Flu shots and other vaccines

I've never in my life had a flu shot. I don't even think everyone is allowed to get it in my country (Netherlands) -- only people at higher risk. I don't think it's bad to get it, though, but I don't really see the point of getting all kinds of chemicals injected when there's really no need to. I haven't been even remotely sick since I was 6. Like, ever.

 

Some years I get one, some years I don't. It kind of depends on the level of risk I'm at that particular year. For example, where I am working factors into the decision. When I've worked in a jail and a hospital, I always gotten it.

I know there are some horror stories about the vaccine but I have never experienced a negative reaction to the flu shot personally. Some people may be more sensitive to vaccines or additives in them than myself but some people are just conspiracy theorists who think everything will kill them.

I think whatever you decide your odds of being fine are much greater than the odds of some major negative consequence.

 

My last flu shot was in 2003. I was sick all of Christmas. Evidently, they got the wrong strain that year, or it just didn't work.

I don't bother with the seasonal flu vaccine anymore, but I did briefly consider getting the A/H1N1 jab when the hysteresis surrounding it was at its peak. I'm also not opposed to vaccines in general since almost all adverse reactions to them are unavoidable, undetectable, and rare-as-all-hell allergies. If I could get over my fear of the doctor, I'd go pick up the HPV vaccine since I haven't been too sexually active yet and may about to be soon.

 

His logic is not exactly evidence-based, since he's saying "We haven't studied it so it might not be safe".

But one thing that is a valid concern is multiple vaccines administered at the same time. Although severe reactions are rare, the problem when there is a reaction and you've had several vaccines at the same time, it would be difficult to determine which vaccine was the cause of the reaction.