The flu vaccine

[Junior]

I decided to start this topic in response to someone's status update and some of the things being said about the flu vaccine within that thread of comments.

 

First, the injected flu vaccine is not a live virus vaccine. It is a heat killed virus, thus it is not infectious. The virus does not have to be live for you to produce an antibody response. Your antibodies do not recognize entire viral or bacterial cells. Antibodies can recognize a small sequence of one protein, and can be remarkably specific. A heat killed sample of a virus is not infectious but still has viral proteins present. Your body creates antibodies to some of these proteins, and that gives you temporary immunity to that particular strain of flu.

 

If you get a fever after your flu shot, it is simply your body mounting an immune response. Fever and inflammation is your body's immune system at work. The incubation time for the flu virus is 2 days on average. So if you feel symptoms the day of your shot, you can be 99% sure that it isn't the flu, or you were infected days earlier.

 

Should you get the flu shot? The short answer is yes.

 

Long answer: It is true that the flu shot is not the most efficacious vaccine out there. The producers of the shot are guessing, to some extent, which strain of flu will be prevalent in any given year. And hey, the flu might not seem like such a bad disease. It is true that most people would be sick for a few days and then move on. However, it can also be a deadly to susceptible people. So yes you should get the flu shot and here is why: just because you personally might not be particularly susceptible to the flu, getting the shot can still help prevent others from getting sick. Particularly if you are in contact with people who are elderly. very young, or on chemotherapy/immunosuppressant drugs (or otherwise immunocompromised). And you may think, "well, if I feel sick, I'll just stay away from my grandmother". However, you must remember that you are carrying the virus for several days before you show symptoms. In the end, it is an inexpensive shot that can potentially do you or others a whole lot of good and will not do you harm. Low risk, high reward. So why not get it?

 

Disclaimer: I am a mircobiologist, not a medical doctor. If you have medical concerns about the shot, don't take my advice alone.

[Ulty]

I think there are still some people who beleive that vaccines cause autism or some such bull$hit that has been thoroughly debunked. If you know anyone who still uses one of those excuses, please punch them in the back of the head.

[NUance]

I think there are still some people who beleive that vaccines cause autism or some such bull$hit that has been thoroughly debunked. If you know anyone who still uses one of those excuses, please punch them in the back of the head.

Yeah, some of the derp concerning vaccines is just silly. Flu vaccine causing autism?? /facepalm. OTOH, I think there is a lot we don't yet know about viruses, vaccines, and human biology in general. Sure, we've made great strides in recent years. But really, we are just scratching the surface when it comes to knowing how the human body works.

 

That said, I got a flu shot about a month ago. Didn't feel any ill effects at all. Great info there, Junior. +1 :

[NUance]

Funny story about getting flu shots for my family this year. After church and Sunday dinner last month, I got everyone piled into the SUV and we headed over to the local community college where they were giving flu shots. I could tell my three and one-half year old son was nervous as we were standing in line. So I let him come up and watch as I was getting my shot. I thought if he saw that it was no big deal for dad, he would be okay with it. But when the nurse asked him to roll up his sleeve, he jerked away and took off full blast running across the gymnasium. The nurse yelled out, “We got a runner!” Turns out he’s pretty fast. But I’m faster. I carried him back kicking and flailing. We got him calmed down, and finally administered the shot. He didn’t even cry. But he was not happy about it at all.

[Chaddyboxer]

Put it this way......I've gone to med school.....

I would never get the flu vaccine. I find it pointless. I've been given info. from medical teachers about this topic and I came to my own conclusions.

I rarely get the flu by the way.

 

Reason why I don't get one:

 

A committee of health professionals from the AMA sit back and predict where certain strains will be the most prevalent from region to region. I.e. They "educationally" guess based on a host of factors which possible strain might be in Nebraska this year, during which season, and how prevalent it will be, etc.. It is a shot in the dark so-to-speak. If citizens feel the need to get it, go right ahead. No problem with me.

 

And Junior, I finally read your whole post. LOL. I read the first part and then responded. You are right about your second paragraph regarding the guessing game. I don't feel the need to get one, at all. Your immune system needs exercise anyways and needs to be exposed to various strains of virus's and bacteria. It doesn't mean you'll necessarily contract it. Your body is a damn machine that pretty much comes up with "programs" to fight these strains (sets up an army ready to roll pretty much), pretty remarkable actually.

[HUSKER 37]

I wonder how so many immunizations affect our body's ability to recognize and develop antibodies in the long run..Similar to the evolution of "super bugs" partially due to the over prescribing of penicillin back in the 60's and 70's.

 

 

Plus...Shots really hurt

[MLB 51]

Funny story about getting flu shots for my family this year. After church and Sunday dinner last month, I got everyone piled into the SUV and we headed over to the local community college where they were giving flu shots. I could tell my three and one-half year old son was nervous as we were standing in line. So I let him come up and watch as I was getting my shot. I thought if he saw that it was no big deal for dad, he would be okay with it. But when the nurse asked him to roll up his sleeve, he jerked away and took off full blast running across the gymnasium. The nurse yelled out, “We got a runner!” Turns out he’s pretty fast. But I’m faster. I carried him back kicking and flailing. We got him calmed down, and finally administered the shot. He didn’t even cry. But he was not happy about it at all.

Reported. Child abuse.

[HUSKER 37]

Just saw a sign in front of a Safeway an hour ago advertising shots for shingles...Like I'd ever want THAT again. Anyone know the theory behind that one? I had smallpox as a child and a nasty case of shingles when I was 17..I'd think the virus is still in my system laying dormant just waiting to attack someday.

[MLB 51]

Just saw a sign in front of a Safeway an hour ago advertising shots for shingles...Like I'd ever want THAT again. Anyone know the theory behind that one? I had smallpox as a child and a nasty case of shingles when I was 17..I'd think the virus is still in my system laying dormant just waiting to attack someday.

Thought it was caused by the chicken pox virus?

[tschu]

I think there are still some people who beleive that vaccines cause autism or some such bull$hit that has been thoroughly debunked. If you know anyone who still uses one of those excuses, please punch them in the back of the head.

There are actually diseases that were pretty much beaten that have made a comeback, stuff like whooping cough and mumps and measels. All due to dumbass parents refusing to give their kids those evil western vaccines. I feel sorry for those kids...

[NUance]

I think there are still some people who beleive that vaccines cause autism or some such bull$hit that has been thoroughly debunked. If you know anyone who still uses one of those excuses, please punch them in the back of the head.

There are actually diseases that were pretty much beaten that have made a comeback, stuff like whooping cough and mumps and measels. All due to dumbass parents refusing to give their kids those evil western vaccines. I feel sorry for those kids...

And TB. About 1 in 6 die from TB. Now there is a strain that is drug resistant due to people who started receiving TB treatments, but quit before the full course was given.

[T_O_Bull]

Funny story about getting flu shots for my family this year. After church and Sunday dinner last month, I got everyone piled into the SUV and we headed over to the local community college where they were giving flu shots. I could tell my three and one-half year old son was nervous as we were standing in line. So I let him come up and watch as I was getting my shot. I thought if he saw that it was no big deal for dad, he would be okay with it. But when the nurse asked him to roll up his sleeve, he jerked away and took off full blast running across the gymnasium. The nurse yelled out, “We got a runner!” Turns out he’s pretty fast. But I’m faster. I carried him back kicking and flailing. We got him calmed down, and finally administered the shot. He didn’t even cry. But he was not happy about it at all.

 

If he had had to get a the kind of shot like I got when I was a kid he would have had reason to run. T_O_B