I also have worked as an RN for more than 30 years, and I agree with Donna. The flu shot is necessary for most people. The last 8 years of my career I worked as an Infection Control Practitioner and Employee Health Nurse. During each year I gave well over 1000 flu shots per year. In the 8 years I had 2 documented cases of reaction to the shot. One was a reaction to the preservative in the vaccine. (That is why we screen for allergies.) and the other was a person who actually had the "flu". If a person actually has influenza it will last for two to four weeks or maybe longer.
The flu as many call it is not a 3-5 day uncomfortable GI discomfort. Those symptoms are probably a gut virus and the flu vaccine will have no effect on it.
Those of this generation and after us are too young to remember the great influenza pandemic of 1918. It killed many thousands of people.
Yes there are risks to taking the "flu" shot, but the alternative is something to be considered. Also as said earlier, it is not an exact science. We do the best we can to help people be as healthy as possible.
If you are one of the people who is healthy and are doing all you can to keep your immune system in optimum condition then I give you Kudos, keep it up!
For those who are immune compromised and need the influenza vaccine as well as the Pneumovax, I for one am glad we have them.
As for other vaccines, talk to a mom who has a son who is impotent, a deaf child or a child with brain damage from high fevers due to the childhood diseases Mealses, Mumps, or Rubella, who didn't have those vaccines.
I would that all would take better care of themselves through diet, nutrition and exercise, but most don't so science is a welcome treatment in my book.
Thanks for listneing,
Vivian Farley
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