Free tip about the Flu

[Scott B.]

....don 't get it.

And if you do get it, stay hydrated.

Holy smokes did this thing do a number on me. I haven't been sick in years so this must have been payback. I'm recovering but still at only 85%. Can easily see it taking another week to get back to full strength.

[philip964]

I was in bed 24/7 from day after Christmas till after New Years. Then I was not 100 percent for at least another 10 days.

It really knocks you down.

I got a flu shot BTW.

[montgomery]

I got a flu shot BTW.

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.

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.

[bblhd672]

I got a flu shot BTW.

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.

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.

I tend to agree. This season's "flu concoction" covered what the government thought was the most important 8-9 strands. CDC reports over 450 different strands identified in sick people so far this season.

I was sick last week while out of town on business. Two airline trips and a week in office full of coughing, sneezing and generally sick people. Flu, colds, upper respiratory infections, crud of unknown origins. Trip to doctor on Friday got me two shots and three prescriptions. And not one question about whether or not I had gotten a flu shot this year. But then again, this was an older doctor who still believes in giving anti-biotic injections along with oral anti-biotics. I feel better than I have in a three weeks.

Best advice heard - drink more water than usual and wash or sanitize your hands constantly, especially after touching surfaces other people touch. I've been carrying small bottle of hand sanitizer every where I go and using it often while out and about.

[rotor]

I got a flu shot BTW.

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.

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.

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.

[cyphur]

I got a flu shot BTW.

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.

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.

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.

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.

[RPBrown]

Most of my employees, myself included, have had it this year. Some more than once. In fact, I just sent a service tech home early because they said they felt like they were coming down with it again. I almost closed the doors the week from Christmas until New Years because all but 2 employees were sick. I was able to dispatch them from home and kept everyone else at home.

[The Annoyed Man]

I was able to dispatch them from home......

Long range rifle fire? BTW, isn’t that a little extreme? It’s just the flu. They’ll survive if you don’t put ‘em down first.

[Daddio-on-patio]

I got a flu shot BTW.

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.

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.

I tend to agree. This season's "flu concoction" covered what the government thought was the most important 8-9 strands. CDC reports over 450 different strands identified in sick people so far this season.

I was sick last week while out of town on business. Two airline trips and a week in office full of coughing, sneezing and generally sick people. Flu, colds, upper respiratory infections, crud of unknown origins. Trip to doctor on Friday got me two shots and three prescriptions. And not one question about whether or not I had gotten a flu shot this year. But then again, this was an older doctor who still believes in giving anti-biotic injections along with oral anti-biotics. I feel better than I have in a three weeks.

Best advice heard - drink more water than usual and wash or sanitize your hands constantly, especially after touching surfaces other people touch. I've been carrying small bottle of hand sanitizer every where I go and using it often while out and about.

Antibiotics are given for bacterial infections not viral infections.

And, TAM, that was funny!

[montgomery]

I got a flu shot BTW.

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.

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.

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.

Y'all sound just like my wife. She is the doctor I fired.

[rotor]

Y'all sound just like my wife. She is the doctor I fired.

Possibly more dangerous than the flu.

[RPBrown]

I was able to dispatch them from home......

Long range rifle fire? BTW, isn’t that a little extreme? It’s just the flu. They’ll survive if you don’t put ‘em down first.

Ya got a point there TAM. After this last few days, I think some may make good targets

[Scott B.]

I'm pro jab, but skipped this year. Will not make that mistake again.

[cmgee67]

I believe the FLU shot is a scam as well. Every time I have ever gotten the shot guess what? I got the flu. Same with everybody I know who has gotten it this year and years past. Seems like most people get sick from the flu waiting in line to receive the shot. The Flu shot is horse manure. People can claim that it works but if they get the shot then don’t get the flu they sing it’s praises and say oh how wonderful it is. On the other side of the coin, if they get the flu shot and get the flu all of a sudden it’s stupid and didn’t work. I wash my hands like a mad man and clean everything ten times this time of the year to try and keep myself away from it. I also take elderberry syrup to boost my immune system naturally and try and stay away from large crowds.

[Scott B.]

"But nobody I know voted for him..."

Somewhere, an epidemiologist is crying.