04 November 2008 Tuesday

Should I get a flu shot?

Updated 2017: My answers are: 1) No; 2) Asea.

I used to catch the flu whenever other people did, and I thought that was “normal”. Turns out that having the flu is normal — for people who don’t have enough redox molecules.

Original post follows:

Best resource I found for answering this question was Health.com

The decision whether to get a flu shot takes into account your personal feelings and the medical facts.

Reasons to get a flu shot

• You are older than 50.
• You have a chronic disease or a weak immune system.
• You live in a nursing home or long-term care center.
• You are in close contact with someone who is at high risk for complications of the flu.
• You want to reduce the chance that you will get the flu.

Reasons not to get a flu shot

• You are allergic to eggs.
• You had a severe reaction to a flu shot in the past.
• You had Guillain-Barr? syndrome after a previous flu shot.
• You are not in close contact with anyone at high risk of complications from the flu.
• You are not worried about getting the flu.

I’m thinking I’m not going to get it..

2009 update: health.com updated their advice a bit:

Who should get the flu shot?

You should get a yearly flu shot if you want to reduce your chance of getting the flu. Anyone older than 6 months can get a flu shot.

It’s important to get a flu shot if you are at high risk for complications. This includes:

• People who are age 50 or older. People age 65 or older are at highest risk.
• People who have long-term (chronic) diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney failure, and lung disease, including asthma.
• People who live in nursing homes or long-term care centers.
• People who have weak immune systems.
• Children 6 months through 4 years of age. (The flu shot is recommended for all children from 6 months to 18 years of age.)

People who could spread the flu to people at high risk should also get the shot. This includes:

• Anyone who lives with or cares for a child who is 6 months or younger. (Children 6 months or younger can’t get the shot.)
• Anyone in close contact with a person who is at high risk of complications. This includes family, friends, and caregivers.
• Health care workers.

Who should not get the flu shot?

Some people should not get the flu shot without talking to their doctor first. This includes:

• People who are allergic to eggs.
• People who had a bad reaction to the flu shot in the past.
• People who had a rare nerve disorder called Guillain-Barr? syndrome after a previous shot.
• Children who are younger than 6 months of age.
• People who are already sick. If you are ill and have a fever, wait until you are better to get the shot.