Flu shot just 23 percent effective: US

AFP ^ | January 15, 2015

[opentalk]

Miami (AFP) - This US winter season's flu vaccine has been just 23 percent effective at preventing doctor visits for people of all ages, according to health authorities' early estimates out Thursday.

...The flu vaccine is generally most effective in young, healthy people under 65.

This season, vaccine effectiveness has been highest -- 26 percent -- in those aged six months through 17 years.

Vaccine effectiveness wa s just 12 percent for ages 18 to 49 years and 14 percent for people age 50 years and older, the CDC said.

[Buckeye McFrog]

And yet the talking heads on TV news keep telling us over and over that “you should still go and get one”.

Can’t kill off the profit margins in the big Crony Capitalist deal between Big Pharma and Big Government.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Turns out that elderly people who get flu shots have a higher mortality rate than those who don’t.

http://sharylattkisson.com/govt-researchers-flu-shots-not-effective-in-elderly-after-all/

[PghBaldy]

My mother pushes this for her and me, and I see no difference between years I got it, and years I didn’t. Someone is getting rich off it.

[opentalk]

according to CDC has only an 86% effective rate in people over 50,
Yet they are very actively promoting it in assisted living and nursing homes

[bonfire]

Same here. My mother gets it every year. I have never had the shot. I keep telling her it’s a crap shoot but she doesn’t listen. Hey, she’s a healthy 87 so what do I know?

[caww]

Everybody I know has either had it, now has it, or getting over it.

[txrefugee]

So we paid big bucks for flu shots in October and got a bad case of the flu in December. Thank you for nothing, U.S. medical establishment.

[al_c]

I guess my kids and I are among the 23% then. Wife (no shot) got the flu in December ... we got nothing.

[cuban leaf]

I’ve never had a flu shot. Is that one of those pointy needle things they used to do in the 50’s?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Follow the M-O-N-E-Y.

[Republican1795.]

It’s not even that effective as they can never create a shot that can counter the CURRENT strain of flu which always changes each season.

[NY.SS-Bar9]

I’m thinking that the flu vaccine acts as a crutch for the immune system that leaves it unprepared to fight off a similar virus not included in the shot.

What doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger.

[grania]

Thank you for that link. It should be required reading for anyone who considers getting a flu shot. (like that would happen) The comments are really interesting. Not one of them defends flu shots for the elderly.

I'm wondering if it might make some sense to not get the flu shot, but perhaps consider the pneumonia vaccine.

[Ditter]

MrD and I must be in the 23%. So far no flu. My brother didn't get a flu shot and he has been sick for 3 weeks. I was afraid he was going to be hospitalized the first few days. One sick puppy.

[caww]

Flu season week ending Jan 3. 2015..Flu is widespread in 46 U.S. states, up from 36 states in the prior week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week....January and February the worst months for flu nationwide...The problem worrying the authorities is the particular strain of flu..... the H3N2,... which was not targeted by vaccinations this year.

[opentalk]

Correction= 86% ineffective for people over 50

[Night Hides Not]

My 4yo grandson just gave the family the bug. I was a little nauseous for a day, not enough to stay home. The others were home sick for two days, I was the only one who had a flu shot.

IMHO it's a personal choice, and I prefer an annual flu shot.

[txrefugee]

What a great way to kill off the elderly, expensive health care users. Give them the flu shot and increase the chances of them getting the flu and dying.
Problem solved.

Thank you for posting Sharyl Attkisson’s blog, which is definitely one I will read. She is unafraid of the truth, a very rare thing these days.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Someone is getting rich off it.

Yes, and thanks to their crony deal with George W. Bush, they are absolutely, completely, totally off the hook for any type of civil liability should you in any way be harmed by the shot. What a deal!