Every year, the same thing. I hear the same QQ'ing from friends, family, co-workers and recently, DOCTORS. Not sure how our why this mass hysteria started over the influenza vaccine but it's got to stop. Approximately 40,000 people die every single year as a result of succumbing to the flu. Let me say that again because it's kind of important - 40,000 PEOPLE!!! An inoculation seems like a pretty simple thing to prevent ummmm, DEATH!
Listen,
It's real simple. The flu vaccine cannot. I repeat CANNOT give you the flu. The vaccine is comprised of dead influenza cells. These cells are unable to spread the contagion. This is how the vaccine works, a sample of that year's virus (it changes every year which is why you need one annually) is injected. This exposes your white blood cells (the military wing of your body's defenses) to the virus. Again, they are dead! Your white blood cells do their job, they attack the invaders. As the attack occurs, your white blood cells build antibodies for that virus. Essentially making your body impervious to that virus. Later on, down the road, when you actually do come into contact with the live virus strain at work, school or where ever, your white blood cells will already know how to combat that virus because of the build up of antibodies.
Presto! Your body just opened a can of whoop-ass on the flu.
There is a reason, I believe, people think they get sick from the shot. You see, when you are injected with the vaccine, your white blood cells get to work. When your white blood cells are doing their thing, your body goes through some changes. You may feel a soreness at the injection site. You may experience a slight fever which is completely normal. It's what happens when your white blood cells are doing their jobs. And you may feel a bit achy. YOU DON'T HAVE THE FLU!
I repeat. YOU DON'T HAVE THE FLU!
Another reason for the myth and this is important. If you got the flu shot and the next day, you come down with a horrible case of the flu. You must understand, the shot did NOT give you the flu! A typical influenza virus has a gestation period of 4 days. If you got the shot and the next day you got the flu, you already had the virus to begin with. The vaccine will not stop an already spreading virus in your body. It will however make the symptoms less severe.
What's really sad is that actual doctors believe this nonsense and what do they do? They spread this myth to everyone else. Shame on you Dr. OZ. You of all people should know better. What Dr. OZ should be telling people is that if you are allergic to eggs, you really shouldn't get the shot. The virus is grown and harvested in chicken eggs so that could cause problems to those allergic to them.
So folks, stop QQ'ing about the damn vaccine and go get one already. The pros DEFINITELY outweigh the cons.Just my two pennies!
-SjN-
You have a camera in my house or something? Been spying on me? I've been resisting both the flu shot and the H1N1 flu shot. I don't want to get sick, which is what's happened every time I've gotten the flu shot. Matt's obsessed with it, so I think we're going to get both of them, if we can.
Posted by: Kristyn | October 08, 2009 at 05:21 PM