Flu Shots anyone?

[GGKoul]

Haha.. Just had my flu shot today.. God I love the Canadian Health Care system.

[shmokes]

I got one too, but only because I work for the Health Dept.  I felt a little bit guilty since I'm young and healthy.

[SirPeale]

Just got this from my dad, a Bush fanatic.

How the vaccine works:
 Influenza vaccine is produced by growing the virus in eggs.
The virus is killed and processed to create the vaccine, which is given by
injection under the skin. The body then produces antibodies
to the virus over the next two to four weeks. If the immunized
person then comes into contact with the influenza virus,
the antibodies attack and kill the virus before it has
a chance to cause infection. The vaccine contains the 3 most likely
strains to be active during the "flu season"

Why the shortage:

Almost half of the nation's flu vaccine will not be delivered this year.
Chiron, a major manufacturer of flu vaccine, will not be distributing
any influenza vaccine this flu season. Chiron was to make 46-48 million
doses of vaccine for the United States. Chiron is a British company.
Recently British health officials stopped Chiron from distributing
and making the vaccine when inspectors found unsanitary conditions
in the labs. Some lots of the vaccine were recalled and destroyed.

Why is our vaccine made in the UK and not the US?

The major pharmaceutical companies in the US provided almost 90% of
the nations flu vaccine at one time. They did this despite a very low
profit margin for the product. Basically, they were doing us a favor. In the
late 80's a man from North Carolina who had received the vaccine got the flu.
The strain he caught was one of the strains in that years vaccine made
by a US company. What did he do? He sued and he won. He was awarded almost
$5 million! After that case was appealed and lost, most US pharmaceutical
companies stopped making the vaccine. The liability out weighed the
profit margin. Since UK and Canadian laws prohibit such frivolous law suits
UK and Canadian companies began selling the vaccine in the US.

 By the way...the lawyer that represented the man in the flu shot law
suit was a young ambulance chaser by the name of John Edwards.

Thank goodness I'm not voting for either of them.

[Dexter]

Just got this from my dad, a Bush fanatic.

How the vaccine works:
 Influenza vaccine is produced by growing the virus in eggs.
The virus is killed and processed to create the vaccine, which is given by
injection under the skin. The body then produces antibodies
to the virus over the next two to four weeks. If the immunized
person then comes into contact with the influenza virus,
the antibodies attack and kill the virus before it has
a chance to cause infection. The vaccine contains the 3 most likely
strains to be active during the "flu season"

Why the shortage:

Almost half of the nation's flu vaccine will not be delivered this year.
Chiron, a major manufacturer of flu vaccine, will not be distributing
any influenza vaccine this flu season. Chiron was to make 46-48 million
doses of vaccine for the United States. Chiron is a British company.
Recently British health officials stopped Chiron from distributing
and making the vaccine when inspectors found unsanitary conditions
in the labs. Some lots of the vaccine were recalled and destroyed.

Why is our vaccine made in the UK and not the US?

The major pharmaceutical companies in the US provided almost 90% of
the nations flu vaccine at one time. They did this despite a very low
profit margin for the product. Basically, they were doing us a favor. In the
late 80's a man from North Carolina who had received the vaccine got the flu.
The strain he caught was one of the strains in that years vaccine made
by a US company. What did he do? He sued and he won. He was awarded almost
$5 million! After that case was appealed and lost, most US pharmaceutical
companies stopped making the vaccine. The liability out weighed the
profit margin. Since UK and Canadian laws prohibit such frivolous law suits
UK and Canadian companies began selling the vaccine in the US.

 By the way...the lawyer that represented the man in the flu shot law
suit was a young ambulance chaser by the name of John Edwards.

Thank goodness I'm not voting for either of them.

This story about John Edwars has been discounted. It's not uncommon for these types of stories to pop up close to an election. Just thought I'd mention this in fairness to Edwards who seems to be a genuinely nice guy.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/flushot.asp

[Shifty]

Not a fan of flu shots. Young and healthy, I don't really have a need. Especially with the risk of your body reacting to the vaccine, and the fact they only *might* have the correct strain in the vaccine for this year's flu, I don't need it.

[Dartful Dodger]

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/flushot.asp

^{Regarding the claim that John Edwards secured a $5 million judgment against a U.S. pharmacutical company on a flu vaccine case, while it is true he had a highly successful legal career representing individuals who had been badly harmed by malfunctioning products or the mistakes of doctors and hospitals, with some even saying he won $175 million for his clients over 12 years, at this point it's not known if he ever litigated a flu vaccine case, or if so, what the outcome of such a trial was.}

Funny how this website can dissect everything about the email, but when it comes to Edwards winning a lawsuit against a pharmacutical company on a flu vaccine case they say "at this point it's not known..."  My guess is they'll know all the facts after the election.

I'll stick with foxnews.com.

[fredster]

Why don't we just cross the boarder to Canada and get our flu shots??

I have to make a trip to Guelph soon, business, so I'll get one there.

Free.

For theat matter, why don't we all just go to Canada and take full advantage of that great healthcare system.

After all, they pay a 17% sales tax, and 32% out of their check on top of it, plus other property taxes to pay for it.  They are rich!

[hulkster]

ha, canadian health care system....

ive only had the flu one time, and that was the ONLY year that i got a flu shot!  im serious.  my freshman year of college...flu season....i go in and got my shot thinking i was being smart (and no i didnt have the flu before the shot), but only to get the flu a week later!  every other year, i just drink water, wash my hands, keep my hands/fingers away from my face, drink O.J., and get lots of sleep.  how hard is that???  and with the water...even if i do get the flu, all the pissing im doing flushes it out anyway.  flu shot, schmu shot.

[patrickl]

...even if i do get the flu, all the pissing im doing flushes it out anyway.

LOL

[danny_galaga]

i think a lot of people are confusing the common cold with the 'flu. most people get a 'cold' several times a year. its not something you need a vaccine for. influenza is more serious. drinking orange juice and washing your hands isn't going to stop you inhaling tiny particles in the air carrying the virus...

wearing a chemical dust mask will help if you want  

[hulkster]

true, but drinking orange juice = vitamin C = boost to the immune system.  of course you can take vitamin tablets that will do that, but i just choose to drink something i like.  washing your hands keeps them clean and therefore when you rub your eyes/mouth/nose...you arent taking any germs with you to the most susceptable part of your body.  

drinking lots of water will help flush out(literally) any harmful toxins, or germs that have gotten into your system.  granted, its not the end-all cure by any means, but it has worked for me in the past 5 years while everyone around me gets the flu....if i start having a cough or sore throat, i drink crap loads of water, and pee a whole lot.  and i dont get sick.

[DrewKaree]

Dr Drew is here with your cold season remedy, and it makes everything have a funhouse appearance!

How do you catch a cold/contract the flu virus?  The passing of germs from one to another!

What are the precautions they advise us to take?  Get the flu shot.

What's the first thing they do to you when administering the shot?  Swab your arm with an alcohol wipe.

Why the alcohol wipe?  Kills the germs.

My solution?  Raise the alcohol level in your body to an unhealthy (to germs  ) level, thereby keeping the germs at bay!

Self-medicating at its best  

[danny_galaga]

true, but drinking orange juice = vitamin C = boost to the immune system.  of course you can take vitamin tablets that will do that, but i just choose to drink something i like.  washing your hands keeps them clean and therefore when you rub your eyes/mouth/nose...you arent taking any germs with you to the most susceptable part of your body.  

drinking lots of water will help flush out(literally) any harmful toxins, or germs that have gotten into your system.  granted, its not the end-all cure by any means, but it has worked for me in the past 5 years while everyone around me gets the flu....if i start having a cough or sore throat, i drink crap loads of water, and pee a whole lot.  and i dont get sick.

you are a healthy person. and you look after yourself. but germs dont just sit in your bladder ready to be washed out. and influenza is a result of a virus. there's nothing you can pee out. you are doing all the right things and you should keep doing them, but what you imagine the effects are is incorrect.

dr dan.

[DrewKaree]

I take it your silence on my clearly well-though-out medical assessment denotes agreement with my methods.

Why do you think they call 'em "shots"  

Care for a Jagermeister vaccine?

[danny_galaga]

scotch and ginger for me, thanks!!

ahhh, i feel healthier already!! thanks, dr drew  

[missioncontrol]

[I take it your silence on my clearly well-though-out medical assessment denotes agreement with my methods.
/quote]

He's right.....back in my raging alcoholic years I don't ever remember getting an illness of any kind.....



don't remember much from that time though