n.b.

[pifactorial]

"A Canadian study currently under peer review apparently suggests that individuals given seasonal flu shots are twice as likely to get swine flu. The 'perplexing' study has thrown influenza health plans into disarray, with Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia all suspending seasonal flu shots for anyone under 65 years of age."

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Comments

[tekroo]

Yeah, I've always noticed that those I worked with on that military base in England always seemed to get the flu, while I haven't had a proper case of the flu in 14-15 years and yet have never had a flu shot.

[dhlawrence]

I've never had a flu shot and I never intend to have one, swine or otherwise. They only protect you from the strains that were common the prior year, making them only marginally useful to begin with.

[pifactorial]

Actually, as best as I understand, this isn't the case. They don't start developing the year's vaccine until they have a good idea of what strain is going to spread that year. It always starts in Asia first, so they have a buffer period between the first outbreaks there and the necessity of vaccines here.

I think the situation here is that there are two strains of flu this year - the normal flu and swine flu. Getting vaccinated for the normal flu will make you less susceptible to it, but more susceptible to swine flu.

[twapa]

I've never had a flu shot. I am one of those awful, hardy americans.

... sometimes I wonder if growing up in a filthy home contributed to my amazing immune system, somehow. >_>

[pifactorial]

Yes. My mom was pretty much signing my death warrant every time she told me to clean my room.