I have heard more than one person–including my vigorous, picture-of-health 78-year-old Greek stepfather–tell this story: they have never gotten a flu shot and they have never caught the flu. Until the one year they did get the flu shot. And guess what happened? They came down with the flu. (One of our readers, who posted a comment to this article on Wednesday, wrote about this phenomenon.)
I don’t think I ever got a flu shot until I was pregnant with my first child more than six years ago. I never came down with the flu before that time or after, when I began getting the shot every year. I do it now because I have young children, but I’ve often wondered whether it’s necessary (the kids, of course, are immunized every year).
This year, I’m glad I did get the vaccine. According to a report by the New Jersey Department of Health, the entire state is experiencing a high level of influenza activity (that was enough to prompt nj.com to create a clever hastag on Twitter, #flujersey). NJ Spotlight has this cool map breaking it down county by county–Essex County is a mere “miserable” compared to other counties that are “very miserable.” That basically mirrors that of the rest of the country, where the CDC reports that 49 out of 54 jurisdictions reported elevated levels of influenza cases earlier this month.
Flu season usually peaks in late January/early February, but this year it hit early. Maybe that explains why it was so hard for me to find a place to get a flu shot. I went to the CVS on Valley Road last Friday, only to be told that they had run out of the vaccine and to come back on Monday.
When I returned (on Tuesday), it still wasn’t there. They finally got it on Wednesday, and I got my shot that afternoon. I was lucky; shortly after I filled out the paperwork, they ran out again.
This year’s flu vaccine is said to be “a very good match” for the various strains that are now making their way through the state. So if you haven’t gotten your shot yet, it might be a good idea to get one—if there are any left. And if you never get a flu shot, and never get sick, tell us: what’s your secret?
Photo from Wikipedia
No big secret, really, just following Mother’s advice: Wash hands before eating, avoid sick people, get plenty of fresh air and rest, eat extra foods rich in vitamin C and take supplements. If you do have someone in your house who gets sick, wash their clothes, towels and bedding frequently. Disinfect bathroom frequently. Avoid sharing food utensils.
I won’t go so far as to say there are magic foods but there is some truth to the immunity bolstering properties of chicken soup (homemade, please!). Also, onions and garlic have compounds that can ward off colds and flu.
I friend sent me info on what is in a flu shot and I’m shocked people inject all that toxic crap into their systems, never mind into their kids. I’m not the healthy living type at all but wow.
Chicken soup, pasta with garlic and hot & sour soup all make me feel better then I’m sick. So does a Guinness.
Flu shot, toxins, CDC . . . conspiracy theory?
This year’s shot is only 60% effective.
The only people I know that got the flu this year? They all got the shot.
And this, from the vial of the actual flu shot: “There have been controlled trials demonstrating that there is no decrease in influenza disease after usage.”
So in other words, nope.
Mercury, thimerosol (since removed in some vaccines), formaldehyde, who knows what else lurks within. No thanks.