Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Flu Shot???

Dunno how it can be a nanny state...you aren't forced to take a flu shot.

Let me help some of you out. Influenza is an infectious disease that affects mammals and birds. Epidemics of influenza sweep the globe every year. Worldwide deaths from influenza range from hundreds of thousands into the millions depending on the strain and reach of the epidemic.

Influenza is transmitted by aerosol created by cough and sneezing, as well as direct contact with anything contaminated. Need we review the symptoms? If you've ever had a virulent strain of the flu, then you know misery. Headaches, fever, body aches, chills, vomiting, fatigue, and generalized "feel bad, real bad".

Pandemics, though rare can cause millions of deaths. the 1917-18 pandemic killed 20- 100 million people worldwide. More than from WWI combat. This was the Spanish Influenza or the original H1N1. So now you might understand why the Public Health people got a little excited when it reemerged last year.

The Asian Flu in 1957-58 ripped though schools here and killed millions worldwide. Survivors talk of very high fevers associated with that.

The 1968 Hong Kong Flu pandemic was a MF'er in my book, because I got it! You talk about sick, I spent a week in small town hospital with that. Fever, sweats, body aches, dehydration etc. It was bad. I was a kid and it was bad. My dad got it, and he really suffered more than I. It took 6 months to regain my strength. If you contract a strain like that, you will take influenza seriously the rest of your life.

Influenza kills usually through a secondary pneumonia infection. Don't think you can just take a handful of antibiotics and bounce right back. It not always that easy.

Now, what's so important about vaccinations? Vaccines aren't just to protect you, but to break the chain of transmission. Our Public Health successes against Small Pox, mumps, rubella, measles, etc has been directly due to the fact that widespread vaccination has halted the transmission of the viruses. You morons that skip vaccinations for your kids are betting on the fact that since most other people are vaccinated, your kids will be protected because nobody will carry the virus. No, I didn't take that crap shoot with my kids. Please don't come back with the "MMR vaccines cause Autism", because there is no credible link, so save that argument for someone else who might listen.

So why should all of you that have no contraindications get the flu vaccination? First of all, it will give you protection against the strains targeted. Yes, you can still get a different strain, Schitt happens. Scientists are not gypsy fortune tellers. They can't target every strain that will show up in NYC and Gila Bend Texas. of course, once it hits NYC, the movement of the people will take all over fast enough.

The second, and very important reason to be vaccinated is to break the chain of transmission, and save your family, friends, neighbors, and mankind worldwide. If you get the the flu, before you decide to stay home and rest, you will pass it around. your kids will take it to school. Once there, EVERYBODY is going to get it, because the kids will take it home with them. The one thing that helped break up the Hong Kong Flu was that the pandemic hit the US hard right before Christmas, and when school got out for break, it slowed the spread.

Thank you, hatari.

You folks can prattle about nanny states, global conspiracies and evil drug companies all you want, but when you get a fatal strain of flu, your tin foil hat isn't going to help you.

Vaccinations are like seat belts and fire extinguishers: they're a pain. But when you need one, it is WAY too late to get one.

I can't remember the last time I had the flu, and I've never gotten a flu shot. Don't plan on starting anytime soon either, unless my new employer has a policy...don't know on that one yet.

shot off an email to my microbiologist buddy.....he doesnt study the flu but has most the peer reviewed info close at hand.....asked him the chances of dieing from the flu versus getting dystonia and Guillain-Barre syndrome from the vaccine and see what the answer is....

The nurse's office is calling huge lists of my students out of class each period for it. Never seen anything quite like it before. Not sure if their parents were somehow pressured into this or what.

As for me, being a doctor's son, I got it just about every year, but stopped a couple of years ago and have not noticed an increase in my probability of getting the flu.

That's a common theme.

PS I know exactly what you mean when you say you were afraid you wouldn't die. I've only been that sick once in my life, and that from food poisoning. I used to love candied yams. Now the very sight of them gives me a vomit reflex that I have to consciously suppress till it's out of sight. That's not an exaggeration.

Flu shot?

No.


Not just regular "no".

Hellfuckno.

Haven't had a flu shot since high school.

The complicator is that I am caring for my dad who is going through chemo. He is immune suppressed.

So... I am contemplating the shot for his sake. Never had one before and up till now never contemplated it.

Still not totally convinced...

i would get it even though the chances of you coming down with the flu they are for is low.....unfortunately for your dad a more minor flu variant that the shot doesnt cover in you, you could still get and it could very well kill him with a weakened immune response due to the chemo.....on the other side of the coin if you came down with one of the strains the shot does cover it more than likely will kill your father....besides myself i got lil nieces im around shots for their sake as much as mine....

as said earlier the shot doesnt cover the minor flus that clear up after some short bed rest and fluids, the shot is for strains that kill healthy ppl with good immune systems....

Thing is alot of folks get sick right after getting a flu shot.

Yes, I get one most years, but I did miss the pig flu go around last year. I'm generally very healthy, so I don't know if they help or not. Shoulder is sore for about 24 hrs.

but the thing is other than the stories that are several decades old its a coincidence.....if yah actually picked up a strain the shot was for it wouldnt be a few days sick like a normal flu.....any shot in the last 10 years or better, if yah wound up with the flu after the shot its a coincidence, you woulda wound up with it without the shot cause its a strain not covered by the shot, most strains arent covered by the shot.....

Hell yes, every year but then I got sick as hell back in the 50's, thought I was gonna die and at one point afraid I wasn't gonna! Never more to quote the Raven.

Haven't had a flu shot since I left the Navy in 1984.
Wouldn't have taken it then if there was an option.

Wow just came in for lunch and you guys are still hard at it..you're gonna pound this thread till you wear yourselves down and then really catch the flu!!! Keep it going some interesting points of view and info...FLEM

Hey Jeff, I am a doctor, and though I rarely utilize the services of my colleagues, I recognize the value and place of allopathic medicine in the big picture. I also do my best to let "the maker handle it all," but am of the mindset that God helps those that help themselves. Hope that clears it up if you're even interested...

have noticed one thing......those that have had or have had close family that have had the major strains of the flu the vaccines tend to protect against are very much for the vaccines......those that havent are saying dont get it......likely another area where experience should count for something.....

once again the shot aint for the pain in the arse home on the couch for a couple day bugs....its for the strains that can and do kill ppl with good immune systems and often sends those that get it into the hospital for a stay.....

does the CDC occasionally [bleep] up and miss the major strain that hits the US? sure but they are basing their predictions on whats going on on the other side of the world many months before the US flu season......kinda like trying to pick who is gonna be in the Super Bowl before the season even starts.....

another thing to keep in mind about the H1N1 scare is part of the reason it didnt turn out so bad was it was just similar enough to a different strain that they vaccinated for several years back that alot of individuals that got that flu shot wound up pretty well immune to the H1N1 bug even without the newest vaccine....vaccines you get years ago can save your arse years in the future.....

Had to have one every year in the Army. Always got as sick as getting the flu. Would go on Sick Call and get a buck slip for three days off.

Besides I think all the hype is just to drain your wallet. What happened to that big killer flu last year. I know they had to throw out several millions of dollars worth of vacine that wasn't used once they got it made too late.