Flu jab
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AES
Established Member
I think that's true lurker - it's what my GP said to me recently anyway, and I've heard the same from "the professionals" several times in the past.
Also, to the point that MikeJhn made (and I'm NOT sniping at you Mike) the problems with this type of "tale" is that one never knows if the subject had NOT had a flu jab would he/she have had even more flu? Similarly, for the subject who didn't have a flu jab (and never got the flu - so far) how do "we" all know that the subject wasn't simply just "lucky" - e.g. he/she never mixed with someone else at the exact time when they were infectious?
I entirely agree that it's up to the individual to decide, but whereas I've heard "some bad things" about what's inside a flu jab/what it could do to you, I've had one every year running for some years now (and no, had no flu). OTOH, my wife will be having a flu jab this year for the first time for many years. It remains to be seen what happens!!!
But seriously I don't think individual tales of "had it/not had it" help at all. Individually we just have to trust the experts and believe/disbelieve the "general population statics" as we wish.
Glad I'm not a parent of young children though - making such decisions that affect loved ones rather than just for yourself only must be fraught sometimes.
I think the current situation of not socialising to excess will go a long way to prevent flu and Covid spread, if you are still working and traveling on public transport the likelihood of standing next to someone who may be carrying the infection goes up dramatically, if however you work from home or are retired the likelihood of coming into contact with the virus is greatly reduced, GP's don't take this into account when recommending the flue jab, they don't have the time to make those sort of enquiries of each of their patients.
Could be a multitude of reasons....age, health, hygiene habits, amount of social contact but getting the flu jab does not give you flu, it's engineered not to.
I had measles at four years old. According to my mother my GP at the time said it was the closest he had ever come to seeing someone die of it. My father had polio in one arm, my uncle had diphtheria. I and my children have had every inocculation offered - they are not developed for fun, they prevent nasty diseases, flu included.
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SammyQ
Established Member
'Flu is a virus. Yes. What most folk think is the 'flu is a cold. There are about 96 cold viruses known, circulating, and with derivitives (mutations). 'Flu - as exemplified by Nigel's good description - is rarer, can also mutate into different 'strains'.
The prophylactic 'jab' we get is heat treated (think 'harmless') virus, or just its outer wrapping, thus initiating your body to defend itself as per normal, but you don't develop full-on influenza. Some folks WILL get a 'heavy duty' response to either of these, which should pass in under a week, most will be fine.
As a teacher, I was vulnerable to what up to 200 children a day brought into my classroom. Early in my career, 1980's, I got 'proper 'flu'; everything Nigel said, total blank for the first 72 hours. They told me I jabbered, hallucinated, soaked two sets of bed linen with sweat. I've had a jab every year since, as the thought of going through that again- or, bringing it home to three small children - was a no-no.
'Flu jabs are always different, as they depend a) on which strain is most prevalent and b) how 'near' to full virus structure they can go without actually giving you the disease. That is why each year's offering differs in efficacy and side-effects.
Sam
Edit: pre-covid, the NHS thinking was: 'flu=demand, let's reduce same with prevention.
The prophylactic 'jab' we get is heat treated (think 'harmless') virus, or just its outer wrapping, thus initiating your body to defend itself as per normal, but you don't develop full-on influenza. Some folks WILL get a 'heavy duty' response to either of these, which should pass in under a week, most will be fine.
As a teacher, I was vulnerable to what up to 200 children a day brought into my classroom. Early in my career, 1980's, I got 'proper 'flu'; everything Nigel said, total blank for the first 72 hours. They told me I jabbered, hallucinated, soaked two sets of bed linen with sweat. I've had a jab every year since, as the thought of going through that again- or, bringing it home to three small children - was a no-no.
'Flu jabs are always different, as they depend a) on which strain is most prevalent and b) how 'near' to full virus structure they can go without actually giving you the disease. That is why each year's offering differs in efficacy and side-effects.
Sam
Edit: pre-covid, the NHS thinking was: 'flu=demand, let's reduce same with prevention.
Lons
Established Member
Not difficult to understand
As I understand these things the virus jab is a modified form of the virus to kick start the immune system it is perfectly possible that if you already have the virus in your blood stream the jab could kick off a negative reaction.
artie
Sawdust manufacturer.
Explain it to me?
Lons
Established Member
Think about it Artie, it isn't rocket science
Woody2Shoes
Impressive Member
I'm impressed that he's survived - he must be pretty tough !
Woody2Shoes
Impressive Member
I wouldn't risk it for a biscuit - if you get flu and need hospital treatment: a) you may find there's no room for you, and b) nobody'll thank you for adding another person to the list of those needing healthcare resources.
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I have had the flu jab every year for about 6 years now , Anything that can stack the odds in my favour is good by me
I had a pneumonia jab as well as a flu one a few years ago after getting double pneumonia two years running. I'll be happy never to get that again.
SammyQ
Established Member
Mike, can you please put more meat on that bone? If you already have the 'flu virus in your bloodstream, about three days from initial infection, your body B- and T- cells will initiate anti-virus measures.
Those anti-virus measures are equally stimulated by attenuated viruses or antigenic fragments (a.k.a. "the jab"), so it should not matter which is in your particular year's jab.
What form of negative reaction are you referring to please?
Puzzled, Sam.
artie
Sawdust manufacturer.
Thanks Phil.
Very interesting, But they seem to be assuming that if you've been vaccinated you can't pass on the disease
Woody2Shoes
Impressive Member
Erm, if you've been vaccinated, your immune system has been 'trained' to kill cells which have been infected (for want of a better word) with the specific virus (and possibly several similar ones). Therefore, your body will quickly - when exposed to the virus - tend to clear the virus. Of course, in the process of killing these infected cells some viral material may be 'shed' but I think it's reasonable to assume small amounts - over a short time period - compared to the amount shed - over a much longer period - by someone whose body is serving as a multiplication factory for the virus (orders of magnitude different).
I'm really not sure what your point is. Vaccination saves lives and/or serious harm and - as an extremely useful side effect - conserves scarce medical and other resources - end of.
