[Jake Neiffer]

CDC's flu numbers completely inaccurate? Last years vaccine was 19% effective

[DIYSteve]

The first link cites secondary sources (Wikipedia, NBC) for the numbers, but CDC's presentation is more nuanced:

[coldrain108]

[DIYSteve]

Interesting. Maybe someone can chime in about whether exposure to flu strains A, B and C provides immunity to new flu strains X, Y and Z. I now get a flu shot because my wife is a HC professional who is frequently exposed to sick people. If I lived in a rural setting alone I would not get a shot. When I worked in downtown Seattle -- exposed to others in elevators and door knobs -- I got a nasty cold every year. I haven't caught a cold since I moved my practice to a home office.

[Jake Neiffer]

The reason I think the first article is interesting is because it's provided on the American Society of Registered Nurses website- an organization where you would not expect to see info contrary to CDC data. True that is CDC data is (now) more nuanced, but it still appears to be a gross overestimation. I’m guessing the 36K nubmer came from back in 2005 when the original BMJ article was published. Certainly there are reasons to get the flu shot other than death stats- but it seems public policies are being implemented based on those very stats.

[boot up]

I think last year was one of the worst ever for them missing the mark. I am hoping this year they do a bit better. If you "don't ever get the flu", don't get a shot. That is really pretty simple. For people like me that gets everything that circulates around, I usually get one. Remember, people are different. Your solution may not apply to everyone.

[tigermn]

In my experience most people that think they get the flu don't really have the flu. People think anything with a few days of congestion and such is the flu. That ain't the flu. If you really have the flu you are going to miss more than a day or two of work. I think the only time I really had the flu was in high school. I actually missed an entire week of school due to it. I've had nagging coughs and other such things, but nothing that put me down for an entire week like that. Of course they didn't have flu shots back in the mid 70's. I've gotten flu shots about 75% of the time. I got one last year, didn't get one the year before etc. It hasn't caused me to get any sicker for sure so probably worth it.

[Cyclopath]

I get the shot every year. They have a nurse come to my workplace and stick everyone in the arm. I think last year they gave everyone a shiny new $10 to encourage us. In the past I'd hand over my copay at the pharmacy in the grocery store. The last time I had the flu, years ago, I felt like death.

[Navy salad]

This is a pretty good link for distinguishing between colds and the flu: Link

[graywolf]

I'm a pharmacist who works in a clinic and what I tell patients who say they never get the flu, and therefore don't need a flu shot is this: You're being selfish by thinking only of yourself. If you get the flu and are shedding virus, even if your symptoms aren't too bad, you could potentially give it to someone, young or old, who has an immune system that isn't working well. This could be your sister's newborn child, your grandmother, your uncle with cancer, etc. And yes, it could potentially kill them. Quit thinking only of yourself - you don't live in isolation.

[pipedream]

[Jake Neiffer]

graywolf- You're projecting motivations and sidestepping the issue. The issue is a credible source is reporting the CDC is providing misleading data by many orders of magnitude. The efficacy of the vaccine in the vunerable populations you mention is disputed. And while rare, the vaccine has been associated with serious harms such as narcolepsy and febrile convulsions. I don't believe questioning (potentially) false data is selfish.

[graywolf]

[Spotly]

I'm 57 and have gotten mine every year since I was 18. I can only recall getting sick and being told by the doc that I had the flu one time. I've read that they got the correct strain this year.

[DIYSteve]