What is your opinion on getting the flu shot?

Specialties Holistic

Published

  1. Do you want the flu shot?

    • 18
      Yes
    • 17
      No
    • 1
      Not sure

15 members have participated

Hi, I have gotten the flu shot every year for the past seven years I have been a nurse. I have decided that I have heard enough to convince me to not take it from now on. It is not mandatory at my facility but they push it very strongly. In other words, I have to think of a very good excuse for not taking it. I want to hear your thoughts and opinions on this and what I should do. Thanks!

Specializes in Rehab, Med/Surg.

What are your opinions on this article...?

http://www.realfarmacy.com/johns-hopkins-scientist-reveals-shocking-report-flu-vaccines/

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

A place that misspells pharmacy intentionally.... suspect to me. A click-bait title... suspect to me.

And from their legal disclaimer: ]While the site attempts to be as accurate as possible, it should not be relied upon as being comprehensive or error-free.

Thanks, but no thanks. I'll go straight to the sources, not sites that just might "misinterpret" scientific studies (in this case, one single study from one single scientist) to fulfill their own agenda.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Here is the Snopes review:

snopes.com: Johns Hopkins Scientist Exposes Flu Vaccine Danger?

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John Hopkins even has a rebuttal on their own website. RealFarmacy is RealFarce.

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.
Hi, thanks Healthy Nurse for your response. Couldn't have said it better myself. You said what I wanted to say but did not know how to say it. Here I am on the Holistic Nursing forum and just about everyone thinks I am crazy for not being excited about my organization forcing me to take the flu vaccine. You would think this question was asked on General Nursing discussion or something. Thanks to everyone for leaving your feedback. I now have some ideas for less toxic alternatives of the flu vaccine.

Holistic =/= dismissing evidence based medicine. Or at least it shouldn't.

It dismays me when nurses perpetuate myths and pseudoscience about vaccination. Yes, the flu vaccine is hardly a panacea. But it DOES reduce transmission and reduce the severity of illness. The problem is that the flu vaccine is less effective in immunocompromised patients, which are of course the ones who need the protection the most. However, high vaccination rates in the general population provde good protection to those at highest risk.

Most of us nurses are healthy, and most of us would get a minor illness if we caught the flu. I don't get the vaccine to protect myself- I get it to help contribute to the public good.

Vaccination is probably the biggest public health victory in the past 100 years. Widespread access to abortion and contraception is not too far down the list either, but that is for another thread.

I have never gotten the flu EVER. I haven't been sick in the past two years including regular colds. I took this flu shot this past October to not fuss with my nursing school but I really hope they stop mandating these shots. There is no conclusive evidence these shots work to decrease the spread of the flu and what ever happened to trusting the good old immune system. I believe In letting your body to its Job on its own until it can thus conventional medicine. I'm 22 never get headaches or anything. I haven't taken an Advil in over 5 years. Kind of sad il be forced to take these shots as a nurse. :(

First of all, while anecdotes are interesting, they don't provide any sort of evidence for or against vaccinations. I have gotten the flu shot for the past 3 years, and haven't gotten the flu. I may not have gotten the flu even if I had declined the vaccine, who knows.

And as far as trusting your immune system- the flu vaccine doesn't interfere with your natural immune response. You can trust your immune system AND get a vaccine. And don't forget the millions of people who have immunodeficiencies, like my daughter with ataxia telangiectasia. She doesn't make antibodies to most vaccines, and I rely on the goodwill of the public to protect her through herd immunity.

Oh, and you are incorrect. Their is copious data that widespread flu vaccine compliance decreases transmission as well as serious sequelae from the virus. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/benefit-publications.htm

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Specializes in ER, ICU.
It is your decision. Just like its the hospitals decision to only employ healthcare workers who understand the importance of flu vaccines.

Amen!

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Specializes in Telemetry, IMCU.

Was at the urgent care for an eye issue, taken to a room with a patient exhibiting: cough with blood tinged sputum, chest pain, aches, fever. Diagnosed with the flu. When she was asked if she got the flu shot guess what her answer was? No. I immediately felt uneasy. I had the flu shot, but my immune system is deficient. I need these injections because a simple cold has turned into bronchitis for me. I thank God for vaccines and am glad we're required to get them. I can't trust that someone got vaccinated and won't transfer it to me. Not taking that chance. So, I'm all for it.

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HealthyNurse, thanks for the vaccine ingredients calculator link! I looked at it, and actually at least 1 brand of single-dose flu vaccine (Novartis) has thimersol (mercury) in it. And a lot of them have formaldehyde. Flu vaccines for sure aren't going to prevent any strain of the flu that's not in that year's vaccine either. I'd rather just keep my immunity up, and stay home from work if I do get sick.

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It is extremely rare, I know, but I know a patient who got Guillain barre syndrome after the shot. If a vaccine is really necessary, I'll get it. But the flu shot? As a fairly healthy person with no family members with immunodeficiency syndromes, I'm not convinced on the benefit vs. potential risk. If my work required it, that would be another matter.

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Specializes in Hospice and Palliative Nurse.

Personally....no flu shot. Never have, don't think I ever will. I take precautions with standard avoidance of large crowds, hand washing etc... I use colloidal silver spray a few times a day. So far, so good...

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Personally....no flu shot. Never have, don't think I ever will. I take precautions with standard avoidance of large crowds, hand washing etc... I use colloidal silver spray a few times a day. So far, so good...

I can point to much research supporting the idea that the flu vaccine is generally safe and is your best bet to prevent the flu. To the contrary, the manufacturers of colloidal silver spray do NOT have research to back their claims. It interacts with some meds & can cause kidney damage and neurological problems. Silver belongs in silverware, not in your body.

Colloidal silver: Is it safe or effective? - Mayo Clinic

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It is extremely rare, I know, but I know a patient who got Guillain barre syndrome after the shot. If a vaccine is really necessary, I'll get it. But the flu shot? As a fairly healthy person with no family members with immunodeficiency syndromes, I'm not convinced on the benefit vs. potential risk. If my work required it, that would be another matter.

Yes, GBS is EXTREMELY rare...about 1 in a million vaccine recipients get it. You are more likely to be struck by lightening.

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