Flu Vaccine

I still say get your flu shot, it's the best tool that we have. But . . . there just is no comprehensive, compelling data that say when you get your flu shot that it even reduces the severity of illness or hospitalization - Michael Osterholm

Flu Vaccine

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Does the Vaccine Matter?

Public-health officials consider vaccine their most formidable defense against the pandemic—indeed, against any flu—and on the surface, their faith seems justified. Vaccines developed over the course of the 20th century slashed the death rates of nearly a dozen infectious diseases, such as smallpox and polio, and vaccination became one of medicine’s most potent weapons. Influenza virus was first identified in the 1930s, and by the mid-1940s, researchers had produced a vaccine that was given to soldiers in World WarII.

The U.S. government got serious about promoting flu vaccine after the 1957 flu pandemic brought home influenza’s continuing…

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 Does the Vaccine Matter?

In the U.S., the main lines of defense are pharmaceutical—vaccines and antiviral drugs to limit the spread of flu and prevent people from dying from it. Yet now some flu experts are challenging the medical orthodoxy and arguing that for those most in need of protection, flu shots and antiviral drugs may provide little to none. So where does that leave us if a bad pandemic strikes?

8 Damn Good Reasons Not to Get the Flu Shot

Every year the mainstream media war drum beats for you to get vaccinated against the flu. They rarely discuss anything but the benefits of the vaccine. Why? Maybe it is because many people are already skeptical about the flu vaccine.

Vaccines.gov

Everyone 6 months of age and older should get the flu vaccine. Seasonal flu vaccines have a very good safety track record.

MayoClinic

Getting a flu shot often protects you from coming down with the flu. And although the flu shot doesn't always provide total protection, it's worth getting.

MedicineNet

Many people worry about side effects from the flu shot, but serious complications are rare. Some people believe that they can actually get the flu from receiving the shot, but this is not the case. For the majority of people, the risks of developing the flu are far greater than any risks associated with the vaccine.

MedlinePlus

Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season. People with egg allergies should check with their doctors before getting a vaccine. Other exceptions are people who have •Had reactions to flu shots before •Guillain-Barre Syndrome •A fever

NHS

If you're at risk of complications from flu, make sure you have your annual flu vaccine, available each year usually from October onwards. There are two types of flu vaccine: •the injected flu vaccine for adults and children under two •nasal spray flu vaccine for children over the age of two.

Patient

A Cochrane review found that the available evidence regarding the safety, efficacy or effectiveness of influenza vaccines for people aged 65 years or older is of poor quality and provides no guidance.

WHO

Collaborating with scientists and policy makers on a global scale to develop a unified approach to manufacturing, testing and regulatory oversight of influenza vaccine development as well as their efficient use and distribution.

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