Flu Shot Efficacy

[edro]

Source: Wikipedia

The meta-analyses examined the efficacy and effectiveness of inactivated vaccines against seasonal influenza in adults,[41] children,[47] and the elderly.[48][49] In adults, vaccines show a three-quarters reduction in risk of contracting influenza (4% influenza rate among the unvaccinated versus 1% among vaccinated persons) when the vaccine is perfectly matched to the virus and a one-half reduction (2% get flu without vaccine versus 1% with vaccine) when it is not, but no significant effect on the rate of hospitalization.

Am I reading this correct?

Chance of catching the flu:

• If the vaccine is perfectly matched to the virus: 4% if unvaccinated, 1% if vaccinated
• If the vaccine is NOT matched to the virus: 2% if unvaccinated, 1% if vaccinated

Couple that with the longevity:

protection without revaccination persists for at least three years for children and young adults.

...doesn't seem worth the effort. :hmm:

 

[Pardus]

comment removed

 

[JM Aggie08]

Never have gotten the shot, and never will. I have a very strong immune system (haven't been sick in 10+ years, other than food poisoning).

 

[bigrash]

Never got the shot. I've been sick for so long this year, everyone's telling me to get it.

 

[Jimzz]

I use to get the shot every other year but got the Flu this christmas and now a cold this week. You bet I am getting it every year now.

 

[ichy]

Even a 50% reduction in the chance of getting the flu is good enough for me. The flu vaccine is so cheap it's basically free and getting a shot takes all of about 2 minutes. No reason not to, plus it pisses off anti-vaccers.

 

[umbrella39]

I work in busy ER 5 days a week having every possible sickness coughing on me. We are mandated the shots each year. I have yet to catch so much as a sniffle two years running. This is NOT the case for many of my co-workers who have taken the shot also. But there are many other factors that have to be considered and not just whether or not someone got the shot this year. Several of the people who have gotten sick are also smokers...

 

[DesiPower]

Never got one out of free will, had to get once as I was traveling to India on official business and it was one of the requirements... Got flue twice in the last 15 years and its no big deal, all healthy adults can bear it once in a while.

 

[Gibsons]

Never have gotten the shot, and never will. I have a very strong immune system (haven't been sick in 10+ years, other than food poisoning).

Why do you think this equates to a strong immune system? Exposure is a much better explanation.

 

[kranky]

I think being aware of how to avoid it probably makes more of a difference than getting the shot. Push elevator buttons with your knuckle. Try to open doors without using your fingertips. At work, notice who is sick and don't touch things they touched. Wash your hands often, not just when you need to use the bathroom.

 

[JM Aggie08]

Why do you think this equates to a strong immune system? Exposure is a much better explanation.

Was in college for the last 4 years and came in contact with 1000's of people daily, and never became ill. Before that was high school, middle school, etc, and I was hardly sick.

Work in an office with 500+ people and still have a winning record.

 

[Gibsons]

Was in college for the last 4 years and came in contact with 1000's of people daily, and never became ill. Before that was high school, middle school, etc, and I was hardly sick.

Work in an office with 500+ people and still have a winning record.

An anecdote. Which can still be explained by your simply having a normal immune system.

See if you can find genuine evidence for these 'strong' immune systems you seem to think you have.

There's not much out there, other than some correlations with some autoimmune diseases. In which case people still tend to get sick at a rather normal rate. Are you HLA B27 positive?

 

[zinfamous]

Never have gotten the shot, and never will. I have a very strong immune system (haven't been sick in 10+ years, other than food poisoning).

no, not really.

 

[Ausm]

I get it every year but it's free so what the hell. Oh, no I haven't had the Flu in the ten years I have been getting a shot for it.

 

[shortylickens]

OH SHIT HERE WE GO!!

I hope this will be the first topic in our new debate thread.

 

[drebo]

Even a 10% reduction in the chance that you'd catch the flu should be reason enough to get a shot that takes 5 minutes to get and costs between $0 and $30.

I got it this year for the first time and have not yet been sick. I usually get sick once per year in the winter. I know it's just an anecdote but I'll likely get the shot again next year.

 

[JM Aggie08]

An anecdote. Which can still be explained by your simply having a normal immune system.

See if you can find genuine evidence for these 'strong' immune systems you seem to think you have.

There's not much out there, other than some correlations with some autoimmune diseases. In which case people still tend to get sick at a rather normal rate. Are you HLA B27 positive?

I am not.

So a strong immune system and good genetics couldn't possibly be a factor in my overall health?

While 'strong immune system' is an assumption of mine, you really think it's not fair considering my constant interaction with a cold carrying, sneezing, coughing, public transit riding, hand-rail holding population, all the while never contracting anything?

 

[Broheim]

never gotten the flu shot, haven't had the flu for almost 10 years, can't be bothered to get the shot.

inb4 wah wah you're killing my grandma wah

also, third thread on this topic since new years I believe.

 

[ichy]

Got flue twice in the last 15 years and its no big deal, all healthy adults can bear it once in a while.

If it was "no big deal" then you didn't have influenza. It certainly shouldn't be life threatening to a healthy adult but it is a miserable illness to have.

 

[Apple Of Sodom]

No flu shot here. Haven't had flu since I can remember. Maybe when I was a kid? Lots of exposure to people in my line of work. I just practice good hygiene. Reducing the rate from 2% to 1% isn't worth the time or money, not to mention the fact that the flu shot is still controversial.

 

[Jimzz]

No flu shot here. Haven't had flu since I can remember. Maybe when I was a kid? Lots of exposure to people in my line of work. I just practice good hygiene. Reducing the rate from 2% to 1% isn't worth the time or money, not to mention the fact that the flu shot is still controversial.

How so?
Only "controversial" to nutty anit-vaccine people.

 

[xanis]

Oh great, another flu shot thread!

/popcorn
/lawnchair

 

[Gibsons]

I am not.

So a strong immune system and good genetics couldn't possibly be a factor in my overall health?

While 'strong immune system' is an assumption of mine, you really think it's not fair considering my constant interaction with a cold carrying, sneezing, coughing, public transit riding, hand-rail holding population, all the while never contracting anything?

I suspect you're not a smoker, are a young adult with good, or at least decent, hygiene and diet. Maybe your nose and throat just produces a lot of mucus. Many other variables may apply, independent of your immune system.

And maybe you're just a little bit lucky. In animal models, when they're exposing animals to large amounts of a pathogen, it's common that some of the animals just don't get sick. It's not because their immune system is any stronger, there's just a failure rate in infection.

Where/how do you think your immune system is so strong? B cells, T cells, NK cells? There's little or no evidence for anything like this, anywhere.

If we were to take your bone marrow, blood, or a lymph node biopsy, I strongly suspect we'd find nothing particularly strong or unusual about your immune system.

 

[Murloc]

you have to get the flu shot every year or it's useless, I thought this was common knowledge.
Flu evolves at blazing speed, that's why every year they get all kinds of flu they can from Australia (or whatever is the first place where it arrives) and then sell the shots in Europe before it arrives.
If you don't do every year, it will work 100% just for the year you've done it.

I used to stay ill 1 week with flu and vomiting and diarrhea every year.
I started taking the flu shot every October and I've never been ill ever since, just a cold occasionally (max 1-2 times per winter).

If you rarely get the flu then don't bother ofc, unless flu puts you at risk of complications (elderly etc.).

 

[JM Aggie08]

I suspect you're not a smoker, are a young adult with good, or at least decent, hygiene and diet. Maybe your nose and throat just produces a lot of mucus. Many other variables may apply, independent of your immune system.

And maybe you're just a little bit lucky. In animal models, when they're exposing animals to large amounts of a pathogen, it's common that some of the animals just don't get sick. It's not because their immune system is any stronger, there's just a failure rate in infection.

Where/how do you think your immune system is so strong? B cells, T cells, NK cells? There's little or no evidence for anything like this, anywhere.

If we were to take your bone marrow, blood, or a lymph node biopsy, I strongly suspect we'd find nothing particularly strong or unusual about your immune system.

Lack of tonsils might have a bit to do with it.