How Bad Did Your Flu Shot Hurt 2009?

Equality 7-2521 wrote: It's not unfounded. When flu vaccines were rushed into production to treat the 1976 epidemic of swine flu there were untested. Turns out there seemed to be a nontrivial correlation with Guillain-Barre syndrome unexplainable by simple random distribution. The chance may be remote, but the remote chance  at a lethal nerve disease may be more concerning that the chance of bed rest and fluids.

Yet it apparently worked in 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1980., 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008.  OK I did get type 2 in one of those years despite being vaccinated for type 1.  So I'm not going to slam you for not choosing to get one, but come on.

I didn't get one, and I ended up getting the flu anyway. 

Equality 7-2521 wrote: The flu shots you were getting in those years would do nothing to and are not related to the 2009 H1N1 virus.  I'm not telling people not to get a flu shot. No reason to get upset.

I'm not getting upset or anything, but your argument for not getting a vaccination is based on a mishap that happened one year.


Edited by Slartibartfast - November 09 2009 at 12:26

Slartibartfast wrote: Equality 7-2521 wrote: The flu shots you were getting in those years would do nothing to and are not related to the 2009 H1N1 virus.  I'm not telling people not to get a flu shot. No reason to get upset. I'm not getting upset or anything, but your argument for not getting a vaccination is based on a mishap that happened one year.

Nothing you can say will convince him. Just like nothing you can say will sway a conspiracy theorist from believing we never went to the moon.

Personally, I think the answer is simple; if somebody holds a philosophy that makes them feel above everybody else, they'll defend it to the death. So these folks can feel superior all the want for not getting those dreaded vaccines, while the rest of us 'fools' can rest easy knowing we're actually protected.

When you look at the amount of suffering childhood vaccines have prevented over the decades, compared to the relatively small number of extreme side effects, it is staggering that there is any debate about this.  

I think my wife got inoculated the hard way.  

We're trying to get the kids vaccinated but the pediatrician has a hard time getting doses in, and they fly off the shelf as soon as they get them.

manofmystery wrote:

My arm's still a little sore...
I swear this shot is a record setter for that.


Edited by Slartibartfast - November 09 2009 at 21:02

Xanthous wrote: manofmystery wrote: I don't make a habit of running out and getting shots for diseases with a 99% survival rate. Good point. I've never had a flu shot. Although I lead a very unhealthy lifestyle, I rarely ever get sick, and when I do get sick, I try to go to places with high population densities such as malls and airports.

I understand your guys skepticism, but the odds of the vaccine doing more harm than good are negligible, especially compared to the harm the disease the vaccine prevents. I personally wouldn't have got it if I didn't have people force me to.

p0mt3 wrote: Slartibartfast wrote: Equality 7-2521 wrote: The flu shots you were getting in those years would do nothing to and are not related to the 2009 H1N1 virus.  I'm not telling people not to get a flu shot. No reason to get upset. I'm not getting upset or anything, but your argument for not getting a vaccination is based on a mishap that happened one year. Nothing you can say will convince him. Just like nothing you can say will sway a conspiracy theorist from believing we never went to the moon. Personally, I think the answer is simple; if somebody holds a philosophy that makes them feel above everybody else, they'll defend it to the death. So these folks can feel superior all the want for not getting those dreaded vaccines, while the rest of us 'fools' can rest easy knowing we're actually protected.

By the way, for those of you advocating against flu shots, you may be pleased to know that my arm is still freaking sore.  It will be just my luck if this season a second mutation comes around and gets me.