The flu shot is not the same as getting childhood shots for Measles, Mumps and Rubella. Or tetanus, or polio. The flu shot, while not personally effective in avoiding every type of flu virus that goes around, does assist in some strains infecting multiple hosts and then, doing what it does, and that is evolve and spread some more. Flu strains are adaptive and we’ll never have a vaccine that is effective against all of them, but people who work in those ‘petri dish’ areas where they concentrate and mutate in their warm, obliging hosts, should be taking the inoculation because, while not totally effective like polio or small pox has been, it’s the best we got and, while it isn’t totally evident, it does help.
Some shots need to be mandatory, now more than ever. Measles, whooping cough (pertusis) and polio and rubella need to be on the list of mandatory. We haven’t wiped out polio yet, folks! There is also a shot against HPV now, so we do have a cure for that form of cancer, which is HUGE! Hepatitis A and B are also important. Hep A because the planet is getting crowded and has a more mobile population. Hep B because a small child infected can incur long term health problems. 90% of adults that become infected clear the infection themselves, but it’s totally avoidable, so there is no reason to take the chance. Also, if you are a woman of childbearing years, you need to make sure you don’t have Hep B. This is something on the screening list along with other STDs. (along with Hep C, but there is no cure for that one, I’m afraid)
Small children who aren’t finished with their full immunisation yet are particularly vulnerable. A visit from a cousin or friend who is vaccinated and carrying (incubating) a bacteria like pertussis, but is asymptomatic, will kill an infant or, at best, but the baby and family through agony. It happens far too much. Same with measles. The baby’s immune system isn’t built up yet with the vaccines, so THAT family that is trying to vaccinate their child against these diseases end up getting them anyway because people are walking petri dishes, spreading them around. So, it isn’t just the kids who’s parent’s have decided not in inoculate that are going to get sick. EVERYONE is going to have to keep their babies in the bubble for 3 years until their immune systems are fully inoculated. Just get immunised. If you don’t, you are a selfish asshole who can go live on your isolated ‘disease island’ somewhere.