I have never really been prone to illnesses and don't get sick very often at all. I have never had the Flu vaccine. Don't ever plan on getting it either. I figure if I'm meant to get sick, I'll more than likely get sick anyway.
I used to have to take the flu shot every year when I was in the AF Reserve. I would get flu symptoms maybe 1 out of 3 years after taking the shot. I haven't taken it since 2007 and have only had flu symptoms once since then, that I can recall. But that one time that I did get sick was a doosey. Does anyone know about the shingles vaccine? Shingles scare me but I know two men who got the shingles after taking the vaccine.
You are statistically much more likely to get shingles without the vaccine than from the vaccine. It is a live vaccine so it's possible though. If you have had shingles before you are even more prone to getting it again and it definitely is recommended for you, especially as you increase in age (over 60). The vaccine reduces the chance of getting shingles by 61%. Flu vaccines don't protect against all the thousands of strains out there is the problem, if they miscalculate which strains will be prevalent for the upcoming winter, you are essentially protecting yourself against nothing. They are pretty dang accurate with their predictions typically though. Flu kills people pretty frequently is what most people tend to overlook when justifying not getting vaccinated, especially in children and elderly.
We have avoided the vaccinations. Miriam would normally start kindergarten next fall and the vaccinations are required to enroll, unless you can avoid them for religious reasons. I'm thinking of claiming I'm Shinto and we don't believe in vaccinations. They might buy it, although it would be a lie. Kindergarten is optional in Michigan and Miriam already knows how to read and can do basic arithmetic. I'm not convinced that the vaccinations are safe although they did reformulate the pertussis vaccine. But if it was safe, why reformulate it? Ah yes
I absolutely cannot believe it but my wife and I are both home today with Flu-like symptoms. I haven't been sick like this in 10 years.
