Yearly Flu Shots, Great Value Or A Complete Waste?

By rkutchjm on January 11, 2013 • ( 0 )

Notice Spikes On Outside Of Balls

Whether you walk into a physician’s office, bowling alley, pharmacy, hardware store, etc. and get a flu shot, it’s always the same story.

It’s an educated guess from the CDC (Center For Disease Control) about what they may expect to be floating around your air come the winter.

Early in the year, the CDC predicts what type of virus may come visiting by Oct or later. The current ’12-’13 vaccination season resulted in the triple viral variety pack (T.V.V.P.). Look at the cartoon picture above and notice those spikes. Each different virus has slightly different spikes. Scientists pick all the viral species they want in the shot. They take all these spikes that represent each virus and grow them to produce the vaccine. After we get injected with the vaccine, our immune systems see the spikes as active viruses. Don’t panic! They are NOT active viruses, only the spikes. Immediately, our immune system starts making up antibodies to neutralize these spikes. Memory of this neutralization become stored in our immune system’s brain. Here is a short-term problem. Its takes up to 2 weeks for this vaccination to yield its positive effects. This vaccine doesn’t fully show its true colors of destruction and death of these viruses for 14 days.

This brings up an interesting comment from patients. Here we go:

1. “I got the flu shot, but then I got the flu anyway.”

A. It could have gotten into you before the vaccination had a chance to act in your favor. Remember 14 days for full effectiveness.

B. The virus could have been a different strain from the ones in the vaccination. Therefore, it won’t work. There are only 3 different strains in this years vaccine.

C. It wasn’t a virus at all but another infectious agent.

D. If you have a weak immune system or are over 65 years of age, the vaccination sometimes doesn’t seem to be as effective as usual. Before getting the shot, the health professional asks if you are sick or have a fever. If so, you should not get the shot because your immune system is weak from currently fighting off an infection.

In The Rear View Mirror Where Needles Always Look Much Bigger

The needle for flu vaccination is very tiny and very thin, unlike the needle in the picture above. Relax and don’t even look when you get the injection. I can’t look. It doesn’t hurt at all. Any hurt is in the apprehension beforehand and not in the real act of injection.

You may feel soreness/redness in the area for up to 2 days. It rarely happens, but rare could be you. You may also get a mild fever from the shot which is just your body pumping up the immune system to the fake invader. Again, it doesn’t happen that frequently.

This is what may happen if you don’t get the flu vaccine and 1-3 of those human cell hijackers visit your neighborhood. What is found below this sentence is not pretty and may offend some. Extreme caution is advised. Read at your own risk.

These parasites may find you through that sneeze in the crowd, a handshake, opening the door and then touching your face rubbing various open senses. Sounds so creepy. These microscopic organized pieces of protein are ready to get in, hijack your cells and bring you down. If you intend, for whatever reason on not getting the shot, think about what you can do to cut down your chances of contact. Don’t touch your face. Kick open the door. An alternate to the door kick would be a bang on the door with your elbow. This way someone on the inside can open it for you. Wear a designer face mask. Don’t shake hands. If someone sneezes be ready to run. Please, please, don’t kiss anyone!