Flu Shots?
Are flu shots really worth it?
So let’s talk about flu vaccines. Every year the media tells us whether or not we should get them. Some people are in favor for the shot and some are very against it. In my personal experience, it is just not worth your time. It’s not like I have an amazing immune system and I just don’t get sick so the shot is not going to make a difference. I actually have a more weak immune system and am notorious for getting sick often in the colder months. But, I still refuse to get my flu shot.
What exactly makes a flu vaccine work? Well it really depends on the virus that is spreading. There are multiple different viruses of the flu, so it is hard to know for sure which one the vaccine will cover. It can also depend on the person getting the shot. The shot would be useless to someone who is having serious health problems because in that case the shot won’t help with anything. The ideal candidate for a flu shot is a young person who is in good health. However, the flu shot can help some people with certain health conditions, one of them being cardiac issues. The vaccine is also very helpful and recommended to women who are pregnant. Even if the flu shot does not effectively work, it can still reduce the severity of the flu. Studies show that it can reduce the risk of flu illness by 40%-60%- Why do people not get it then?
For many people after they get the shot they get side effects or it can cause them to get the “flu”. This is the main reason I do not get the vaccine. Every time I have gotten the shot I have gotten sick afterwards, and it never helped with the amount of times I would get sick in the winter. So in my case it was just a waste of time.
In a poll from students at Oakton High School 49 voters said they do get the flu shot and 29 voters said they do not get it. One voter Jackson Smith (10) said “My mom made me, 0/10 would not recommend.” Another voter who, Carly Odom (9) said, “ I used to but my parents did not notice it helping so we stopped getting it.” Most of the other voters said they got the flu shot because of their parents or did not get it because of their parents.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/time-change-flu-vaccine
Hi! I'm Zoe and am a senior at Oakton High School. I have been on the Outlook since my freshman year and am so excited to be an editor-in-chief this year....
