Getting Flu shot late-How long before it becomes effective?
This year, all of the news reports have been saying there's no shortage, there's a record amount of vaccine, everyone should be inoculated. I saw in VERY early October that there were vaccination clinics being held at supermarkets and community centers. But my doctor's office ( a small practice of 3 physicians) couldn't get any doses until last Friday November 18th. I guess the supermarkets know how to contact and persuade people at risk to get a shot better than the doctor's office. Please note the sarcasm dripping off of the last sentence. I seem to recall hearing or reading that the vaccine takes about 2 weeks to become fully effective; how long does it take to start providing any benefit? Like reduced severity, shorter duration, or "partial immunity". |
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| Well, I know for one thing that the flu shot is only effective if they choose the correct flu strain to protect against, so it might or might not even work... |
lil j and i haven't gotten it.  |
| I never get flu shots, for me or my kids. I am a strong believer in the body's natural ability to fight things off. It is my personal opinion that flu shots for those not at risk (health care workers, aged, immune suppressed, those with lung disease etc) are not a help in the long run. If our bodies are not able to fight things off naturally, how well will they respond when something comes along that there is no vaccine for? |
| Isn't the flu shot a dead version of the virus that is introduced to the body so that your own immune system can fight it off and therefor build up the antibodies to keep stronger, live virus at bay? |
| Most are, I think there is a new nasal one that is a modified live version...
Either way... I have heard most people feel crappy for a couple of days, or longer, after the vaccine... and then it doesn't work for a lot of people anyway. I think as long as I'm not at high risk for it, I won't bother.... |
| A doctor told me last fall when my Mother went for her shot it
could take 3 weeks to have any effect and up to 6 for the maximum effect. Who knows if this is really true though. I watched something on the science channel a few weeks ago that said that the vaccine was based on the most common virus living in people at the time of production - which would have been months ago. There are so many strains, it's sort of a gamble. There was also a theory that our immune systems cannot reach full effectiveness if we aren't exposed to some minor germs and viruses. Our bodies have an amazing ability to kick the immune system into high gear when we need it. They said limiting our exposure by sanitizing everything and taking antibiotics for everything, we are not allowing immune systems to develop the way they were meant to. It's an interesting theory, but it may be a while until they can conclusively prove it. I'd say we hardly ever get sick at our house, but then it would happen - so I won't say it! Shellie |
| I do know that the vaccine is the THREE most common strains that they beleive will circulate.... or at least that's the way it used to be.
I was hoping there might be some benefit from the shot since I am going to see some family (in grade school) on Thursday. |
| Ron it could be 3, and that would probably be even better.
They may have simplified the process for explaination. Are you prone to getting sick with the flu? I think the Dr told me if you run a fever it's flu, if not it's a cold. (or something along those lines) We do get the occasional cold, but I can't say I've had the flu in a while. It's when it hangs on for days that I can't stand it. Shellie |
| I haven't had a bad case of flu in many years now. I've always been careful in not touching my face before washing up after being in public. Since falling ill last August (has it really been 15 months?) I haven't gotten anything more than a sniffle or a scratchy throat for a day, if I'm recalling correctly. At one point a bad cold or the flu would have been quite devastating to overcome.
I am pretty well isolated from the real world right now: I have been at home unless it's a trip out to the doctor's office. I have been out of the house just a few times in the last month, we went to the mall this last weekend and perhaps one other time recently. I want to get out more now that I'm not feeling so poorly, and have been thinking of either a treadmill or starting to walk at the mall, but that's a 10 mile drive each way, and parking this time of the year, blah blah. I'm really not up for long outings or exercising in the cold yet. Joan is working in the house, but she does go to visit our former neighbor at the nursing home, and she's doing all of the shopping now which she enjoys, but I could help out with some shorter lists. I see light at the end of the tunnel! I don't want a setback from the flu! |
| Hi Ron,
I got my flu shot this past Friday and for the first time got a pneumonia one at the same time. My school district provides the flu shots free to all it's employees..cause you know those little kids - the bodily fluids are flying around! I've only had the flu shot done the last 2 years and I think it's made a difference. I work with disabled children so many of them cough and sneeze around me. This time I decided to go to my doctor to have it done only because I didn't want to stand in the three hour line up it takes when I get it done via district. Since I qualify for pneumonia shot (had it again 3 wks ago) I had that done too. I'm glad you asked the question as I hadn't know how long it took to be effective..silly me forgot to ask. Marianne |
| Personally I'd rather have the Flu then get a shot that has mercury in it.
The Dr said it's only a little in it. I don't trust it or her!!! If Mercury does not cause problems then why was mercury removed from children's vaccines in 1999. Many have thought that the mercury in child vaccines has caused the rise in Autism. So no flu shots for Ryan or the rest of us until they remove the mercury!! (They use the mercury as a preservative in the shots, so it can have a LONG shelf life) |
| We should be seeing if the reduction in mercury in vaccine has had any impact on Autism rates... so far I haven't hear a word about it. There should be a decline in rates already if the vaccines were removed so long ago, and the shelf stock has been depleted.
I know that the groups were unhappy there wasn't a recall of the existing supplies out on stock shelves, but realistically, most places probably ran out of the suspect children's doses 4 or 5 years ago. We should be seeing declines in rates now. I haven't heard a word; the silence is deafening. |
| Ron,
I do know for a fact (I've done tons of research on the subject because of Ryan's problems) that if your child has a bad reaction to the vaccinations the government will pay for you for your child's suffering and medical needs, but if you accept this "bribe" money you will be under a gag order. Interesting huh? But as for the Flu vaccine it does still contain mercury....though I am not sure why, since the Flu vaccine supply runs out so quickly they are not sitting on the shelves for years. |
BTW.... Sorry for hijacking the thread
 I'm done. |
| I have had a flu shot annually for years and have never ONCE had even a slight reaction from it. I hear poeple say they get sick from it, but I don't see how, seeing as it is a DEAD virus. (Could be it is psychological, or that they coincidentally were coming down with a flu at that time). Maybe you might get a slight local soreness from the injection, but flu symptoms?--NO. The M.D. told me it takes 10-14 days to become effective against the flu. Best time to get it is probably in early November, right before flu season starts. |
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