Flu shot: Necessary or redundant?

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The forum discussion revolves around questioning the need for a flu shot if one is already taking precautions against COVID-19.
Posts:2619
 

Things that make you go huh???

So I'm sitting here with the TV on in the background and a commercial comes on reminding everyone to get their flu shot. And I'm thinking to myself......hmmmm....I'm locked down in my house, wash my hands every second (funny how no one reminds us to wash our hands for 20 seconds anymore when it was so important a few months ago), if I see another human I have to social distance and wear a mask......and COVID is WAY more contagious than the flu. Soooooo if my mask and social distancing keeps me safe from COVID.....why the hell would I need a flu shot? COVID will be here a lot longer than flu season......so who thinks up this stuff? Unless of course someone wants to admit masks and social distancing aren't effective. It's one or the other, but not both.

Can't wait to hear the "science" on this one.

Regards,

Bob

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Posts:4966
 

Hello Bob.
Thanks for your post, which raises some interesting questions relating to cognitive dissonance.
I too wondered about the efficacy of having the flu-‘jab’ as we have tended to call it over here. However, without the dubious advantage of a background in viral sciences, I needed to use whatever vestiges of ‘common-sense’ I have within my aging brain. It would be too easy to admit that, part of the reason for having the ‘jab’, was simply habit/routine because I’ve been having it for the past decade or so and have come to no harm by doing so (including no flu). However, this is surely not the whole story. Having decided I would have the ‘jab’ because it seems like a sensible thing to do at my age, I have been eagerly anticipating a brand-new ‘jab’ for this new virus (Covid19).
Because this vaccination has not yet been available, it seems to have made sense to me to take precautions against catching the new virus. (This reasoning is completely separate from that of the flu ‘jab’). These precautions are, of course, all the things like washing hands, wearing a mask and social distancing. Here again, I have to admit that I was already doing these things long before the Covid19 epidemic began so, these routines are also something of a ‘habit’ for me.
Let’s take them one at a time ;

WASHING HANDS: I do a lot of voluntary work in and around the rivers and streams in my local area (including in my own garden) where there is always a ‘healthy’ population of brown rats. I know of several people who have contracted the disease leptospirosis so, It has always made sense for me to wash my hands thoroughly at every opportunity. At present, we have an outbreak of avian flu, so this is an added incentive to keep clean in this way.

WEARING A MASK: I have been wearing masks on a more regular basis since I had a heart attack and triple heart bypass operation. The reason for the mask-wearing was because it was quite obvious that my heart problems were brought on by air pollution. Now for a short while,, the Covid 19 epidemic did us all a favour by keeping people indoors and out of their vehicles. This significantly lowered the air pollution and showed us all that we ‘could’ get by without all this pollution. However, as the restrictions have been lifted, so the air pollution has increased in direct proportion.
I have made my own masks to include clinical-grade, hypoallergenic filters which can filter out the human-pollution filth in the atmosphere as well as filtering the finer particles involved in bacterial and viral infections. However, having already had a close-to-death experience with pollution, it was that aspect which motivated me to make and wear masks.

SAFE DISTANCING: This is also an interesting phenomenon which I have practiced quite effectively for many years, partly out of habit but partly because I find that many human beings are intrinsically and fundamentally ‘toxic’ in so many different ways.
I would probably have to qualify my statement about ‘safe-distancing’, in that my own approach to this is best described as ‘selective-safe-distancing’. I have always felt the urge to befriend/help those in our society who are discarded and marginalised by others and, because there are so many of them, I am not really socially distanced from humans, just from those who are the main ‘polluters’ in terms of social stigmas, physical and mental health issues, and weaponizing anything and everything they can , to try to exploit others for their own advantage (& greed).

On a personal level, having already had the flu ‘jab’ I will be pleased to have the Covid19 vaccine when and if it arrives. Until that time, the protection that is available by way of sensible precautions may not be as effective as a vaccine, but it seems to be the best we have at present.
Incidentally, (given my reasoning above) I will be continuing to wash my hands/ wear a mask and socially distance long after the Covid and flu issues are resolved. I will also try to do my bit to not contribute to global warming/ not to kill or harm other animals/ not to discriminate or marginalise others because of their unfortunate circumstances/ not to do all those other things which I think are morally wrong, simply to gain some kind of personal profit.

Best wishes

Bill

Hollister
The ADVOCATE Clinical Trial: Authors' Perspective | Hollister
Posts:2619
 

Hi Bill,

Great reply! I'm not suggesting that anyone not get the flu shot... just questioning how we could possibly get the flu if we're sufficiently protected from COVID, which is even more contagious. It would be like being told to take the wheels off your car to stop it from moving and then being told you also need to put on the emergency brake? Last year here in the States, the flu shot didn't work too well. They made an educated guess at what the mutated virus would be that year, like they always do, and got it wrong. Hey, shit happens... whatcha gonna do? I'm just wondering if they're pushing the flu shot (which shouldn't be needed if you're protected from COVID) for financial reasons. Not that governments and Big Pharma would ever do such a thing.

Regards,

Bob

Posts:261
 

Hi, Bob.

I get my flu shot every year. Taking the COVID precautions, somehow I did get the flu this year. Although, it was a mild case, and I dislike thinking about how bad it could have been had I not been vaccinated. (Hospitalization?) I still consider myself blessed that I had "just" the flu and not COVID-19, even though it took two COVID-19 testings to rule it out.

One reason the flu vaccine has been so widely and strongly promoted this year is to help prevent the inundation of hospitals with influenza patients needing care (read: medical resources - medical staff, beds, supplies), along with COVID-19 patients, which are already taxing our medical systems.

Lily17

Posts:369
 

Getting the flu and COVID does not sound good on any level.. Yes, I got my flu shot. My friend, who is in her early 70s, stated.. No flu shot or COVID vaccine because she is not the average 70-year-old. She feels she is super healthy.... I did not argue or try to change her mind.

Posts:1434
 

I never get the flu shot anyway. Never had the flu until I was maybe 54 years old. My boss made me get the flu shot the next year, but I refused thereafter! Never had it again!
I worked in an oncology practice, so it is a miracle I was not sick from seeing so many sick patients and families. Got lucky. Somehow, with all my cancer bad luck, I lucked out on the immune system! Never even get colds! None of the childhood stuff, chicken pox, measles, mumps. My brother got them all! Lol lucky him!
My vote is still out on the Covid vaccine. Will see what adverse effects it has on those that get it in the first round.

Posts:1246
 

Hi Bob, I have to admit, I never really thought about it the way you put it. I always get the flu shot, so when I went to the doctor a few weeks ago, I just automatically got it. So, hope it helps. Best wishes and stay safe.

Posts:8
 

The thing is, we are not sufficiently protected because not everyone practices the same precautionary measures. If they did, we wouldn't be experiencing a resurgence.

Posts:281
 

The real answer, Bob, is there is nothing as cut and dried or black and white as you make it. For example, you can wear your mask and social distance as much as you can, and still end up in a grocery store that's a bit more crowded than you like to be at. You can take as many precautions as you can, and nothing except existing in a bubble will be 100% effective. Will I still wear masks and avoid people as much as I can? You betcha!!! Do I assume that makes me bullet-proof? Nope. As an income tax preparer, I am dreading the start of tax season for the first time in over 16 years. No matter what precautions I take, there's no guarantees that my customers will be as careful as I am. Every year, I end up catching a cold or sinus infection. I don't end up with the flu because I get a flu shot every year. I already got mine for this year, too. Because when you deal with the general public, sooner or later, something is going to happen, and I don't want it to happen to me. (Come on, Covid shot!)

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