Flu Shot
I was a little reluctant to post this since there is likely to be a wide array of opinions but everyone here is so knowledgeable about health and fitness I thought it would just ask. They are offering the flu shot today at work (NYC) and I am struggling with wether or not to get it. I am a week out from the Miami (Full) Marathon and know the plane is a notorious for picking up a bug. I think I got the shot once in my life but usually avoid it.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
-Ken
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Comments
I've had the flu, and I've had flu shots. I'd rather have the shot.
I've never had an adverse reaction. I am mystified by the anti-vaccine crowd. As far as I'm concerned there is no reason NOT to get a flu shot. Mine was paid for by insurance, but even so, at most they're maybe $25 at a Rite Aid, CVS, or Doc-in-the-Box. Cheap insurance vs risking a week or more off work (and workouts) suffering with the flu.
I believe it takes about a week to build to full effect, but some protection is better than none. Check out the CDC map -- flu has really reached full-fury almost nationwide.
Long story short -- do it.
I get the flu shot every year. Once I had a flu-like prodrome the evening after I got the shot, but was better the next day (maybe all in my head?). I was fine with this year's shot and there was also very little (if any) arm soreness.
@turby. 60% effectiveness isn't 100, but its still a big number. About the same level as seat belts I believe. Buckle up
Too funny Carol. But for me there is a big difference between real skiing and my getting to the bottom of the mountain
@ ;David - I took the opposite tack. I haven't had a flu shot in the near 8 years I've been retired...haven't been sick either. However, I will be the first to admit that the risks are minimal, but unfortunately, can be severe for a very small sample of people. The bigger risk is that the CDC did not guess the correct strains of flu when they started batch preparation months before flu season. I note that year after year they fail to provide a score card on themselves. However, this year is supposed to be a good match for the predominant strain going around. But I would not get one a week before a race. My wife got one this week and has been sick the past 2 days. No, it did not give her the flu. But it did give her a fever and made her feel like crap ... that's my typical reaction which is why I pass. Maybe when I'm 65 I'll follow the prevailing guidance.
CDC doesn't guess the flu virus. It's WHO in collaboration with others. In the US, the FDA can then accept or reject WHO's recommendations when setting the US vaccine guidance. There is a ton of information on the CDC site on how effective the current and past vaccines have been (typically at 60%). There is very little if any downside risk and tons of upside potential. It kills 1,000's every year in the US and in the 1918 pandemic it killed upwards of 50 million people world wide, many of which were normal healthy people.
Alright, off my soapbox
The other upside is that if you had the flu shot and do end up getting the flu, the course is generally quicker , less severe, and with quicker recovery. Full blown flu can lay a person out for weeks after the flu itself has resolved.
Going OFF-TOPIC a bit:
Satish -- I am curious as to the methodology for proving that hypothesis. It seems to me that one would have to 'prove the negative case'. Since an individual can't be both a control (got the shot) and the subject (didn't get the shot), how is it ascertained?
@ Joe, the "shorter duration" bit is statistically valid with a large group. I don't have the studies in front of me, but that is pretty widely cited by the public health types. If they did it right, they would have done double blind fake/real shots with a whole bunch of people and then tracked them for whether they got the flu and how long it lasted.
Let me state that in layman's language: if the flu vaccine is for the wrong strains it's effectiveness is ZERO. Government agencies are not in the business of making themselves look bad elsewise the CDC would prominently display it's track record for each year in matching the vaccine to the actual strains that appear in the U.S. So while a well-matched vaccine is 60% effective, I've also read that over the years, due to the difficulty in matching, annual flu shots only decrease your likelihood of catching the flu by 10%. I.e., you have a 30% chance of catching the flu even with a vaccine and about 40% chance if you don't get the vaccine.
the flu has struck hard and has been particularly bad this year. in addition to seeing the older population which typically gets sick, we are also seeing younger people as well.
the upside of the flu shot is that it can both prevent you from getting the flu as well as decrease transmission.
it takes 2 weeks for immunity to build
this year there are a bunch of people who are getting the flu (real influenza A - not just an upper respiratory infection) despite having been vaccinated. the number that I have heard thrown around is around 30%
those people who have been vaccinated are tending to not have as severe of manifestations and also quicker recovery
if you haven't gotten your flu vaccine you should strongly consider getting one, the flu isn't any fun.
now, i'm going back to my tylenol, motrin, tamiflu and chicken soup to try to get better, I am one of the 30%....
I NEVER WANT TO GET THE FLU AGAIN. It sucked
This year I took the nasal vaccine (no needle). This was much easier on me. In years past, the injection caused terribly swollen and painful lymph nodes in the arm and axillary region nearest the injection.
As bad as flu season is turning out to be, I am really glad I took the vaccine.
Nasal dosing will work for me as long as possible.