The Flu

[MrsPete]

I personally know of NO flu this year, and since I work at a school, my chances of knowing someone are pretty good. We've been fortunate.

 

[C&Jx2]

My son just tested positive for Type B this morning.

 

[RamblingMad]

So, I didn't get a flu shot for most of my life. Not because I was dumb enough to believe the debunked thoughts that "the flu shot would give me the flu" but because I made my own "health decision" for me not to get one. That decision, again, was not based on some outdated mode of thinking but based on my own reaction to vaccines. I balanced the risk of the shot to me against the risk of getting the flu and/or giving it to others. For many years, the risk/benefit ratio for me, was not to get one. I did get one this year as I am getting older and having other issues.

And, yes, I am thoroughly judging her for being stupid.

Everyone at my work that got the flu didn’t get the flu shot. And they’ve all been out off and on over the last two weeks. Not getting the shot they risk exposing others to it.

I’d love a law that required folks to get it.

 

[Searc]

Everyone at my work that got the flu didn’t get the flu shot. And they’ve all been out off and on over the last two weeks. Not getting the shot they risk exposing others to it.

I’d love a law that required folks to get it.

You can still get influenza after having the flu shot and expose others to the virus.

 

[RamblingMad]

You can still get influenza after having the flu shot and expose others to the virus.

True. But you reduce the likelihood.

 

[C&Jx2]

My kids both had the flu shot

 

[Searc]

My kids both had the flu shot

I posted earlier in the thread, the efficacy of the shot was not that good this year.

I hope it's not too serious and he feels better soon.

 

[lifesavacation]

My kids both had the flu shot

Hopefully your son gets a mild version since he had the flu shot. That's what they say anyway. I'm guessing, though, that he's pretty sick if you had to take him to the doctor. Poor kid! Hope he feels better soon and no one else in your family catches it.

 

[RamblingMad]

I posted earlier in the thread, the efficacy of the shot was not that good this year.

I hope it's not too serious and he feels better soon.

It doesn’t help that less than half the population gets the shot.

 

[Summer2018]

My kids both had the flu shot

By getting the flu shot at least it won’t be as severe as for someone who didn’t get it. I hope he feels better soon.

 

[Summer2018]

You can still get influenza after having the flu shot and expose others to the virus.

True, but the likelihood is reduced.

All of my students (18) got the flu shot. Only one got the flu. All of my students were in close contact with the sick student. The flu shot protected them.

 

[C&Jx2]

I posted earlier in the thread, the efficacy of the shot was not that good this year.

I hope it's not too serious and he feels better soon.

Hopefully your son gets a mild version since he had the flu shot. That's what they say anyway. I'm guessing, though, that he's pretty sick if you had to take him to the doctor. Poor kid! Hope he feels better soon and no one else in your family catches it.

By getting the flu shot at least it won’t be as severe as for someone who didn’t get it. I hope he feels better soon.

He’s not doing too bad. I actually thought he had a sinus infection, but he spiked a fever last night so I called first thing in the morning. I know Tamiflu is only effective if you catch it early so I wanted to get a head start in case it WAS the flu.

They closed an entire middle school near here because so many kids had it this year. I wasn’t risking it.

Thanks for the well wishes!

 

[Christine]

True, but the likelihood is reduced.

All of my students (18) got the flu shot. Only one got the flu. All of my students were in close contact with the sick student. The flu shot protected them.

Unfortunately, I don't think it's all that simple. Anectdotally, last year my husband and son both got the flu shot. My daughter and I did not get the shot. Oddly, both my son and husband got the flu (verified in the clinic by nasal swab). Both suffered at home with me helping them out. I didn't get it and neither did my daughter. It's hard to know what plays into immunity. But I don't think it's as simple as the vaccine stopping those other kids from getting the flu. Even the CDC doesn't give those guarantees.

 

[Searc]

True, but the likelihood is reduced.

All of my students (18) got the flu shot. Only one got the flu. All of my students were in close contact with the sick student. The flu shot protected them.

You can keep believing that if you'd like. The only people I know who have gotten the flu (lab tested/diagnosed) got the flu shot.

Immunity is a science that we still don't understand completely. I've never gotten a flu shot and never had the flu. My mother and MIL (when she was alive) both had the shot and both got the flu.

ETA: Want to clarify, I know you don't get the flu from the flu shot, just wanted to make that clear.

 

[RamblingMad]

You can keep believing that if you'd like. The only people I know who have gotten the flu (lab tested/diagnosed) got the flu shot.

Immunity is a science that we still don't understand completely. I've never gotten a flu shot and never had the flu. My mother and MIL (when she was alive) both had the shot and both got the flu.

ETA: Want to clarify, I know you don't get the flu from the flu shot, just wanted to make that clear.

Lots of bad info about the flu shot going around.

 

[Searc]

The flu shot only protects from very specific strains of influenza.

 

[Searc]

Lots of bad info about the flu shot going around.

Oh, definitely, on both sides of the issue.

 

[Lehuaann]

The flu shot only protects from very specific strains of influenza.

And doesn’t protect against mutations.

 

[Searc]

And doesn’t protect against mutations.

 

[Summer2018]

Unfortunately, I don't think it's all that simple. Anectdotally, last year my husband and son both got the flu shot. My daughter and I did not get the shot. Oddly, both my son and husband got the flu (verified in the clinic by nasal swab). Both suffered at home with me helping them out. I didn't get it and neither did my daughter. It's hard to know what plays into immunity. But I don't think it's as simple as the vaccine stopping those other kids from getting the flu. Even the CDC doesn't give those guarantees.

I'm just reiterating what my physician told me yesterday at my annual check-up. Perhaps she gave me a simplistic answer, but guess what? If I can reduce my chances of getting the flu, I will get my free shot which takes just minutes out of my day. Who knows how effective this year's vaccine will end up being, but every year that I have gotten the flu shot, I have been exposed to the flu, and I have not caught it. I was sure that I would get it from my adult daughter the year she didn't get the shot and became very ill with the flu, but I didn't catch it, Thank God.

The flu vaccine effectiveness went up last year during the 2018-2019 flu season, compared to the previous season.

• According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu vaccine reduced the risk of infection in adults by roughly 45% to 47% in 2018-2019.
• In children 6 months to 17 years old, the vaccine was effective in 61% to 62% of children.
• For comparison, in the 2017-2018 flu season, the flu vaccine was roughly 36% effective at preventing flu. The 2017-2018 season was a particularly severe season in the U.S.