Just a reminder to folks to get their flu shots. This year's vaccine has the H1N1 strain as well as two other seasonal strains. Last year's season was pretty frightening with the H1N1 scare and the many deaths associated with that strain. I just recently read that the CDC stated that a lot of the people that died last year from this strain were also infected with a bacteria that causes pneumonia. Complications from those infections probably led to many of those deaths. The following link provides CDC vaccine recommendations.
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/pneumo/default.htm
I have never received a flu shot before. Do you think they are especially critical for everyone to get? You mention pnemonia and I do get that pretty easily or have in previous years, so should I get the shot? I am just worried that when you get the shots sometimes I feel that you are making yourself more accessible to actually getting the flu. Am I right with this thinking or way off track?
ReplyDeleteI think getting the flu shot is important especially for high risk individuals (diabetics, asthmatics, senior citizens (see cdc guidelines link above). I work in health care so I get the flu shot every year. There are two types of flu shots, ones that contain a live virus and those that contain the killed virus. I always get the latter. You cannot get the flu from the dead virus, but some people might feel some side effects from the vaccine itself because your body is trying to make antibodies to protect you, but it is not the flu. As far as you personally, I would definitely talk to your physician, especially if you work around kids.
ReplyDeleteAh yes! Flu shot time! Here we go, as teachers, into a wonderful time of year...YUCK!
ReplyDeleteI got my flu shot!!! Last year was HORRIBLE! One of the classes that I had a long term sub job in was in lock down! We were not allowed to go to specials or lunch!! I am a flu shot fan!
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