My husband and I are geezers, but we ignore the warnings to get flu shots every year. The one exception to this thus far was a couple of years ago, when my husband and I drove from Arkansas to Florida to visit our son. I got one. My husband didn’t. We figured we would be exposed to more people on this trip than we usually see in several years.
funadvice.com
This year is also an exception for us. When the flu season started this year, we pretty much ignored it. Last week, it got our attention when 18 people died of the flu. This week the mayor of Boston declared a medical emergency and videos showed people being treated in beds in hallways because there weren’t enough hospital beds.
They are saying that this year the strain is especially strong, and that the vaccine they created is exactly right for the strains they are seeing. We decided that it was stupid for us NOT to get as protected as possible and got flu shots today. We asked our son to do the same, since he’s heading back to Shanghai soon, but they were out of vaccine at the place he went today. We’ll call around tomorrow and see if any is available elsewhere.
If you work in a large place, if you have children, if you work with the public, if your health is fragile, if you’re a senior or a young child, you’re especially at risk, the experts say. But this year, even young, healthy adults are getting ill and some are dying.
Please consider the situation and make your decision as to whether the vaccine is right for you this year.
Dear Linda,
Thanks for the warning! We did have had our shots this year! (Shhhh…last year we did not!)
Take care.
You’re welcome, Meera. Sometimes the CDC has a harder time deciding what kind of ‘cocktail’ vaccine to make to fight what they think is coming for the current year. It seems they’re right on the money this year, and this could save a lot of lives. The way the flu is expanding and the number of people in the ER, admitted to the hospital, and dying is truly scary. Everyone needs to make his or her own decision, though. This is truly a personal issue. Thanks for writing. I’m glad you got your shots this year.
Hi Linda, you told the Eternal Truth by saying ” Everyone needs to make his or her own decision, though.” !
I have not had one this year. I try to not be around people.
Some years my heart doctor tells me to get one and some years he tells me to absolutely NOT get one. I skipped my last appointment due to lack of funds…so was this the yes year???
<
http://christiecottage.blogspot.com
Hi, Christie. Our doctor said he thought we should definitely get one this year. Of course, you KNOW you need to follow YOUR doc’s advice. Every person’s needs are different. Maybe you could ask for a ‘call-back’ from his nurse and ask her? That shouldn’t cost anything.