You're misinterpreting the 45% effectiveness. In your example without the shots, 100,000 would get the flu.
From the CDC:
During seasons when the flu vaccine viruses are similar to circulating flu viruses, flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with flu by 40 percent to 60 percent.
To complicate matters further, the scientific consensus is that even when the flu shot does not prevent the flu, much of the time it will reduce the severity of the episode. I don't fully understand how to prove this, but it is the thesis. Here is the CDC article on it for anyone who's interested: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/spotlights/2...re-illness.htm
So if you receive the vaccine and get the flu anyway, the vaccine may still be giving you a benefit.
There may be many reasons for this. Since the flu viruses are constantly mutating the vaccine may not be completely effective against a new strain. Though it may have some effect to cause a less severe episode.So if you receive the vaccine and get the flu anyway, the vaccine may still be giving you a benefit.
It may also be in many cases a person is infected with more than one strain of flu virus. Knocking off one or weakening it may be beneficial.
One of the main factors in how a vaccine works is it reduces the number of carriers. One carrier may infect multiple people. If a potential carrier is inoculated and does not succumb to infection, the chain of spreading infection is broken.
Another factor is vaccine programs raise awareness. Even those who do not get vaccinated may wash their hands a little more often. People become more aware of those around them. During flu season have you ever noticed when out shopping and someone sneezes? It seems everyone turns around to look.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Andrew, I did not get the flu shot this year. I have gotten in on occasion in the past. Every time I think about it & way the odds. You have to immunize 71 people to prevent 1 case. The choice is yours. Sometimes I just say it is not worth it. Occasionally I do say it is worth it.
Jerome, statistics can be misleading and confusing. Let me give you an example. If 100 people get the flu shot and 1 in that group gets the flu, and you compare that to 100 people who did NOT get the flu shot and 2 got the flu, the shot would be 50% effective. It cut the incidence in half. That generally reflects the effectiveness of the flu shot. I think it helps a little bit. Sometimes I think so much money is tied up in this "little bit" that we are not devoting enough resources to research a really effective flu shot.
I stopped getting the flu shot many years ago. If I got the shot, I'd get sick for weeks. If I don't get the shot? I don't get sick at all. So my choice is easily made. No shot for me.
Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
Dennis -
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Our brains have evolved a great ability to connect things. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors survived by being able to connect "I got sick" with "...because I ate *that* berry". But in modern times, it occasionally causes post hoc fallacy.
There have been studies where people have gotten the flu shot or gotten saline (placebo). Turns out neither group was more likely to get sick immediately afterwards.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/misconceptions.htm
So it may just be that you got unlucky and fell ill after getting the flu shot, but you would have gotten sick without having gotten the flu shot.
Last edited by Dan Friedrichs; 02-23-2020 at 8:20 AM.
Yep, wife and I have been getting them for years.
NOW you tell me...
As I said earlier my wife and I have always got the flu shot for as long as I can remember and its always been free so regardless of how effective it is its worth it. My understanding is it is typically between 40 and 60% effective. The number I have not seen is what are the odds that anyone will get the flu with or without the shot, if the effectiveness is 50% your risk is reduced by 50% but 50% of what? Part of the problem is everyones chance of being exposed is different, everyones immune system is different, everyones habits are different (some have excellent hygene habits some have terrible habits). So if you are never exposed presumably your chance is zero at the other extreme if your constantly exposed, have a comprimized immune system no shot and poor hygene your almost guaranteed to get it.
I get the ‘Flu shot every year, and have for many years. Plus, the Shingle’s shot series.
During my lifetime I have:
... as a young boy - carried mercury in a vial n my pocket so I could impress girls by rolling it around on the palm of my hand
... as a boy - smoked cigarettes (but not for the past 75 years)
... as a boy - cast lead soldiers in home-made plaster of Paris molds (without wearing a mask)
... as a boy - cut up sheets of asbestos to lay newly cast lead soldiers on (without masks)
... as a boy - painted lead soldiers using lead based paints
... lifelong - chewed on thousands of lead painted wooden pencils
... lifelong - wiped down thousands of wood objects using turpentine (no gloves or masks)
... lifelong woodworking - breathed in untold quantities of saw dust (no mask)
I am ninety years old (soon to be 91). You have to be lucky (and not very smart?!)
“There are three sure signs of growing old. The first is loss of memory ……… I have forgotten the other two”.
-anon