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SARS and your flu shot

post #1 of 16
10/10/03 at 7:22am
Thread Starter 
taken from cp 24.com

A Shot In The Harm





You hear it every year. “Get a flu shotâ€. But this year, it has a special meaning that it never did before. Because this is the first flu season after S.A.R.S. And that changes the health equation forever.

Doctors are worried that the return of the annual virus could mimic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in its early stages. And that could result in a flood of visits to local emergency rooms that simply aren’t equipped to handle the prospect of a new outbreak of the deadly disease. Even if it really isn’t S.A.R.S.

“During the winter season, influenza accounts for about a third of all febrile illnesses,†reveals Mt. Sinai Hospital infection specialist Dr. Alison McGeer. “So if we all got our flu shots, that’s a third off the top.â€

And preventing the spread of the virus will be just what the doctor ordered. “Why get sick if you don’t have to?†wonders Toronto Medical Officer of Health Dr. Sheela Basrur. “If there is a cheap and easy shot that you can get in your arm that will prevent you from getting an illness … why wouldn’t you take that simple step?†And protecting yourself will also safeguard your family, because they’re less likely to get the ailment if it’s not in your house.

Best of all, the shots are free. Toronto Public Health starts ‘sticking it’ to you beginning October 28th.






October 9, 2003
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post #2 of 16
10/10/03 at 11:36am
I'm a secondary school teacher, and take public transport to work, so I usually get a flu shot every year. Twice I didn't, and both years I got the flu and was absolutely miserable. This year the shot is overdue, because I have bronchitis and don't want the possible side-effects on top of it, but I'm planning on getting it ASAP.
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post #3 of 16
10/10/03 at 1:17pm
I always get a flu shot. I think they said our's would be available on Oct 22nd.
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post #4 of 16
10/10/03 at 1:50pm
I got a flu shot once and then I was hospitilized because of it. So NO flu shots for me!
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post #5 of 16
10/10/03 at 4:37pm
I work at a nursing home, and my employer gives flu shots to all the residents first, and then offers free flu shots to all the staff. I faithfully get my shot every fall.
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post #6 of 16
10/10/03 at 5:26pm
I have recently been doing some research on flu shots, and all vaccines. I will not get another flu shot after what I have read.
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post #7 of 16
10/12/03 at 1:05pm
Do they know why you got so sick? Are you allergic to eggs? Some people are allergic to some of the ingredients (specifically albumin - egg whites) in the "normal" vaccine, so they give those people a special vaccine with different ingredients.

I get mine every year, since I have asthma.
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post #8 of 16
10/12/03 at 1:35pm
I get a Flu Shot every year. My dh also gets one as he works in a care home.
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post #9 of 16
10/12/03 at 5:41pm
Quote:
Originally posted by JulieB
Do they know why you got so sick? Are you allergic to eggs? Some people are allergic to some of the ingredients (specifically albumin - egg whites) in the "normal" vaccine, so they give those people a special vaccine with different ingredients.

I get mine every year, since I have asthma.
Julie, they ran tests and found out that it was what was in the flu shot that made me so ill. I'm not allergic to anything that is in the flu shot but because they can't totally explain it to me, I'm not taking anymore chances.

I also did research on vaccines and flu shots and after what I found, I'll just stick to my Anti-oxidants and other Nutritional Supplements! At least I know that they won't kill me or put me in the hospital!
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post #10 of 16
10/12/03 at 6:02pm
I always get a flu shot and had one on Oct.2. I hope that wasn't too early.
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post #11 of 16
10/13/03 at 11:46am
I have never gotten a flu shot.
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post #12 of 16
10/13/03 at 11:48am
I will stick with my GSE it has worked for us for 3 years now and still going strong.
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post #13 of 16
10/13/03 at 11:59am
Yes,
me too, I am taking some immunity building supplements and hope to avoid the flu. I have been reading so much as to just what is in the flu shot, no more for me. Of course my Dr. feels we should all get them.
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post #14 of 16
10/18/03 at 11:37pm
Im always scared to get the flu shot because alot of ppl i
know who get one get sick really bad sometime after
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post #15 of 16
10/19/03 at 1:03am
Well SARS is actually still around. And it's more complicated than first thought. There have been mild cases of SARS that were dismissed in China, (Guangzhou), and Canada, (British Columbia), as common colds. And in Hong Kong, a nurse working at the Princess Margaret Hospital who worked in a ward where several staff contracted SARS showed no symptoms of the disease but her blood tests showed antibodies to the virus. At the moment, the World Health Organisation recognises that mild cases might exist but there is evidence that shows that these cases don't spread. (Though in my opinion, this isn't a guarantee as no one knows enough about SARS to give one.)

I can understand the logic behind the flu shot campaign. There would be less people getting flu symptoms and flooding hospital emergency departments in the event of another SARS epidemic. It is less likely for a person with a healthy immune system to succumb to a virus, but with SARS, that is the problem. The immune response from the body is what causes the most headache. Catch 22 really.
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post #16 of 16
10/19/03 at 8:04pm
chelle, as far as I know, it takes a couple of weeks for the flu shot to be fully effective, so if you are exposed to the flu within a few days after you get your shot, you will still get sick.
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