SomethingNotAlreadyTaken
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This is the newest sign in my clinic. I am a military medical provider and therefore, unfortunately, cannot kick anti-vaxx people out of my panel. One of these days I’ll become a civilian again and have more freedom, but at least I have no student loans, so I’ve got that going for me.
FP edit: Thanks to everyone having civil conversations, I think it is very possible to have a discussion not dripping in emotions.
I do not know what is behind the whited out part, I return to work later this week and will see if I can read it and I'll let everyone know what it says.
Send me kitties, or links to interesting reads, or even an angry message because I think vaccines are important and I wish we could end this proliferation of ignorance so widely available to easily malleable minds. Can't really reason someone out of a position this didn't reason themselves into.
HQDefault
What's the part the got blanked out?
PompatusOfLove
Last time I had a flu shot, it turned me into a newt!
DasDovian
Every single year I was forced to get the shot I got violently sick to the point where I couldn't walk or eat for several days.1/2
DasDovian
My Doc finally told my parents to let me go without it & I still got sick but it was like 3 days of a cough, slight fever and runny nose2/2
yurpy
There are 144 different types of Influenza A, your flu shot protects against 4. Plus the strains are ever changing because we can’t vaccinat
yurpy
2. e animals and birds, so it will forever mutate
indigopher83
since everyone is sharing anecdotes about getting sick after getting the shot....I get the shot every year and I've never gotten the flu
NobodyWorthThinkingAbout
I figured out why I always get the flu when I vaccinate: Other people in line sick. Going someplace different this year.
YourIceCreamMan
I love when a co-worker is out sick for 2 days and says, "I had The Flu". I always ask, "Did you wish you were DEAD"? No?- NOT The Flu.
HelpfulCorn
All these comments are so frustrating. People consider any virus the flu.
funkmoth
I have small children so I feel I have to get the flu shot for their sake (and mine)
ImHidingFromMyKids
Same here, always get the flu vaccine and so does the rest of my family. The flu is just too dangerous for little kids
BobDresden
This is why I now get it every year. I used to be lazy and only get it if it was convenient.
KindofaBadPerson
tomyironmane
Little kids are plague rats. We love 'em, they're cool little dudes, but they're plague rats.
waitdoyounot
I have a bad history of getting sick right after getting a flu shot. Like 4 out of 6 times. While I know it’s not connected I always wonder
Tiddlywanker
I grew up getting a cold EVERY TIME after I got a vaccine. But now I'm thinking it's cuz waiting rooms are ses pools of germs. Wow.
CrashedandBurned
Not even close to being an anti-vaxxer... But the flu vaccine is shit and is just a yearly money grab for big pharma... wash your hands.
RayBoyd333
Will this stop me from jackin it?
SomethingNotAlreadyTaken
For a couple days if you get the shot in your dominant arm and you aren't ambidextrous
EllisTomago
It's from going to the doctor and waiting in a lobby full of sick people.
jorvm
Was reminded by doctors Office to get this years flu shot. Scheduled it for next Week. got the flu 4 days prior to the shot.
dixie18402
I have a theory about this. I think people that already have the flu, try to save themselves by getting a flu shot. So by going in to 1/2
MDevolution
The flu shot and the flu seem linked because they both occur during flu season. Flu season is the confounding variable!
iegoday
where I'm at it's all year round
dixie18402
A flu shot exposes you to those idiots that don't understand vaccinations or quarantine.
dixie18402
Also, that said, the only time I've had the flu was days after I got my first and only flu shot...
crisb
It does have an impact on your immune system and thus makes you mire susceptible to illness e.g. cold. Also 90% of people who claim to have
crisb
Flu don't have influenza
Psychonoticon
I work at an MTF as well. You have a better attitude than 90% of the Military physicians. So you got that going for you too. Yippee! ;)
Steady
I'm all for vaccines but every time I got the flu shot I got violently ill with similar flu symptoms. Not sure if flu or some other crap
satansuterus
It is a common misconception that researchers choose the "wrong" strains of the flu, when in fact, they choose the 3 or 4 most common 1/?
satansuterus
Those who are vaccinated get protected against the most common strains, but are still subject to the other less common strains 2/?
satansuterus
Therefore, the original most common strains are rarely seen (becoming not common at all) and the strains not vaccinated against... 3/?
satansuterus
Become the most prevalent. People think that the strains chosen are guessed, but theyre actually chosen based on the year's incidences 4/?
satansuterus
This misconception is used by the anti-vaxxers to say that the vaccine does nothing because you can still get the flu, when in reality 5/?
satansuterus
The vaccine actually did its job: protecting against the strains that were seen most in communities.
DontSayIDidntWarnYou
I got my flu shot, passed out hard for about 18 hours, then felt fine since.
NickRivieraMD
Yo y'all. I was a flu clinic coordinator for 2-3 years. The skinny is: kids, the old, those with depressed immune systems, and those who>
NickRivieraMD
work with the above groups should probably get it. For healthy adults who aren't caring for the above groups, it's prob not worth the price
NickRivieraMD
It is effective but far from perfect, ranging from 40-60% protection depending on how well they guess the primary circulating strains.
Lizaderp
What about people who travel alot?
NickRivieraMD
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm
Zardo03
I get the shot, get a mild fever, can't rest (take off work or school) since not sick enough. Mild fever turns into really bad fever.
ThomasThundersword
Always fun when people ignore the CDC to support a point of view. oh you thought i was talking about the Anti-vaxers? wrong. source below
MDevolution
This post literally only says that the flu shot can't give you the flu. Which even your link says....
ThomasThundersword
Okay so go back and read the big green part again.
MDevolution
Yes.. which lists the most common side effects of the flu....??? which are also on the CDC website....???
MDevolution
Flu shot*
ThomasThundersword
2/2 better then the "other side" if you can't use science to back your argument.
ThomasThundersword
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm#flu You can argue the benefits outweigh the risks. but don't twist fact. your not 1/2
joebuck123
Things must have changed. When I was in vaccination wasn't optional. Anti vax my ass. Article 15 and/or discharge.
SomethingNotAlreadyTaken
It’s not the joes, it’s the dependents who say no. They even say no to the HPV for their kids. It’s madness.
DavosSeaworthTheOnionKnight
Huh. They block your kids from most activities if your kids dont have up to date shots. Sucks for those kids.
providedlava
Religious exemption is and has always been a thing in the US. For school and sports. Most people dont know because they never tried.
joebuck123
I'm older than dirt and served before there was an internet. This lunacy was unheard of if you knew someone who had the diseases.
KellionBane
So... You can still get the flu, after your flu shot?
Coyote8
No, you can get a different flu than the dead one they distract your immune system with!!
Roehcai
having 'fire resistance' in a game doesn't stop all 'element attacks'
creamyt
I think on average it's around 50% effective. Which is low for a vaccine, but not bad considering how much the flu straightup sucks.
dcb1999
Of course you can
MDevolution
Yes. You can get the flu before you have full immunity (it takes 2 weeks), or a different strain, or the shot may not have worked for you.
ShenanigansForHireExperiencedBeerTasterAndCraicFacilitator
Viruses are big on mutating, flu shot is 'best guess' at which strains will be prevalent this season. Sometimes the virus don't toe the line
mckenna310
Especially the influenza virus
masterchief11
The problem is that the symptoms are directly correlated with years I get the flu shot. It happened 5 years in a row and since foregoing 1/2
masterchief11
1/2 I have t been sick
Coyote8
You didn't get the flu from the shot, the shot just weakened your body so you got something completely different!! Hooray for technicalities
TankLovesFranya
Exactly!!! "You got all the symptoms of the Flu, but not the actual flu." -The person about to catch a face full of whatever I actually have
lilabean
I get a flu shot every year and I feel a bit off for maybe a day, and then I don't get the flu.
mormacil
Don't get my shot every year, when it hits every few years it lasts like 2 days.
Stayinwomb
I never get flu shots and I rarely get sick. If you drink enough, get enough vitamins and ventilate, especially in winter, you're set
ElSuperbeasto
I challenge you to go find someone with verified influenza infection and get coughed on. Post your photos of your non-infected self here!
andthedicestoppedrolling
Does your entire family, social circle, and workplace also avoid the shot? Otherwise you're just being spared by herd immunity
hankering703000
-1 for using "woke." Please never say that shit again.
SomethingNotAlreadyTaken
It was sarcasm ♀️
hankering703000
Well I don't no that. I see "woke"..I'm thinking Kim Kardashian and that's not good..not good at all. You get a pass this time.
societyman10
I do flu shots but when I skip I don't get sick anyway
Treblaine
I'll take "what is herd immunity" for 200, Alec
420B0ngRips4Jesus69
Stopped getting them and haven't had thebflu since. When I opt out my dr acts like I just opted for full blown aids
ozboz
Do you pay for them if so that's why, a normal under 60 adult shudnt have to get flu shots.
420B0ngRips4Jesus69
My insurance covers the shots. Few times I got them I still got the flu so I see no point in getting them.
BrumpoTungus
There have been people that have died in accidents while wearing their seatbelts. Why even wear one?
IRespondWithSpongebobGifsUsually
I am not entirely sure how it works but the isn't the flu shit also so that You don't infect others? 1/2
IRespondWithSpongebobGifsUsually
Cus i think you can carry it without getting sick like you can with other viruses, therefore it's best for everyone if you take it anyways
MDevolution
You are correct. You can pass the flu, which your body may fight off without the vaccine, to someone with a weaker immune system.
ramarins
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm please read
BrumpoTungus
I've been in a car a few times without a seatbelt. I've never been injured in an accident
giley
I'm no anti-vaxxer, but there's actually no good evidence that the flu shot works. Check out the Cochrane review of the flu jab.
[deleted]
[deleted]
giley
I think people who haven't looked into it think this is just another dumb antivax post.
Alfa66andres
Yeah, i lived 9 years in Spain, and they never do flu shots there. They do all the other shots, but its not common to do the flu in Europe
SLopez68
Sorry, the flu shot is quite common in Europe, many governments even offer it to people at risk like the elderly, etc. e.g. Portugal
ilhares
Not once gotten the flu shot. The flu has not been showing up to kick my ass. I just don't buy into the hype on this practice.
SLopez68
You have been lucky, but for how long?
ilhares
For not getting sick from the flu? Roughly 40 years now, I did have it once as a child. As an adult, had bronchitis once. That sucked.
probablyshouldbedoingwork
The hype is largely based on the 1918 "spanish flu" strain of H1N1 that killed millions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu 1/
probablyshouldbedoingwork
The medical community felt it was better to prepare vaccines against strains of flus that could potentially wreak the same kind of havoc 2/2
dcb1999
This. I'm all for mmr and tdap and polio vaccines and others that have proven to actually get rid of a disease. The flu jab? Well.....
ramarins
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm please read
providedlava
If you work with children or the elderly you should get it anyway :)
itsreallyhardtofindausernamethatisnttaken
No good evidence? That just isn’t true.
giley
Source? All I've seen are observational studies, never found a double blind trial, which is the usual standard.
ramarins
all the links are there https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm
giley
And the links don't support the claim that the vaccine works. See my reply to the comment above.
giley
And even the observational studies show weak benefits, it's not even close to the evidence supporting other vaccines.
IFuckRoastedSeashellsOnADailyBasis
Yeah if i remember well its because the flu virus mutate so often and quickly that docs cant really keep up and make the shots in time
wotemer
At least it gives your immune system a headstart. Funnily, antibodies evolve randomly and whatever matches best gets selected by your body.
shedooooooooo
The shot still prevents/weakens similar strains, or the correct strain in some. If no one got it, there’d be a lot more mutated strains.
giley
Yeah, flu is a nightmare to pin down, which is why there isn't a fully effective vaccine.
ramarins
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm please read
morphoyle
Like I'm going to listen to an org that discourages eating raw cookie dough.
Treblaine
Reducing rate by even 40% is definitely worth it, lowers the transmission rate to prevent an outbreak becoming an epidemic.
giley
If you look at the links on that page it shows they actually estimate the vaccine is only 4.6% effective, which seems less worth it.
MDevolution
I mean... 4.6% is just over 4/100 people. And this article is talking about mortality rates. So thats 4 less dead people. Seems worth it.
MeekrabJones
As a pharmacy tech, a flu shot is $30 without insurance. 99% of insurance plans cover it. The flu can kill. 1% effective would be worth it.
giley
It's free to me (NHS), but feeling rough for a couple of days isn't (for me) worth the reduction, eg. from 1% to 0.95% chance of flu. Ymmv
giley
Done. While the text paints a positive picture, the links they provide on the page undermine that. Look at this one....
giley
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19625341
giley
When they adjust to remove bias from the observational studies, the vaccine is only 4.6% effective (0.7-8.3, 95%ci). So basically fuck all.
MDevolution
but we can infer from other vaccine's history and observational studies that vaccinating everyone for the flu protects those who can't (2/2)
MDevolution
The problem with studies like this is they cant directly measure the effect herd immunity has on those with a weaker immune system. (1/2)
giley
Herd immunity only works when over ~90% are immune, flu jab doesn't even claim to provide that level of protection.
EricSSmith
Last year I got a flu shot for the first time... and promptly got the flu. I guess the shot was for a different strain or something.
takingupspace
It is likely that even though you still got the flu, the shot helped lessen the severity.
clucja1
Or you already had the flu and the symptoms just hadn't shown up yet
GoEatADick
It also takes 2 weeks for the shot to prime your immune system enough to work!
ImClearlyInsane
Also possible you caught it before the immunization could take effect..
catscatscatscat
This comment is pretty much exactly what the post is trying to explain away, bud. You got the flu, it was probably flu season.
mgbeop87
They don't count cases like yours. Must have been a different strain, or you know cause a strain to mutate. No I'm not anti-vax.
itsreallyhardtofindausernamethatisnttaken
In the US, last year’s flu vaccine was only about 10% effective. Each year they guess what will be the most common strains and vaccinate for
SlicedCoffee
According to the CDC it wasn't quite that bad, but still only 40%
catscatsyeahcats
We're working on a universal vaccine, very promising!! https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/universal-influenza-vaccine-research
itsreallyhardtofindausernamethatisnttaken
them. Last year they guessed wrong.
jim09Bandit
I was told the shot takes a couple weeks to be fully effective, so if you immediately got sick, you were going to get sick anyway.
thatsmyidentifier
Same. I get the shot every year. Never got the flu until last year. They predicted the wrong strain would be the issue last year.
RadicalLeftist
https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-06/flu-numbers-drop-by-80-per-cent/10346488
bobziIIa
I’ve been getting them for years and always get sick anyways. I didn’t get it this year to compare severity and frequency.
MDevolution
Thats a very small sample size, not sure how reliable your observations will be.
bobziIIa
My sample size is 100% of the target, just me. Plus it will make next year more effective.
EMTMarv
Yes it actually was, that's why so many people got it last year. They have to predict which strain before vaccinating
catscatsyeahcats
Last year's flu vaccine was unfortunately not effective against most strains that were prevalent. We're working on a universal vaccine!!
ElSuperbeasto
YOU. CANNOT. GET. THE. FLU. FROM. THE. FLU. SHOT.
eastend666
I've been getting flu shots for a long time. This year, first time ever, I got the flu. It happens.
catscatscatscat
Also you were probably somewhere where sick people frequent just to get the vaccine. The vaccine didn’t get you sick.
Gaidenninjacat
While your immune system is immunizing against the strain in the shot, you are vulnerable to another strain
hoofbeatsandsnowflakes
I had that happen as well one year, but the flu has a long incubation period
Lill9
Also if you already had the virus in you and then get the shot it’s not gonna help you
andydotcom
What? Please elaborate I’m intrigued
ChrisWsrn
Also keep in mind that the shot takes anywhere from few days to two weeks to work.
Lill9
Incubation time for the flu lies somewhere between 3h and 3 days before you start showing symptoms. So you might already have the flu when
Lill9
Go and get the shot, but the reaction of your immune system is not fast enough to protect you. So you get the flu and think it’s the vaccine
Lill9
This is why my old boss started giving flu shots as early as September, I usually get mine at the beginning of October
RicksterMax
It takes about 10 days for a flu shot to become effective.
SomethingNotAlreadyTaken
They are wrong, but overall the method for making that years strain immunization has been shown to be successful.
DavosSeaworthTheOnionKnight
On the positive, you don't need to worry about anti vaxers because flu shots are mandatory in the military.
funnystoryaboutthat
A commander in my unit is anti vax. He gets the shots but refuses to have his children vaccinated....
SomethingNotAlreadyTaken
We still have to care for their dependents, who can say no. I worked adolescent medicine for a bit and parents say no to HPV vaccines :(
DavosSeaworthTheOnionKnight
Ahh. That's true... they didn't yell at me when i forgot to get japanese encephalitis for my wife and kid for like 6 months.
ChaosSound
So what you're telling me, is that the flu shot is unreliable and expensive.
MDevolution
If it's too expensive for you look up community programs in your area. I administered around 50 free flu shots through my school this year.
spookyu
I was a military medic and gave a lot of immunizations. I used to tell people you don't get the flu shot for yourself. You get it so you 1/2
spookyu
don't become a vector that kills old people, babies, and people with cancer.
Coyote8
Or your body's immune system was weakened killing the dead strain so another love strain took over like "look, a distraction"
TeddyBearHeaven
The body is exposed to lots and lots of antigens every day. You won’t overwhelm it by adding another antigen or two from a vaccine.
Coyote8
Yup, exactly! Same way stress works. Just keep piling it on, one more responsibility won't hurt.
IHateApostrophes
That's not how immunology works.
Coyote8
K
SomethingNotAlreadyTaken
There are several strains out there. The annual shots are educated guesses based on the antigenic shift. Sometimes they are right, sometimes
imjusthereforthemoneynotyourbs
Welp that saved me a Google, thanx
EricSSmith
Yeah. To be clear, I wasn't advocating for people NOT to get the shot. I was just sharing an anecdote. Wife and I got shots and got flu lol
AleksandrBlazkowicz
Deleted my previous comment as it was inaccurate to the extreme, this year's flu shot is looking very promising so far barring mutations.
noyougofuckyourself
This year's is 20% -30% effective.
SwampApe75
worse than flipping a coin...ya, total science.
NoIdidntsayAbeLincolnIsaidHeyBlinkin
This is currently right below a claim of it being 90% effective and I hope that juxtaposition holds
noyougofuckyourself
Maybe things changed https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180419131015.htm
Sqwuid
And then other times, you get the shot too late. Doesnt it take like, a week or two for it to really work?
humanhotplate
Yeah at best they have about a 20% shot at being right, better than nothing.
DOWNVOTEALLEMOJIS
Several?! More like thousands.
IHateYouMyselfAndEveryone
True, but not every mutation is a circulating strain
DOWNVOTEALLEMOJIS
But every circulating strain can also mutate..So.
bravecatgaming
A really bad educated guess mind you. Its just for mass profit, not that you will acknowledge that. Other shots are fine and well. Flu shot
bravecatgaming
Is garbage and close to useless.
[deleted]
[deleted]
humanhotplate
I think the highest it's ever been is like 32%, it usually sits around 20%.
Fennek04
That can't be correct. As much as i am pro vac. The flu is simply a bad example. The vac only contains a few strains and there are so many
AleksandrBlazkowicz
Yep you are right, I deleted my comment
Kaesden
Why wouldn't they just immunize all known strains? And why is it needed every year? I thought once you have an immunity, it's permanent.
Camelspotting
2/2 to research these strains then develop, test, and produce the vaccines.
TheSecondToLastAirbender
The flu mutates quickly. There's over 10 different strains, and developing a shot for all of them would take too long to be effective
GoblinBreath
There’s work being done to produce a universal flu vaccine. Sauce: am virologist who has spoken with said scientists.
brainstrain
Flu shots are remarkable - they take months to develop and produce. So they have to predict which flu(s) will make the rounds the next year.
towandaa
Take microbiology and you’ll learn all about it. Fun class. Important class.
FisterMantastic
One word: evolution.
Camelspotting
The influenza virus mutates very quickly so the strains don't stay the same year to year. And it takes all year and a huge amount of effort
Draidan
Because you are vaccinating against this year most common strain
shedooooooooo
The flu virus mutates. They don’t yet know every strain until it starts getting passed around.