Influenza immunization

**Yoyoma1910** · 12-04-2010, 04:25

I thought about posting this under Science, but it seems that sub forum no longer really exists.

I'm a bit curious on people's feelings about the flu vaccination. Anyone have an opinion?

**naut** · 12-04-2010, 06:15

I never really got the point, normal influenza evolves every year or so into a different strain so you have to be immunised regularly. Additionally normal influenza isn't overly damaging to a healthy individual. If a stronger strain evolves (Spanish Influenza Mk.II) how useful is an immunisation to an older strain going to be?

In any-case they incubate the immunisation in eggs, I'm intolerant to them so I can't get it anyway, unless I want to get sick, heh, the irony.

**Ironside** · 12-04-2010, 13:31

Originally Posted by Psychonaut

I never really got the point, normal influenza evolves every year or so into a different strain so you have to be immunised regularly. Additionally normal influenza isn't overly damaging to a healthy individual. If a stronger strain evolves (Spanish Influenza Mk.II) how useful is an immunisation to an older strain going to be?

In any-case they incubate the immunisation in eggs, I'm intolerant to them so I can't get it anyway, unless I want to get sick, heh, the irony.

It's speculated that an earlier "normal" flu pandemic did give partial immunity to the Spanish flu. One of the reason older people survived it way better than normal. So older strain immunisation has some uses.
Still, the general hysteria was a bit odd. From govermental viewpoint, it's probably best to see it as a practice round.

**gaelic cowboy** · 12-04-2010, 13:38

Originally Posted by Psychonaut

I never really got the point, normal influenza evolves every year or so into a different strain so you have to be immunised regularly. Additionally normal influenza isn't overly damaging to a healthy individual. If a stronger strain evolves (Spanish Influenza Mk.II) how useful is an immunisation to an older strain going to be?

In any-case they incubate the immunisation in eggs, I'm intolerant to them so I can't get it anyway, unless I want to get sick, heh, the irony.

Well I suppose the point is that it would be better than nothing at all, also it's not strictly last years flu it's more like a race to finish a vaccine for a flu that will hit the Northern Hemisphere later on in the year coming from Asia generally.

Also just cos they developed a drug for last years strain does not mean it wont come back again more aggressive in the population.

**gaelic cowboy** · 12-04-2010, 13:44

Originally Posted by Ironside

Still, the general hysteria was a bit odd. From govermental viewpoint, it's probably best to see it as a practice round.

Basically the world lucked out really the flu's lately have evolved into a milder strain which is what a diseases wants to do in order to survive in your body.

The problem is the world has to hope the flu evolves everytime whereas the thing itself only needs to stay highly virulent and damaging once to kill millions.

**Beskar** · 12-04-2010, 13:51

It only gets given to those with serious health complications or very old people with weak immune systems. It isn't given out like candy and the reasons for it are obvious.

However, perhaps you are right, we shopuld let old people and those seriously ill die of the flu just because you can't see the point of them for yourself.

**Hosakawa Tito** · 12-04-2010, 15:09

My family and I had our swine flu shots last month. Last fall a local teen died from the flu and we didn't want to take any chances. Swine flu seemed to be most deadly for healthy teens, contrary to the notion that the very young and very old with health problems being most vulnerable.

As long as it does no harm, and may help protect you & your loved ones I say get the vaccine.

**pevergreen** · 12-04-2010, 17:36

Originally Posted by Beskar

It only gets given to those with serious health complications or very old people with weak immune systems. It isn't given out like candy and the reasons for it are obvious.

However, perhaps you are right, we shopuld let old people and those seriously ill die of the flu just because you can't see the point of them for yourself.

They advise everyone to get it here, but especially the older people.

For me? Needles =

**Yoyoma1910** · 12-04-2010, 17:41

Originally Posted by pevergreen

They advise everyone to get it here, but especially the older people.

For me? Needles =

They have a form of it that get's sprayed up your nose.

**pevergreen** · 12-04-2010, 17:52

Originally Posted by Yoyoma1910

They have a form of it that get's sprayed up your nose.

I've not heard of it over here.

Shot or nothing. Even the picture reminder of it at the local doctors has 3 needles on it.

Tell you what though, the one I got for polio was the weirdest. On a spoon, scraped onto my tongue.

**Yoyoma1910** · 12-04-2010, 18:13

Originally Posted by pevergreen

I've not heard of it over here.

Shot or nothing. Even the picture reminder of it at the local doctors has 3 needles on it.

Tell you what though, the one I got for polio was the weirdest. On a spoon, scraped onto my tongue.

http://www.flumist.com/

You got the Oral polio vaccine (OPV), which has generally been replaced by the IPV shot in most countries where polio is not endemic, as OPV can, in rare cases cause paralytic polio. OPV is also havested from primate kidneys. Bon appettite.

http://www.polioeradication.org/content/publications/opvcessationframeworkenglish.pdf <--link doesn't actually seem to work, oh well.

**drone** · 12-06-2010, 18:54

Never had the flu shot, and probably never will. I've seen too many people get sick from the shots themselves, and the way they pushed the swine flu shots last year seemed a little too... commercial. Every year it's the same thing, hype up a strain, sell some vaccine. It's the flu. If you get it, you get sick for a couple of days, and you get over it.

But then again, I grew up playing in dirt. Kids these days raised in triclosan soaked households might need it.