Flu shot ? Yes/no and why ?

[Laz0r 7]

Winter is comming and for my studies in cultural Anthropology I need to know your oppinion on flu shot.

Are you going to do it and if you do, why ? Or why not ?

Are there any risks you know about ? And when from where do you have your knowledge ?

Have you had experience with it ?

 

Thanks in advance : ]

[Malinter 3,064]

I've never had one. I'm young and fit enough that if I do get it it, i can just pull though and develop a resistance too it as usual.

[Robin Hoof 47]

Yes, because too many people who contract the flu can spread it before they get sick enough to stay home (quarantine themselves). Medically speaking getting a flu shot doesn't just protect you from the flu directly but also prevents those you come into contact with from getting the flu (from you) indirectly.

 

There are some fun group experiments about vaccinating that can be found on the Internet and done quickly and easily in the classroom or other group session.

 

The only real downside to the flu shot is that you might feel a little blah a day or two after

Edited November 8, 2013 by Robin Hoof

[Huntress 94]

Do not get a flu shot! You don't know what they are actually injecting into your body no matter what they say, for 1000's of years we never had flu shots and we survived so why should we start now? I don't go to the doctor or get shots anymore, the system is too polluted with people that just want your money and are willing to slowly kill you to get it.

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

I have to get flu shots :okiedokielokie: 

 

I had to, at least, until I quit baseball. UIL rules were that any athlete had to be up to date on their vaccines.

 

I quit this week, so *middle finger*

[Fluttershyfan94 5,742]

I don't think so, if I get the flue I get the flue. No big deal, I ain't letting nobody telling me what to do. Besides, there are chemicals in it that aren't good for you. The only thing doctors think about is getting your money, why give it to them? I ain't paying for some damn flue shot, I have taken a few shots for stuff other then the flue but that's only because I wasn't even asked. From now on I ain't going to let anyone inject me with their shots unless I know exactly what's in it.

 

Besides I never get sick, it's not thanks to some shots. I can handle the flue if I have to, I don't understand why I should allow someone to inject something I don't even know what is, in me.. Well, I know for the most part what's in it but that's just more reasons for me to not have a flue shot. Who knows, it might be a way to control us, I don't trust it.

 

I have my knowledge from once wanting to be a doctor, I know this stuff inside and out. I have taken it probably a few times before, all I know is that after I knew what was in it. I'm not interested in getting a shot, I encourage people to just face the flue head on. If anything it will strengthen your immune system, don't let some drugs damage you. When you get the flue, your immune system is down but it will strengthen your immune system dealing with stuff like this. Let it happen naturally, humans weren't meant to be injecting some shots that are only made because they want your money. Sure it works, but at what cost.. My country is very cold during the winter, getting the flue here is no problem. Yet I will not and I repeat not allow anyone to inject that poison into my body.

[Sabrinie 392]

I don't get the flu shots; they're too new for me. I don't really take any medicine unless it is an emergency because I don't trust the drug companies. Call me paranoid, but I'm just not comfortable with blindly putting something in my body 

[DaReaper 1,945]

No basicaly cause I'm too lazy to get one and 2 I havnt had the fluin years and coincidentaly last time I had a flu shot I had the flu

[Envy 6,182]

I don't think I've ever had one, and I've straight-up said no the last couple of years. It's not because I think that getting a flu shot is bad, it's just that I really don't want one. I'm always sick, anyway.

 

I know... I'm being really dumb about this. lol

[Champion RD92 8,658]

I don't usually get a flu shot, I never get the flu, so it just seems like a waste of time. If I ever get sick, it's usually just a cold.

[Gay Bird 421]

I haven't had a flu shot for the past few years and I also haven't gotten the flu . I won't be getting a shot this year, but I'm not exactly paranoid about it either.

[Demonic Soulz 483]

I have to since I am diabetic and my immune system is weaker then most people...that and my parent will make me get one even if I don't want one and I don't because I hate needles but I have to deal with that problem

[lomk 20,663]

I'll get my flu shots soon. I'd do it today but I lost my wallet a couple weeks ago and it had my medical card in it. So even if they're cheap I want to be able to use my insurance to see if they'll cover some of it. I'm getting my shots because, well, I figure it's better to be safe than sorry. Even if I've never had the flu before. 

Edited November 8, 2013 by Space Woona

[squareyes 153]

One thing's for sure. Try to find out more about what your body in these injections. My sister had a jab for something else and woke up in fits and had seizures for several weeks. This sort of thing is said to be rare but it's good to know about these things.

[Troblems 5,619]

I'm too unhealthy to not get them. I have a connective joint disorder and fibromyalgia, and I seem to get the flu every summer (summer, really? Wtf.) but not in the winter. Go figure.

[Scootalove 10,689]

Yeah I do get a flu shot, because since my allergies are more common in the winter than the summer I feel that getting a flu shot myself could help me dearly.

[RagingTwilight 101]

Every year, I tell myself I'll get one. Then I put it off until tomorrow. Then the next day...and the next day...and the next day...until flu season is over.

 

I've been fortunate over the last several years to never catch the flu or any other sickness, save for one bout of food poisoning three years back. I am not a medical professional in any sense of the word, but it's generally a good idea to get vaccinated. Thanks to vaccines and other medication, the flu isn't near the terror it once was. Maybe this year I'll finally man up and get the shot.

 

Maybe...

[Fhaolan 4,484]

No, but not because of paranoia.

 

There are  well over a dozen different *categories* of influenza, each including numerous constantly mutating strains of RNA virus. It's not actually possible to immunize against an RNA virus due to the high mutation rate. The best they can do is attempt to guess what strains *might* be active when the serum will be available. Given it takes six months to make the serum, and the mutation rate is faster than that, plus different regions are going to get different strains coming to the fore, it means a bit of divination is necessary, and it's not statistically possible for them to get it absolutely right. The best they can do is hope they catch the worst ones.

 

During flu season, I'm travelling. So I'm going to get exposed to strains different from the regional shot. There's not really much point as the effectiveness of the shot is pretty low in my case.

[Wingnut 7,000]

 

 

There are well over a dozen different *categories* of influenza, each including numerous constantly mutating strains of RNA virus. It's not actually possible to immunize against an RNA virus due to the high mutation rate.

 

Fhaolan raises a very important point.  Nonetheless, I do get the flu shot for whatever strains it will immunize me against.  I also have this belief, possibly unfounded, that getting the shot stimulates my immune system and helps me fight off other viruses I might get.  Finally, I get the flu shot every other year.  I think every year is pointless. 

 

The only impact the shot has on me is that it makes the injection site sore and I might feel a bit lethargic too.  But I know of others who become legitimately sick from the shot alone.  Obviously, anybody with that kind of reaction should avoid flu shots. 

[Meddle 24]

I've gotten them a few times. The most recent times though, I went the whole year without being sick really, and not long after receving a flu shot, I wound up coming down with it anyways, and so did most of my other family members who had also gotten one. Probably just a weird coincidence, but it felt like a waste of time and money for something that didn't do squat several years in a row. Instead I've tried my hardest since then to just keep healthier overall as much as I can, and keep my immune system well and up.

[Mutemutt 773]

I won't be getting a flu shot, mostly because I just don't feel like it. I don't really know all that much about the shot itself, honestly, but I don't feel like I'm in that much danger of catching the flu, or at least not much more than usual. I'm also not a fan of shots :X

[deadprofile 1,122]

it makes me sick....got it 5 years in a row cuz it was required for me, and every time i got sick.

 

scientifically speaking now, there are about 70+ different mutations of the flu (there's many more than that) every year, and the shot only protects 3-5 (depending on who you are talking to).  Plus these potential mutations are labratory made and may or may not be a mutation for that year, it just what they predict is the going to be the most common mutation(s).  Most people assume, if you get the flu shot, you will not get the flu, but that is quite the contrary.  Many people who get the flu shot, get the flu. Many who don't get the flu shot won't get the flu.  It all depends on the strength of your immune system and your overall health. That's why they highly reccomend it for young children and the elderly, because their immune systems are the most vunerable to the flu and thus have a higher chance of worsened symptoms (like pnemonia, or death)......It's all up to you though

[Kamil 315]

I think I've gotten flu shots before (usually at the same time as my sister since she gets sick a lot more easily than I do), but I haven't had one for several years and haven't gotten noticeably sick in recent memory so it's not worth the time and effort to go out of my way to get one.

 

I've never heard of a flue shot before though, what does it do?

Edited November 14, 2013 by Kamil

[Cyan Blue 946]

My parents always make me. And I don't get the big deal about having them. I never had anything serious.

[SparklingSquirrels 21,349]

I get a flu shot every couple years, but I don't think it's necessary to get one every year. I don't think I've ever had the flu.