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Add to FavoritesWith current concerns such as the H1N1 virus, otherwise known as the "swine flu" as well as it being flu season the subject of flu shots is a buzz in the media now. I believe that they can be a mixed blessing and unfortunately there is no maybe tab for this debate. Flu shots can be rather effective for those with underdeveloped immune systems or weak immune systems, in other words, those more susceptible to get the flu in the first place. These categories mainly being the elderly and children. When I was younger I got the flu shots on a time frame which was dictated mandatory by my schools; and once a actually got pretty sick. Since then I haven't but plan on it when I'm a senior with a much weaker immune system. Flu shots like almost everything have pros and cons which I will go into greater detail in the follow order:
1. A Brief History of Flu Shots
2.Cons of Flu Shots
3. Benefits of Flu Shots
A need for influenza vaccines has been apparent as early as the 1500's but has been around since the early 1900's. One of the first vaccines was for The "Spanish Flu", where viral growth in hens' eggs was discovered which led to an early form of a vaccine. Unfortunately approximately 30 million people died before any vaccine was established. Since then many other vaccines have been created and administered for more apparent "epidemics" such as Asian Flu, Hong Kong Flu and more recently Swine Flu. How a Flu Shot actually works is (in instances of injection) a dead form of the virus is injected into one's bloodstream where antibodies will fight off the infection just like any other infection, however the since the virus is dead and inactive you do not experience the side effects of the flu- that being the case ONLY if the virus is dead, which leads me to my next point.
Vaccines can lead to Latrogenic (vaccine-induced) diseases. Such diseases are caused by strains of the disease being active within the vaccine. Cases such as these are extremely rare but prevalent. recent studies have even shown that chemicals from the Polio vaccine have been associated with tumors. Objectively, getting sick is extremely rare from vaccination but those with immune conditions are more vulnerable.
Flu Shots help build the immune system making the antibodies which fight infection off stronger; ultimately this builds the immune system up, which as I said before is good for those with underdeveloped or weak immune systems. Although to this affect there is no substantial proof. Although isn't it better to be safe than sorry?
There are benefits as well as detriments to Flu Shots. Anyone considering getting the shot for themselves or children should get informed (as you should for any medication your considering taking), Make your own informed decisions, most people think they absolutely need flu shots in order to be safe, although this makes me consider that mass media has had an effect on them and whats really happening is the placebo effect. Information regarding Flu Shots can be found through this link :
Learn more about this author, Julian Klazinga.
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No
The value of a flu shot lies with its effectiveness in meeting its purpose: preventing the recipient from catching the flu. It does not.
A flu shot is not an anti-serum in itself. Influenza takes many forms and mutations each year, and a vaccine is simply a collection of strains that the World Health Organization believes will be the predominant strains for that coming flu season. The virus is often grown in fertilized hen eggs, extracted, purified and "inactivated" to create a vaccine of inactivated virus. The vaccine is injected, the body, in theory, creates immunities to these inactive strains of viruses and is protected against those strains.
However, the vaccine does not guarantee you will not catch the flu. The body may react to the inactive viruses as if it is an actual virus, and develop a full-borne illness in reaction, defeating the purpose of the shot.
Also, if a flu strain not covered by the vaccine goes around, if the WHO guessed wrong on forthcoming strains, or if forthcoming strains mutate before they go around, you can contract it and get sick anyway even if vaccinated. Given it takes manufacturers six months or so to formulate and produce a flu vaccine for a given season, this is entirely possible.
There is also the remote chance of a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine. Plus, people with egg or poultry allergies cannot receive the vaccine, since it is cultivated in hen eggs.
Also consider the strengthening effect on an immune system of battling a full-borne flu. The system develops strength and immunities to subsequent flus of that strain from battling and defeating a flu virus. The body can sometimes even fight off subsequent strains without getting physically ill. Taking in a weakened shell of the virus, however, does not develop the strength in an immune system to quickly fight off subsequent flus, increasing the likelihood that a virus going around will break a person's immune system and infect that person.
In light of looming flu threats such as the avian flu, many people clamor for flu shots before flu season. In times of shortage, only a selection of the population's most vulnerable get selected to receive it: children and elderly, plus medical personnel. For the elderly, it's not a bad choice given their immune systems get weaker over time. For medical personnel who must work with the sick, it's not a bad idea to protect from whatever strains you can.
For everyone else, however, flu shots aren't an effective option. The shots are often expensive, and they frequently don't do their job: to protect you from catching the flu. They also don't allow your body to develop strong immunities to true flu strains, instead developing half-shell immunities to weakened, inactive versions of the strain, which can complicate your body's ability to repel sicknesses down the road.
The average citizen is better served taking vitamins, eating right, keeping clean and taking other preventative measures to preventing and overcoming the flu.
Learn more about this author, Steven Gomez.
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