CDC: Flu reaches epidemic in Florida and most states; 837 deaths reported

[Sancho]

10. My wife and I get the flu shots every year now...

we teach, and after years of a bunch of germ factories giving us flu over and over, we tried the shots and they work! We either don't get the flu or else it's like a mild cold. When we don't get the shots, we get the flu. It didn't take long for us to see the benefit. Our experience fits what the CDC research shows - get the shots and you will also keep from being a host to spread flu to others.

I don't know if getting all the different strains every year make a difference, but our experience is that the flu shots are a good thing.

BTW, we take vitamins, probiotics, etc., exercise, sleep, (except last night on New Years Eve) etc. In fact, we're typical health-nut hippies and very in tune with various healthy life style theories.

Try avoiding people in schools! From kindergarten to college, students love to touch you and everything else in sight, they come to school sick, and often create little local epidemics overnight too!

From my viewpoint, flu shots are one of the more successful vaccinations. When we started teaching in the 70's, you almost didn't hear about flu shots and we were lucky to have kids get basic things like polio, tetanus, etc. Flu would spread through a school and hit the majority of students and staff every year. Now, in-school vaccinations (voluntary) can cut the number catching it dramatically, not to mention reducing the symptoms if you're unlucky.