Have you guys gotten your flu shots yet?

I had a nasty bout of the flu about six or seven years ago, and I've been getting my shots every single year since then...
Last year, I ended up catching some pretty miserable viruses.

I’ve never actually caught the flu before, nor have I ever bothered with a flu shot, so there’s no reason to start changing my habits this year...
I’m certainly not losing any sleep over bird flu, either—I don't exactly consider myself a chicken waiting to be plucked. 🙄

I wasn't even vaccinated back in elementary school—apparently, I had some sort of allergy to one of those components in the shots. I can't recall the specific medical details, honestly; all I know is that while the other kids were heading off to get their jabs, I’d just sit there in my classroom waiting for them to come back. Consequently, I never received them, nor do I have any intention of seeking them out now. So, as a sort of ritualistic remedy, I make sure to squeeze at least one orange or grapefruit every single day. I actually can't stand eating the fruit itself, but I can manage the juice. It's all done in the slim hope that it might somehow bolster my immunity. And in that hope lies my only salvation 😁

dustycanyon6 said:Honestly, I haven't gotten my shot—not because I'm being stubborn, but because I just don't feel like it, plus there's this whole bird flu thing lingering in the back of my mind. In my book, the absolute best defense against any bug is just having a solid immune system—you know, eat right, stay active, get enough sleep. I was actually talking to my grandmother about this just a few weeks ago—told her she probably shouldn't bother with the jab—and when I asked if she’d ever even had the flu in her entire life, she said nope. Not once. And yet, everyone else in our family catches it constantly. So, I asked her, why bother getting the shot then? She just shrugged and said, "Well, that's what the doctors tell us." Well, whatever, doctor. 😉 It's all about moving those vaccines off the shelves! 😁

I couldn't agree more... 🙂 👍

And let's be real, this whole bird flu situation didn't just pop up out of thin air—who knows whose fingerprints are actually all over this mess... 😕 👎

placidfox55 said:Because for a small percentage of people (and as I get older, that percentage definitely climbs), there's always that risk of the flu turning into something much more serious.

Maybe try looking at it from this angle instead:
"As I age, my body starts demanding more nutrients—nutrients that are becoming harder and harder to find in standard food—so I'm going to take proactive steps to ensure my body gets every single building block it needs to construct an even stronger immune system... basically, building the ultimate shield against all the illnesses swirling around me..." 😉 🙂

I’ve never had the flu, nor have I ever gotten vaccinated—and I don't plan to.

To all the panic-mongers out there: maybe do some research on what percentage of healthcare workers actually get their flu shots. It's incredibly low. Guess why? 😁

frozenlynx33 said:Try looking at it from this angle:
"As I get older, my body needs way more nutrients, but it feels like they're disappearing from our food supply. I'm going to take matters into my own hands and make sure I'm getting everything I need to build an incredible immune system—basically creating the ultimate shield against all the bugs going around lately..." 😉 🙂

This honestly smells like a new media blitz from CNN.

I don't think I have this year... yet.

😕

I had been seriously considering getting vaccinated, but I’ve ultimately decided against it... I have never once received a vaccine in my entire life, and if memory serves, I can't even recall ever catching the flu.😁

Here’s something I’ve been chewing on—and honestly, I’m not even sure if anyone actually has the answer to this.
If I, for instance, recover from a standard seasonal flu and build up some sort of immunity—which usually sticks for maybe two or three years—and then I end up in close proximity to someone carrying avian flu, does that previous immunity offer any real protection? Is it a 100% shield, some random percentage, or is it completely irrelevant because we’re talking about an entirely different strain altogether?

steelsailor17 said:I’m curious about something, though I doubt anyone actually knows the answer here.
If I caught a standard seasonal flu, for example, and built up some immunity that lasts maybe two or three years, what happens if I get close to people infected with bird flu? Does that immunity from the regular flu offer any protection at all—like 100%, or just some small percentage—or does it mean absolutely nothing since we're talking about a completely different virus?

It's a totally different disease...

I honestly think I’ll be getting my shot this year for sure

A few years back, I caught a nasty flu and it nearly wrecked my kidneys—I didn't pee for three whole days and by the end, my urine was turning brown... not to mention I was in this total haze the entire time, with a fever that just kept climbing through the ceiling...

I ended up dropping 9 pounds in just seven days, and it took me two full months to finally feel like myself again

So yeah, I really don't need a repeat of that experience

I actually meant to get it last year too, but I somehow missed the window and by then it was already too late

steelsailor17 said:I’m curious about something, and I’m not even sure if anyone actually knows the answer.
If I catch a standard seasonal flu, say I build up some immunity that lasts maybe two or three years, and then I end up around someone carrying avian flu, does that previous immunity offer any protection at all? Like, is it 100% effective, some random percentage, or is it totally irrelevant because we're talking about two different diseases?

As of right now, avian flu isn't spreading person-to-person.🙂

The main thing is just being careful when you're around birds. Luckily, it hasn't mutated enough to jump from one human to another yet. To be clear: a regular flu shot won't protect you from catching avian flu from a bird.

That said, getting vaccinated is still a smart move. Influenza can wear down your immune system, which might make you more vulnerable if you do run into avian flu. Plus, staying vaccinated means you won't be constantly stressing over every little sniffle.🙂

PS: The regular flu is still no joke, especially for seniors or people dealing with chronic health issues. It's worth getting the shot, particularly if you have elderly family members or anyone with underlying conditions living in your house.
Also, if you’ve been vaccinated but start showing real symptoms—fever, body aches, fatigue, respiratory stuff—that's a signal to take things more seriously and figure out if it’s just a nasty bout of the seasonal flu or something potentially more serious like avian flu.

My company throws these annual events, so why not show up? I mean, I definitely wouldn't want some random person coming at me while I'm out on the slopes...
(honestly, I can't even remember if I actually got the shot or what)

My company sets up regular wellness screenings—everything from breast exams for the women to prostate checks for the men—but they won't touch vaccinations. To me, that says everything you need to know about their priorities.

The last flu season I dealt with was honestly pretty nasty. I haven't done the shot before and probably won't, but my job requires me to stay current on my Lyme disease vaccine since I'm out in the field so much. So yeah, I definitely stay on top of that one.

My parents are getting up there in age, so they get their flu shots every single year. They’ve never had any issues from the vaccine, and I guess it just gives them peace of mind—maybe that placebo effect helps too, since they don't seem to catch every little bug that goes around during winter.

On the flip side, a coworker's dad actually passed away from the flu. It wasn't even the flu itself, but the complications—his heart just gave out. You really can't take this stuff lightly.

A few years back, I got vaccinated at my workplace and ended up having such a severe allergic reaction that I nearly died. I was stuck calling medical advice over the phone, and by the time I actually made it into the doctor's office a couple of days later, the physician just scolded me. He was annoyed that I’d even bothered getting it, saying those shots are really only meant for older folks...😕 🙄
I can't imagine ever getting vaccinated again, but I am definitely going to see a doctor the second I feel even the slightest hint of a cold coming on.

Thanks to the ladies for weighing in.
🙂

Let's see if we can actually nail down an answer here—because I’m still scratching my head over this one.
Is it actually better to build immunity by just catching the flu naturally? Apparently, that kind of immunity is supposedly "stronger" and sticks with you for two or three years.
OR is it smarter to just get the shot every single year since that immunity is allegedly weaker and only lasts one season?

My second dilemma is whether the flu actually strengthens the body—meaning the immune system—or if it just wrecks it, leaving you more vulnerable to getting sick later.
To put it simply: should I get vaccinated or not?
OR should I just catch the flu and skip the shot?

Frank Alvarez8 said:I’ve never had the flu, I’ve never been vaccinated, and I don't plan to be.

Anyone panicking should probably look into what percentage of healthcare workers actually get their flu shots—it's a tiny fraction. Guess why? 😁

There's a big difference between being a panic-monger and just being cautious.

Stephanie made some great points about why vaccination matters.
Margaret shared her perspective on what happens when you don't.
Like every year, we got our shots... and sure, we felt a little under the weather for about ten days, but nothing stops us from getting vaccinated again next year.

We actually traveled to New Zealand two weeks after our shots this year. On the plane, a few people were sneezing and coughing, basically clouding the air with germs.

By the end of the trip, three weeks later, we felt sick. We ended up needing antibiotics even though we tried to avoid them. The passengers near us were of Asian descent and likely had different bugs than what the vaccine covers, but our doctor believes we would have been in much worse shape if we hadn't been protected.

Given our age and existing health issues, things could have gone south pretty quickly without it.

I was actually planning on heading in today, but I’ve come down with this nasty cold... my nose won't stop running and the coughing is just relentless—so I think I'll wait a few more days for this to clear up first. To be honest, I’ve never really been one to bother with the flu shot before.

placidfox55 said:Is it actually better to just catch the flu naturally since that immunity supposedly hits harder and lasts two or three years?
OR is it smarter to get the shot every year because that immunity is apparently weaker and only lasts one season?

Every single season, a different strain of the flu is making its rounds globally. By the time it hits us here in America or over in Europe, it’s usually traveling in from Asia or Australia. While we're enjoying summer, it’s already getting chilly in Australia, which brings in new strains and gives us enough lead time to prep the vaccines by October. It’s usually a rotation of Influenza types A and B, with countless subtypes. You won't catch the exact same subtype once you've had it. However, the flu mutates enough every year that a new subtype can easily slip right past your old defenses.

That’s why the annual shot is necessary. And even then, the vaccine isn't a 100% guarantee.

Getting sick doesn't give you a two-year shield. It only protects you against that specific strain. That means next season—or even later in the current one—you could still get hit by a different type. Because of that, people at high risk for complications are often advised to get vaccinated twice during a season: once with the early formulation, and again with a modified version based on what the population actually encountered during the winter.