Codger's survival tips of the day...

[baldtaco-II]

I take the shot simply because I can. And if there were shots to prevent me getting blisters on my feet or breaking fingers I'd take those too........................Two things interest me about this topic:..................A] I know it's a bit Sapir-Whorf but I believe one of the worst things ever was the contraction to the word “flu”. It knocked the seriousness out of it and darn near made it warm, homely and cuddly. “I've had a touch of flu” has been used here as a synonym for an intrusive cold. And we even have the phrase “man flu” used to describe a cold that presents with whinging type symptoms, built on the basis that on average men seem to protest much more vociferously than women do when they feel a bit green. The overuse of this contraction definitely seems to have demoted influenza from its lofty status..........................B] We also have the message “...and you will die”. What with a mix perceptual defence mechanisms and the layman's fair assessment that it is statistically unlikely that you will die it is fairly straight forward to dismiss as a serious threat to life. That enables people to adopt a cavalier and reckless attitude not only to their own wellbeing but also wellbeing of others they may infect, some of whom they might like.................I've drawn a parallel before with this and certain risky drug taking behaviour and propaganda. People upon hearing “drugs are bad and will kill you” just turn a deaf ear because of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Many of us know sophisticated users that are professional people for whom they have done nothing other that bring added enrichment to their lives. And it is true that man has set about the endeavour to alter his states of consciousness with chemicals for as long as there has been history. On that, its idiotic thrash the hackneyed “drug taking behaviour will kill you”, because nobody with a brain that works is going to take any notice. But here's the important bit; certain patterns of consumption don't have to kill you to introduce a massively miserable inconvenience. And that miserable inconvenience might be so glum they might be sufficient in themselves to stop you adopting that particular pattern of behaviour. Right about then it is time to show the leg ulcer photos from injecting “jellies” [benzodiazepines], or remind them that whilst they might not run out of money to obtain it don't be surprised if you end up on the nozzle of some beardo in a phone box to get it..................Well that's where I'm at with “flu”. It probably won't kill you, but have a look at some people in hospital in the grip of influenza and ask yourself how much of an inconvenience that might pose to your lifestyle. Then ask yourself how good you'd feel if you suspected you'd inflicted that on one of your tribe. It shouldn't take death to get you thinking..............2cents

 

[nozyk]

Might I ask under what circumstances this 35 year old mother of two died from? Was she a healthy woman who contracted the flu and died from it's progression?

Yep. And that's why you wear your seat belt, don't drink or smoke or use drugs, hope to have good genetics, and make good eating habits and exercise. Mitigation of risk. I had a 35 year old mother of two die under my hands on Christmas Day. Two little kids never get to see their mom again. I thought to myself, "tell that little 7 year old girl to kiss her mommy bye before we load her into the truck," but I didn't. That was the last chance she would have ever had to kiss her mommy. That wears on a person. Get the shot. 62% is better than 0%.

My opinion only. You do what you think is best. It still is a free country for a while.

 

[jbob24]

Oh no... I carry a bottle if hand sanitizer in the car with me. If I can help and avoid being ill so easily, why not?

A passing thought for me on more than one occasion, while leaving a drive through.

Also... I'm not the least bit worried about dying from any illness, I just plain don't like being sick. It sucks.

 

[Codger_64]

Whether or not a person chooses to get the shot, it makes sense to increase one's awareness of simple preventative measures during a known epidemic. Stats are neat in a way, but consider that last year approximately 36% of the people here took those 62% effective shots. Of those who took the shots and were protected from becoming symptomatic, a percentage did contract the virus and therefore became vectors even though they themselves did not become sick.

Supplies of the innoculations are still out there at this point but they are finite. Only so many doses are manufactured each year and when they are gone, they are gone. They cannot manufacture more on demand. The number of doses manufactured are based upon the previous year's demand. Doses left over at the end of flu season are destroyed so manufacturers have little incentive to produce more than they can sell. If you want to get the shot now, don't delay. You may find that you have to shop around to find them now. People in a large city may have to find a hospital, clinic or pharmacy in a suburb or rural area to access them.

But even those who have had the innoculations should be more aware of simple measures they can employ daily during the epidemic to reduce their chances of contracting the flu virus.