Too Many of Us Will Skip Having a Flu Shot

The Consumer Reports National Research Center has conducted a survey showing that one in three Americans have decided to skip a flu shot, this year.  Although 40% of the refuseniks say they are worried about side effects of the vaccine, the other reasons given are equally specious.  The Consumer Reports article considers some of these.   

1.    60% of those who’ve decided not to have a flu shot say that avoiding the vaccine will help build their immunity.  In fact, the only true way to build immunity to flu is to catch the disease, or get a shot.

2.    40% worry about the side effects of the vaccine.  In fact, side effects, when they do occur, are mild, and they occur very rarely.  For example, the risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome is estimated to be 1 in 1,000,000 vaccinated people.  If you’re worried about mercury in the preservative, you can ask for a mercury-free shot.  The risk of allergy to egg protein is greatly exaggerated; flu vaccines can now be safely given to those who are allergic to eggs, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

3.    45% of those planning to skip the vaccine said that the epidemic nature of last year’s H1N1 was overblown.  In fact, the pandemic, or even a severe USA epidemic, didn’t emerge to an extent to cause national anxiety.  And the feared mutation of the virus didn’t occur.  However, this doesn’t mean that this year’s season may not contain a surprise or two. . .

Many of the naysayers haven’t had flu recently – they’ve probably forgotten how unpleasant it can be.  There will be high fever, cold sweats, shivers, headaches, aching limbs and/or joints, exhaustion, and possibly nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea – all lasting about a week.  This isn’t necessarily serious, it’s just very unpleasant.  But for some people, of course, it is serious.  Complications include pneumonia, worsening of chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart failure, sinus problems and ear infections.  A quarter to a half million people die worldwide each year from flu, 36,000 of them in the USA.  So think again – wouldn’t it make sense for you to have a flu shot?