This year's flu shot

[rah]

Ok, I was at the Doctor's office and the Nurse was going through the screening questions before the Doctor came in and asked if I had gotten my flu shot this year.
When I said no, she went through the normal song and dance talking it up and said since my insurance would pick up the cost that she could come back and give it to me after I finished with the Doctor.

Since i had been hearing some interesting things about this years shot I asked my Doctor.
He said that this years shot won't protect you from the strains that are going around.
So it probably wouldn't do you any good. He said it "MIGHT" lessen the impact if you catch one of the current strains but don't count on it.
So I specifically asked if it was worth doing and he said since it was free to me why not. It would only cost the insurance company.

And I wonder why my Insurance costs went up almost 20% this year. This type of thing seems to be happening more frequently.

And then the nurse informed me as she was giving me the shot that my arm would be sore for a few days. (she wasn't kidding)

Did all of you get your flu shots this year, and were you told a similar story? Or did you just get the shot because you always have.

I feel like a lemming.

[N35t0r]

Flu shot over here are usually only given to risk demographics (the very old, infirm and pregnant women, IIRC). Of course you're free to go and take it (and they're provided for free in the public health system, and most insurance plans cover them if going to a private clinic), but AFAIK few people do.

[Lorizael]

I have not (and have never) gotten a flu shot, but that's because I'm a selfish *******. My understanding is that, even taking into account the reduced efficacy of this year's batch, the benefit still outweighs the harm. And if you're in an at-risk demographic (being old, for example), you should definitely probably get the shot.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I got the flu shot earlier this year, mostly because it was free through my employer (so may insurance didn't pay for it, but y'all did as I work for the US Government).

I think it may have made the flu that I did get last week (Happy New Year!) much more mild than it could have been... so that was nice.

[N35t0r]

I never get the flu, shot or otherwise.

[pchang]

I got the flu shot. It appears that they guessed wrong on the strain, but it is still better than nothing.

[-Jrabbit]

I have never gotten a flu shot.

[Dinner]

Yeah, there are thousands of strains out there at any given time and they guess 6-8 months 8n advance which ones they think will be big that year. Sometimes they don't guess right.

[Uncle Sparky]

I've never received a flu shot. It is free in Canada, with high risk groups offered it first.

[DaShi]

I got the flu shot this year and have been extremely reckless about protecting myself from the flu otherwise. Still haven't got so much as a cold.

[regexcellent]

I had my flu shot in October, before it turned out that there were some strains going around which aren't covered by the vaccine. My arm was a little sore for a few hours and then I was fine. Meh. It cost me $5 I think, maybe $10. There are probably some strains it does cover.

[Aeson]

A flubshot here involves wrastling with pigs and hoping some of their t-cells transfer over via open wounds. I passed on that.

[SlowwHand]

Flu shots are bull****.

[Lorizael]

Flu shots are bull****.

Vaccines might get their name from cowpox, but bull**** was never part of the process.

[SlowwHand]

So witty.