Did you get a flu shot?

[Wade Lippman]

Why do you think your anecdotes are more valid that the collective knowledge of the entire medical profession, who are imploring us to all get vaccinated?

I just don't understand people who can so casually disregard experts.

I read recently about a woman who died at 104. She attributed her longevity to drinking and smoking heavily. Hard to say if she would have lived any longer if she had acted responsibly, but it is fair to say she would have been in better health the last 50 years.

But people believe what they want to.

[Cary Falk]

I got one about 18 years ago because work was paying for them. I got really sick from the shot and was in bed for 3 days which I don't remember any of them. I will take my chances without one.

[Doug Garson]

Why do you think your anecdotes are more valid that the collective knowledge of the entire medical profession, who are imploring us to all get vaccinated?

I just don't understand people who can so casually disregard experts.

Vaccines work by herd immunity. If we all got vaccinated, there would be less people suffering from the flu. Do you really not care that hundreds of young children are literally dying from the flu, this year?

Get your damn flu shot!

I agree and well said, this is equivalent to those who claim they drove for 20 or 30 years without seatbelts and are still alive and using that as evidence that seat belts don't save lives. No vaccine is 100% effective and a small percentage of the population will never get the flu even without the shot.











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[Lee Schierer]

I have not gotten a flue shot Dennis, but my doctor said it was only 10% effective this year. The flu has been very bad this year. Last year it was 80% effective .

I got the super flu shot recommended by my doctor.

[Malcolm McLeod]

I am 74 years old, in good health. I walk 4 miles every day. I don't ususlly get a flu shot, but given the serious of this years flu I'm thinking about getting a flu shot. Have you gotten a flu shot this year?
Thanks

^Yes.

If anyone likes to read, grab The Great Influenza, then decide if you can justify not getting a shot. Take a look at the fatality numbers, and extrapolate to today's population. ....The anti-vaccine crowd might very will survive, but they'll be burying their relatives and neighbors in the backyards.

I'm not a survivalist nut, but viruses are! And one day we'll get a flu strain as contagious as swine, and as deadly as avian.

Politics, religion, Sawstop, and vaccines! Who knew?

[Larry Frank]

The shingles vaccine reduces the risk of getting it by 51% per the CDC. I will be glad to reduce the risk by that amount.

[Mel Fulks]

There is new improved shingles shot. Out now or any day now.

[Tim Janssen]

My wife and I are both in our 80's and get the flu shot every year and until this time neither one of us have had the flu in a very long time, can't remember the last time. However this time it was obviously not as effective, because I did get a mild case of it just after Christmas. Our whole gang gets together on boxing day and that's when I probably picked it up.
Will get it next fall again.
Cheers,

Tim

[Bruce Wrenn]

Got my first flu shot this year. Have had two pneumonia shots. Spent Four days in June in hospital with pneumonia. Spent ELEVEN days in hospital in October with pneumonia. Finally had to have surgery to drain lung cavity, and scrape right lung. Very next day after surgery, felt a lot better. The problem with pneumonia, besides dying, is the tiredness that follows for a couple of months.

[Mark Blatter]

At the risk of being yelled at, or ostracized, no, I didn't get a flu shot. I am 57 and have never had one. I do all other vaccinations, and yes my kids all received their shots. I have had the flu twice in my life, the last time being about 20 years ago. I have a healthy immune system and don't spend much time around people. As others have noted, I wipe off the shopping cart handle every time and wash my hands often throughout the day. I simply have not seen the need for a shot that most years is a crap shot at best. I have not gotten the shingles shot yet, but will once the new one is out and available.

[Dan Friedrichs]

At the risk of being yelled at, or ostracized, no, I didn't get a flu shot. I am 57 and have never had one. I do all other vaccinations, and yes my kids all received their shots. I have had the flu twice in my life, the last time being about 20 years ago. I have a healthy immune system and don't spend much time around people. As others have noted, I wipe off the shopping cart handle every time and wash my hands often throughout the day. I simply have not seen the need for a shot that most years is a crap shot at best. I have not gotten the shingles shot yet, but will once the new one is out and available.

Not to "yell" at you, Mark, but in all frankness: is there a reason you think your judgement on this is better informed than the medical community's (which strongly advocates that you get a flu shot)? Are you aware that even less effective flu vaccines are likely to make the flu less severe, should you get it? And do you feel no need to contribute to herd immunity, for the benefit of others?

[Kev Williams]

Why do you think your anecdotes are more valid that the collective knowledge of the entire medical profession, who are imploring us to all get vaccinated?

I just don't understand people who can so casually disregard experts.

Vaccines work by herd immunity. If we all got vaccinated, there would be less people suffering from the flu. Do you really not care that hundreds of young children are literally dying from the flu, this year?

Get your damn flu shot!

I'm not disregarding 'the experts':

CDC conducts studies each year to determine how well the influenza (flu) vaccine protects against flu illness. While vaccine effectiveness can vary, recent studies show that flu vaccination reduces the risk of flu illness by between 40% and 60% among the overall population during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are well-matched to the flu vaccine

When they get those numbers to between 90-100%, then I'll get a shot. Until then, based on my medical history- not necessary.

[Kev Williams]

and in the for-what-it's-worth department:
from the CDC:

• Percent of children aged 6 months to 17 years who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months: 49.9%
• Percent of adults aged 18-49 who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months: 31.8%
• Percent of adults aged 50-64 who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months: 45.2%
• Percent of adults aged 65 and over who received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months: 67.2%

a couple of past years stats-
2009-2010: 39% (adults)
2014-2015: 47%

I'm done.

[Mel Fulks]

In a quest to find out why some disregard medical advice, ask women who decided to suffer morning sickness rather than take thalidomide.

[Andrew Hughes]

I get my shot every years. And wash my hands a lot.
Just common sense to do what's right