Had mine last Saturday, been getting them for decades. Never had any reactions. I got the regular shot which contains 4 strains.
My sig other was at the grocery store checking on a product and he noticed the pharmacy had flu shots, so he asked about them. He got the "senior" flu shot that contains 3 strains at a higher dosage. Plus he got a coupon for $5 at the grocery hot bar, you think he had struck gold :) Now with the "senior" flu shot, the pharmacist said it will make you very tired for a couple of hours, and sure enough it did. He's back to normal today.
My parents use to get their flu shots every year even up into their mid-to-late 90's. Not once did they ever have an issue.
It's a myth that one can get the flu from a flu shot. What happens when one does get sick not long after having the flu shot is because they already have the flu virus caught from someone else, but the symptoms weren't showing as of yet. It takes 2 weeks before one gets the full coverage of a flu shot, so if one already has the virus that shot isn't going to help for that strain... but will help for the other strains.
With being caregivers, it is very important to have that flu shot. I would hate to pass on a flu virus to an elder, as one can have the virus and feel good not realizing they have the virus. Hug Mom or Dad, or kiss them, oops, now Mom or Dad could get the flu.
My parents had worked at a regional hospital at the front information desk for over 20 years... they got their flu shot every year.... not once did they get the flu. Same with me, I also do volunteer work at this same hospital. It is now mandatory for all Staff, volunteers, and vendors who come in on a regular basis to get the flu shot. There is major building going on, so all the construction workers need the flu shot. No shot, no work.
Our health care system is surely broken.
But I can understand how you feel about "herd medicine". When I first saw my surgeon she was in a nice cozy townhouse office, just her, her tech and the receptionist. Then she went to a group practice which i didn't really care for, but she was so good I went anyway.... I had a feeling she preferred to be outside the box, and sure enough not long ago she went back to private practice.
Doctors are going from private practice to group practice to cut on overhead, medical equipment, payroll, etc. Plus the cost of medical malpractice insurance is eating up their profits since America is so sue happy.
Just up the street is an urgent care that also take on regular patients. I really like the place as is is so close by as my primary doctor's office is quite a drive. I am seriously thinking of changing over to those doctors.
Everyone has the right to make their own healthcare decisions, however, I suspect that if everyone really learned the facts about immunizations, the risk factors associated with getting the flu, etc., that they would get it.
It can't protect you 100%, but, it's better than no immunization. I've gotten it almost every year since I was a young adult and I've only gotten the flu once, and that was in the SPRING of the year when I had just traveled to EUROPE. I got sick on the flight home. I'm not sure if my shot from the year before had worn out or it was a different strain of flu.
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