Posted on 10/20/2004 9:59:37 AM PDT by hsmomx3
As I watched hundreds of elderly people stand in line over the weekend at our local grocery store, I could not help but ask if the following has been addressed.
1. Has research been done that would show those who got the flu shot vs. those who did not, and how many contracted the flu?
2. What is really in those shots?
3. Why such hype over a shot? People have always gotten the flu but the hysteria over these shots is beyond anything I have ever seen.
the advance prediction is that there are mostly mild strains of the flu which will infect the usa this year. The southern hemisphere had a mild year flu wise, and they are usually a leading indicator of our flu season.
My personal statistics are that I've never had the flu in 40-something years (knock on wood). I have only taken a flu shot for the last 3 or 4 years. They sometimes make my arm ache, but I've never have any other symptoms from the vaccine. This year my company will not be getting any flu vaccines, so unless extra doses turn up after the mad rush subsides, I won't get to take a shot this year.
Why do some people seem to get it every year and then people like me never or rarely get it?
He thinks colds are transmitted through the outer EAR. If this were true, wouldn't boys get sick more than girls, since their ears are more exposed?
I don't think I had the flu after the shot but would more accurately describe it as being wiped out. Headaches, body aches and complete tiredness. I basically slept on and off for a couple of days and came back to 100% after 6 days or so. This was 180 degrees from how I felt the day of the shot.
I was hoping for some informed reference to medical research here, but I don't see any. Anecdotal evidence only goes so far. My experience is that flu shots help, but I don't think that means anything.
There must be hundreds of large-scale studies. You would have to look at them with a suspicious eye, because you never know who pays the research grants. But usually you can find some sort of helpful statistical information on this kind of thing.
PS, I just tried to do a Google search on flu shot statistics, and turned up nothing but garbage and vague assurances. Somebody knowledgeable needs to get into this discussion.
You do realize you're both doomed now to get the flu?
OH! WOW!! MY GOD!!!
So?
You spit in the eye of the flu-fairy with your talk of not getting the flu. Now, you're DOOMED.
http://www.whale.to/vaccines.html
And for the record...you couldn't pay me enough to get a flu shot.
There are great ways to keep your immune system up so you do not even have to think about getting a vaccine for last year's flu strain. ;)
The stats I REALLY WANT....
How many of the deaths, let's say last year 2003-2004, were amoung people that had already GOT the shot.
Nobody will talk about it.
How about how many that get the flu that also had gotten the shot?
I think these stats would shut the MSM up.
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