For those who know: Are flu shots really necessary?

[devilgrrl]

How is your body supposed to build a defence against the flu if you're always getting flu shots? Just wondering.

[cheezus]

1. that's how the shot works

the flu shot doesn't kill the flu, it introduces some harmless flu virus so you can develop antibodies that ARE the defense against the flu

[trotsky]

2. Fighting the flu is difficult for those with weak immune systems

Very young, very old, etc.

If you get vaccinated, you do not get lifelong immunity to a strain, so you need to get a shot every year.

If you get the full-blown flu, you'll never get that strain again, but battling it is just too much for a lot of people.

[XanaDUer]

3. Flu virus changes from season to season

one year's supply won't help with next year's strain.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

4. 2 children with severe asthma...flu is a very scary thing in my household

[XanaDUer]

5. Exactly

Some think influenza is a bad cold.

It's not.

I caught it when I was young and healthy once, and never again.

I almost died.

1918 Influenza Pandemic. Such horror is possible again.

Bush fucked up,as usual.

[progressivebydesign]

8. My Mom had the Hong Kong Flu in the 60's...

.. I think it could have killed her. She was in the bedroom for weeks.. unbelievably sick. I have never had the flu, and never want it. I won't get the shot, because I am not even close to being at risk... but I try hard to keep my immunity up, so that helps.

[Crunchy Frog]

6. I did a report on flu last year for microbiology class.

I will try to answer some of your questions.

The main thing about the flu virus(es) is that it mutates so quickly that you really can't build up any long term defence against it. There are a huge number of different strains, all mutating constantly. When they are not causing human epidemics, domestic animals and wild waterfowl serve as a reservoir for them, where different strains are able to exchange genes and create even more unique strains.

This is why, if you got the flu last year, you almost certainly won't be immune this year. It will probably be a different strain, and even if it wasn't, it likely would have mutated sufficiently to overide last years antibodies.

Getting a flu shot will help you build your defences by giving you antibodies to the strains that have been estimated to be most likely to cause epidemics during that particular season. Since this is only based on educated guesswork, there is alot of hit and miss, and that is why people can still get the flu even if they've had the shot. It means that particular strain didn't make it into that year's immunization. This year's flu shot won't do you any good if you take it next year. The defence that it offers is only temporary, and only meant to be temporary.

If you are young and healthy then you don't actually need a flu shot at all. If you get the flu it will make you sick, but it almost certainly won't kill you. Only older people, very young people, and people with certain health conditions are considered to be seriously at risk if they get the flu. That's why access is being limited right now while there's a shortage.

There are other things you can do to increase your resistance by enhancing your immune system. Generally try to take good care of yourself, take extra vitamin C, If you begin to feel symptoms, or think you may have been exposed, you can take echinacia and zinc and other supplements.

However, the flu virus operates in such a way that you will never develop an actual immunity to it. A flu shot once a year, when available, is your best bet.

I hope this answers some of your questions. If you have any more, just ask and I'll see what I can do.

[TrogL]

7. My employer thinks so

Free flu shots to anybody who wants them.

Saves on sick days.

[Bridget Burke]

9. I doubt corporations/bosses would give them free....

Just out of the goodness of their hearts.

Employees who get the shot have less chance of needing time off for the flu--& less chance of giving it to those who didn't get the shot.

And the flu is a rotten waste of a couple of weeks, even if you're low risk (which is not "no risk"). None for me this year, since we don't have government sponsored health care down here. Why, that could lead to rationing! (Bzzzzzzt--does not compute.)

[devilgrrl]

10. thanks everyone for educating me on the issue.

:-)

[TNOE]

11. I wouldn't get one if you paid me

but that's just me.