, as the body easily 'beats' the non-reproducing virus. Is this not the case? Regardless, a person with nothing to fear from the flu getting the shot anyhow and having a fever for a few hours sounds like a cakewalk compared to what happens if they don't and infect me, even through my vaccination: I am very asthmatic and the flu for me can easily turn into months of bronchitis, or -- even worse -- pneumonia and hospital trips. People like me rely on herd immunity to supplement our own vaccinations. Please get vaccinated.
  - ianlevesque 12y ago
    It's easiest to just go straight to the source for this info: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/vaccine_safety.htm http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/vaccine_saf... The two key points: 1. "The most frequent reactions reported after vaccination in children and adults are pain and other injection-site reactions. Up to 64% of people vaccinated with IIV experience pain at the injection site, which usually resolves in <2 days without treatment." 2. "Fever, malaise, myalgia, and other systemic symptoms that can occur after vaccination with IIV most often affect persons who have had no previous exposure to the influenza virus antigens in the vaccine (e.g., young children). In adults the rate of having these events is similar after IIV and after a placebo injection." So other than your arm aching for <2 days where injected, the 'symptoms' are no more common than a placebo injection.

krschultz 12y ago

http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/healthcare-triage-you-should-get-a-flu-shot/ http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/healthcare-triag...

tokenadult 12y ago

I was young and in good health when during one semester of law school, I caught the flu during finals week. All the studying I had done all semester to learn the material was very hard to drag out of my brain while I was worn out and sore and barely able to breathe from the flu. Since then, I have received the flu shot most years, and I can keep productive during the winter while other people have to take time off from work to recover from a case of the flu. As other comments have said, the main reason for healthy young people to take flu shots is to limit spread of the disease to people who will die from the flu or who cannot take flu shots. But you may very well get direct benefit for yourself, and the risk is very small. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/whoshouldvax.htm http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/whoshouldvax.htm

pdabbadabba 12y ago
Got swine flu just before my property final (thankfully, the others were over). Word.