Who gets the flu shot?
Oct 12th 2012, 2:57 pm
#61
Lowering the tone
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Here and there
Posts: 7,351
Re: Who gets the flu shot?
Going to work this morning it was pitch black, -10C and snowing. In October. There are seven months of this ahead. I thought of the First Nations that lived up here and, for the millionth time, wondered why on earth they decided that this was the perfect place to set up home.
Oct 12th 2012, 3:01 pm
#62
ModerĪ±tor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: Who gets the flu shot?
Well, no. I've prospered here. It seems to me now that a major reason for that is that, for most of my time here, I've had no interests in Canada. Like my colleagues and associates, I've been willing to work all the time because, for five months of the year, there's really nothing better to do. Television is hugely popular, of course, if you enjoy Survivor you'll likely want to go home and see that.
I don't think, btw, that curling, essentially lawn green bowling indoors, counts as "getting out".
I don't think, btw, that curling, essentially lawn green bowling indoors, counts as "getting out".
Curling is suprisingly hard physical work, as you would know if you had ever tried it before knocking it.
Last edited by iaink; Oct 12th 2012 at 5:56 pm.
Oct 12th 2012, 5:31 pm
#63
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,866
Oct 12th 2012, 6:43 pm
#64
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Oct 12th 2012, 6:50 pm
#65
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Who gets the flu shot?
I think that's pretty rare. People in Canada generally endure a miserable time for five months a year during their working lives and then, if they can afford it, spend the winters in America. Those who do find something enjoyable typically do it indoors, crochet, quilting and scrapbooking are very popular.
Oct 14th 2012, 5:04 am
#66
Banned
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: GTA
Posts: 143
Re: Who gets the flu shot?
I also commonly had it when I did have the shot at age 10.. Not sure how you can speak for 'most' people to be honest.
A good reason why you can get mild symptoms after having a shot is any innoculation gives you a bit of the virus or the bacteria (the dead cells) and that is how the body starts to build up it's immunity against it. I admit I did avoid having the flu shots commonly for years after I left school, because commonly at school when we were made to have it I did end up with flu for 3 days leading me to believe that alone was what gave me the flu.
However, I did still get the flu.
I have the flu shot nowadays and I don't get the flu, I hope it stays that way from now on.
It's a good idea to get the shot.. better to reduce the chances of getting full blown flu, or it going away sooner than if you hadn't had the shot
I prefer to get it for me and my little one with him being around children his age all day at preschool nowadays.
I quite enjoy giving out flu shots too, and during Nov and Dec I will be busy doing so
Last edited by wonderwoman1st; Oct 14th 2012 at 5:11 am. Reason: bit more
Oct 14th 2012, 5:19 am
#67
Banned
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: GTA
Posts: 143
Re: Who gets the flu shot?
My little man of age 3 had his first flu shot yesterday and I have to say he's run down for 24 hrs quite soon after, today speaking with a croaky voice and had a bit of a cough. Last night he burned up a bit, took, his temp and gave a dose of tylenol and removed his pyjama top, and he was aok again. I hope it's not me at age 10 again, when I commonly got the flu after the shot during my school years. More likely in the youngsters as they are still building up their immunity system.
Oct 14th 2012, 5:29 am
#69
Banned
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: GTA
Posts: 143
Re: Who gets the flu shot?
The point is it may not be sufficient to kill you, but if you get flu, it may be sufficient to kill someone you pass it onto.
The more people that have the shot, the less any outbreak that that shot covers will spread and impact those that are at danger of serious consequences.
I consider it a civic duty, but then I wonder how effective the people developing the shot are at picking the active strains for any particular year.
I dont really see a downside, even if you get minor symptoms for a day or two, chances are you are going to be like that at some point over the winter anyway, and if it is a bonanza year for flu you are hopefully protected and helping to minimise the potential spread to others.
The more people that have the shot, the less any outbreak that that shot covers will spread and impact those that are at danger of serious consequences.
I consider it a civic duty, but then I wonder how effective the people developing the shot are at picking the active strains for any particular year.
I dont really see a downside, even if you get minor symptoms for a day or two, chances are you are going to be like that at some point over the winter anyway, and if it is a bonanza year for flu you are hopefully protected and helping to minimise the potential spread to others.
100% correct, could not have put that better myself. Iain is absolutely right on this one folks, I have to say. There should be more education out there on this, I see it easily as I'm a nurse, but I don't commonly see it around, something for me to work on I think (health education and health promotion).
Here's a good website to keep you all well informed:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php
Oct 14th 2012, 5:46 am
#70
Banned
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: GTA
Posts: 143
Re: Who gets the flu shot?
And even though I commonly did end up with the flu aged 10 it wasn't for 2 weeks, it would have likely been just 2 days had the nurses not been so harsh at my school and uniformly/ automatically kicked us out of the sanitorium after 3 days regardless, I'd end up back in there again the same night no thanks for them.. after suffering a long evening chapel service usually.. seemed to be the same time every year after getting my shot back then (our medical center at our boarding school was called a sanitorium) must have been worse jabs when I was 10 yrs old, or likely my immunity still building up.
Anyway, I don't get the flu nowadays for having had the shot, even if that bad experience at school did put me off having it for years.
Some occupations are compulsory for having it.. mine too, but I opt for it more now anyway.
Oct 14th 2012, 5:47 am
#71
Banned
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: GTA
Posts: 143
Re: Who gets the flu shot?
And as Iain mentioned, it also helps prevent it spreading to others when you have the flu shot even if you don't suffer from it yourself.
Last edited by wonderwoman1st; Oct 14th 2012 at 5:50 am.
Oct 14th 2012, 5:54 am
#72
Banned
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: GTA
Posts: 143
Re: Who gets the flu shot?
I suspect the efficacy of the flu shot in preventing deaths by limiting the spread to vulnerable members of society is similar to the efficacy of full-body scanners at airports preventing deaths to air travellers... statistically miniscule but tremendously profitable for the manufacturers.
It's free here with your health card via your doctor too. Just avoid having it done via pharmacists elsewhere, they do charge, it's not really their role anyway to give flu shots it's the nurses role, but has become their role in Canada now at least, my doctors technique wasn't exactly brilliant either, he held it with one hand and just inserted it, not how us nurses are trained to give an injection at all.. and he gave it intramuscularly on my arm when it's meant to be subcutaneously.
Oct 14th 2012, 6:04 am
#75
Tea Drinker
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Posts: 5,387
Re: Who gets the flu shot?
Flu shot my arse. I thought Canadian's were a hardy outdoor bunch?