WTF...flu shot!@#$%^&*
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From: Syracuse, NY... again.
I feel like a douche for laughing in my head at that...
So wait... you have a better chance of dying than getting a serious side effect? What the fuck side effect is more serious than dying? :eh:
Originally Posted by JGordon
Serious side effects from flu shots are incredibly rare -- about 1 in a million (300 people in the US total if every person was vaccinated). The rate of being hospitalized from influenza-associated conditions are ~667 in a million (200,000 every year), and the odds of dying are about 120 in a million (~36,000 every year). With the potential for a bigger flu season this year due to H1N1, the odds are clearly in your favor if you get vaccinated. I'll be getting both the regular and the swine flu vaccines this year. The Swine flu vaccine has side effect rates that look to be very similar to regular flu vaccines based on the data we have so far.
I've been getting flu vaccines every year for the past 8 or so. The one year I didn't (forgot), I got the flu right after Christmas, ended up missing 1 week of work, losing about 15 pounds, and it took me months to get back to normal. Both of my grandparents were hospitalized with flu-related conditions, likely from me passing it along to them.
I've been getting flu vaccines every year for the past 8 or so. The one year I didn't (forgot), I got the flu right after Christmas, ended up missing 1 week of work, losing about 15 pounds, and it took me months to get back to normal. Both of my grandparents were hospitalized with flu-related conditions, likely from me passing it along to them.
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From: Golden, CO
The rate of dying in my quote is from getting the flu, not getting the flu shot. That 1 in a million rate for serious side effects from the flu shot includes cases were people die (incredibly, incredibly rare), and cases like this cheerleader that got dystonia. You have a much, much higher rate of dying from getting the flu than from getting the flu shot.
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From: Montréal, Canada
The rate of dying in my quote is from getting the flu, not getting the flu shot. That 1 in a million rate for serious side effects from the flu shot includes cases were people die (incredibly, incredibly rare), and cases like this cheerleader that got dystonia. You have a much, much higher rate of dying from getting the flu than from getting the flu shot.
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From: Golden, CO
The flu vaccine's effectiveness varies a lot year to year depending on how accurately researchers predict circulating flu strains -- the strains they put into this year's flu vaccine were decided on about a year ago based on historical data, flu strains that were in circulation then, and other factors. They have to decide this early so that they can ramp up production and perform appropriate testing on the vaccine.
Most numbers I've seen say that the flu vaccine is about 70% effective in any given year (i.e. it reduces your chance of getting the flu by roughly 70%), and that another 10-20% will have a milder version of the flu than if they hadn't been vaccinated. So it is 80-90% effective at preventing flu or reducing the severity of the flu.
Most numbers I've seen say that the flu vaccine is about 70% effective in any given year (i.e. it reduces your chance of getting the flu by roughly 70%), and that another 10-20% will have a milder version of the flu than if they hadn't been vaccinated. So it is 80-90% effective at preventing flu or reducing the severity of the flu.
Last edited by JGordon; Oct 20, 2009 at 07:47 PM.
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From: Montréal, Canada
The flu vaccine's effectiveness varies a lot year to year depending on how accurately researchers predict circulating flu strains -- the strains they put into this year's flu vaccine were decided on about a year ago based on historical data, flu strains that were in circulation then, and other factors. They have to decide this early so that they can ramp up production and perform appropriate testing on the vaccine.
Most numbers I've seen say that the flu vaccine is about 70% effective in any given year (i.e. it reduces your chance of getting the flu by roughly 70%), and that another 10-20% will have a milder version of the flu than if they hadn't been vaccinated.
Most numbers I've seen say that the flu vaccine is about 70% effective in any given year (i.e. it reduces your chance of getting the flu by roughly 70%), and that another 10-20% will have a milder version of the flu than if they hadn't been vaccinated.
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