This is a not so subtle nudge to people who haven't gotten their flu shots yet: please, for the sake of everyone, get one. I can guarantee that the flu is worse than the soreness of getting a needle stabbed in your arm (I was stupid and forgot to get mine last year, and I had the joy of traveling back to school without being able to breathe). Even if you're afraid of needles, getting the vaccine protects not only you but also everyone around you via herd immunity.
Herd immunity works by using the immunity of the majority to protect the immunocompromised. If most of the people in a population are protected, the illness is much less likely to spread and thus impact the vulnerable. It works with viruses other than the flu and immunity acquired in whatever fashion, but considering the flu is the main one in our area, if the majority of people get vaccinated - and that means each year, not just once - it protects those who can't. This includes the very young, the very old, or people with asthma or immune system issues.
I'm not going to get into religious exemptions from vaccinations because I can't speak objectively about it, but there are a lot of "science"-based reasons for not getting the shot that can be debunked too. Flu shots don't cause neurological or vascular disorders (this is where people need to know the difference between correlation and causation). Flu shots don't contain things that are going to kill you, including antifreeze or the full virus, and people allergic to eggs can take an egg-free one. And like I said before, the shot is going to be much better than the flu itself: it strengthens your system so you can fight it off, whereas the flu can't be fixed with a healthy diet or antibiotics (it's a virus, people), and it can kill you even if you're healthy.
So please, if you haven't already, go to your nearest pharmacy and get a flu shot. Vaccinate yourself, vaccinate your kids, vaccinate your family. You'll do everyone a favor.
No comments:
Post a Comment