rotor wrote:You know, some people need to think before they write. You are not being injected with "dangerous" bacteria. Flu is not even a bacteria, it is a virus and any injections are inactivated, not live virus. The problem with the vaccine is that scientists try to guess what strains will come next year and that's what they make the vaccine for. They may or may not guess right. It is true that the vaccine this year has low effectiveness but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get it. 15% is better than zero. The smart thing is to get the flu shot every year as soon as it is available and realize that it is not perfect but better than nothing. Flu is a killer depending on the strain. If bird flu ever comes around they say that more than 50% of the world's population may die. The more herd immunity we have the less likely we will have an epidemic. Right now that means the flu shot. Someday we may have one that protects at a close to 100% level but it's not here yet. The fault is not the flu shot but the fact that the virus mutates so readily. The best protection you have now is the flu shot or complete avoidance of humanity. Take your choice. All of the other suggestions are a myth. Washing your hands does not stop an airborne particulate virus. Those face masks that people wear (usually the wrong way with their nostrils exposed) probably don't do anything either. I just cancelled a doctors appointment for a routine checkup as I don't need to sit in an waiting room with a bunch of flu victims. Will reschedule.montgomery wrote:Probably not the biggest medical scam in this country, but is on my short list. These flu shots have been 9-to-1 ineffective for decades, yet the medical community insists people inject themselves with dangerous bacteria only to get sick anyway. I be willing to bet fewer people would get the flu or suffer less had they not gotten the shots.philip964 wrote:
I got a flu shot BTW.
In October, I got a speech from my doctor about me being over 50 and risking intensive care or death if i did not get the shot. No shot, still no flu, but I got a new doctor.
Sorry y'all sick. Hoping for speedy recovery.
Getting the shot at all boosts the immune system simply by activating the response mechanism to begin with.
Washing your hands - shy of using something like Hibiclens per directions - will not kill the virii you are exposed to. Simple hand sanitizer will not do the trick either, unless it's alcohol-based and used heavily and often - and still that is questionable. The actual antimicrobial agents are not in sufficient volume or potency in the over-the-counter hand sanitizers to be effective.
Get the shot - herd immunity is a big deal.