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Originally Posted by Azure
For everyone? Or just for kids, older people and people with a weaker immune system due to chemo or other treatments?
I honestly haven't given getting the flu shot much of a thought because the flu is something I get maybe once ever 2-3 years, and it lasts for a couple days and then its gone. Now the cold on the other hand....
If it is shown to help people fight the flu and perhaps save some lives, I have no problem encouraging people to get the shot. But is it really on the same level as a measles shot? Because if it is, it needs to be mandatory as well.
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The flu shot generally is more difficult to get participation rates high in comparison to measles because of a few factors:
1) Incorrect information like:
-so and so still got "the stomach flu" even though they got the shot. The stomach flu is not in fact a flu and is completely unrelated
-someone knows someone who got sick from the shot. The shot doesn't really give perfect immunity even if it's a perfect match. Plus it takes a week or two to build up an effective level of antibodies. Add in the probability that people are going to get a cold/flu during the same season as the flu shots are being administered and there's bound to be people getting sick right after getting their shot.
-a horrible amount of purposeful misinformation in general on the Internet
2) Measles is given as a series during regular immunizations as a child then you're done (though an adult booster is likely a very good idea). The flu shot needs to be given every year
3) The flu shot is really a guess at best. The influenza virus is constantly and rapidly shifting is antigens vs a relatively stable measles antigen. That means that success rates will always be higher for the measles and each seasonal flu shot is a gamble (though a wise one)
I don't see mandatory flu shots being possible simply due to logistics