I'm sorry to hear the annual winter cold is on. Take good care of yourself!
As for the flu shot, it's still possible to get the 'flu, even if vaccinated. One may develop a milder case, or it may be that the strains of 'flu the vaccination was developed for aren't close enough to the ones that actually emerge.
The vaccine takes a long time to make, so the makers have to make a best-guess prediction of which strains will emerge months in the future. Sometimes, it's not as good a fit: you still get some protection, but not perfect.
Having said that, I get a flu shot every year. The one year I couldn't -- there was a shortage because of a production problem, and my asthma isn't bad enough to justify depriving an elderly person of a shot. I got very sick, high fever for 5 days... and a few months later, I developed an autoimmune disease that will be with me for life. There is a strong correlation between viral infection and onset of autoimmunity, so I always urge everyone who can, especially women (who are at greater risk for most autoimmune disorders) to get a flu shot. It's a good personal and public health choice!
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branchandroot
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-11 03:24 am (UTC)As for the flu shot, it's still possible to get the 'flu, even if vaccinated. One may develop a milder case, or it may be that the strains of 'flu the vaccination was developed for aren't close enough to the ones that actually emerge.
The vaccine takes a long time to make, so the makers have to make a best-guess prediction of which strains will emerge months in the future. Sometimes, it's not as good a fit: you still get some protection, but not perfect.
Having said that, I get a flu shot every year. The one year I couldn't -- there was a shortage because of a production problem, and my asthma isn't bad enough to justify depriving an elderly person of a shot. I got very sick, high fever for 5 days... and a few months later, I developed an autoimmune disease that will be with me for life. There is a strong correlation between viral infection and onset of autoimmunity, so I always urge everyone who can, especially women (who are at greater risk for most autoimmune disorders) to get a flu shot. It's a good personal and public health choice!