Flu Shots

Don't waste your time getting a flu shot.

If you have an infant that is in daycare regularly, or around other kids frequently, then consider it. If you are 90+ years old, and in a nursing home around other old people with bodily fluids dripping constantly, then consider it (or not if you're looking for relief from the doldrums of the place where your un-loving children sent you to die anyway).

If you fall outside of either of the two previously described categories, do not waste your time, or your money getting a flu shot.

For a couple reasons, I feel this topic important enough to rant about.

1.
I'm a 30 year old male who excersises regularly, eats fairly well, doesn't smoke, drinks socially. Given these stats, if I do get the flu, oh well, too bad for me. I'll spew fluids from each end for a few days, get cold chills, have hot sweats, and be very uncomfortable. But i'll keep myself hydrated, and i'll live through it. Worst case, i'll miss a few days of work, which will probably do me some good anyway. Don't think you are so important that your company can do without you for a few days. Trust me, I'm 100% certain, that in the history of history, there has never been a company that has crumbled into ruins because one person called in sick. And by all means, don't take your sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching ass to work. The rest of us don't want it.

2.
This is the conspiracy theorist part of me. Feel free to reply with your opinions on this, but before you do, just take a few minutes to honestly consider the possibility.

I think there is a great need for certain parties to make sure a certain percentage of the country gets sick. There are 4 players involved here: 1) Government - they ultimately control everything, if you don't think so, you're naive. How does it feel to live in a dreamworld where you think you actually have some control in your day to day life? 2) Insurance Companies - why do they want you healthy? The more you're sick, the more you go to the Dr., the more they get paid. 3) The healthcare industry. Same as Insurance Companies. 4) Pharmacutical Industries - Hmmm, make drugs that make you think they are causing you to get better. They're not. They minimize the symptoms, but your virus (flu, (aka -influenza) is a virus), must still run its course.

This is where it gets fun. All of these 4 big players play together nicely to make sure that you do not get treated regularly to make sure you don't get sick, but only to make you "better" when you do get sick. How bout we do that the other way around. Why not take some steps toward preventative maintenance rather than waiting for our bodies to slowly rot from the inside out? In short, the government regulates the amount of drugs pharmacutical companies can produce. Hence our current flu vaccine shortage. Now, you may be asking yourself, "if the flu vaccine is designed to make you sick, then why is there a shortage, why don't they make enough to get the whole country sick?" Simple, if there's a product out there that we think we can't have because there isn't enough, as soon as it's available, we're going to flock to get it. People who might not have thought they needed it when it was readily available, start to think; "hmmm, if there isn't enough, it must be because everybody else is getting it. And if i'm the only one not getting it, I better hurry and go get it." Does that sound logical to you? Me either.

I live in Charlotte NC, and this morning, at the Charlotte Colliseum, a clinic is set to open at 9:00 a.m. with 4000 available vaccines. 1500 will be given out today, 1500 more Sunday, and 1000 more on Tuesday. On my way to work at 6:30, traffic going to the Colliseum was backed up down Tyvola all the way to South Blvd. If you're not familiar with the area, that's at least 3 miles, give or take. 2 and a half hours before the doors open. That is ludacris. If you're not sick, not old, or young, or with some disease that if you did get the flu you would be at risk of death, skip it. Leave the shots for those who are truly in need. Don't be a greedy bastard, get the runs, god knows you could stand to lose a pound or two.

People, get a clue, open your eyes, and see the wool that is being pulled over them.