THE FLU VACCINE

Alex Kelly
4 days ago
6 min read

This is NOT medical advice. This is just my own personal thoughts and research I have done jotted down. This is not me telling you should or shouldn't get the flu vaccine. That choice will differ family by family.

How Serious is the Flu?

The flu can be extremely uncomfortable, but most cases do not pose and life threatening consequences. For the majority of cases the worst symptoms include vomiting, body aches, fever, congestion, and cough.

Severe cases occur when a person suffers complications that require hospitalization, such as dehydration or pneumonia.

Possible Treatments

Most cases can be treated at home, naturally. However, it can be extremely uncomfortable, so anti-nausea meds, Ibuprofen, OTC cough and cold meds may be used. In more serious cases, IVs may be required for dehydration and/or antibiotics if it evolves into pneumonia.

Is the Flu Common?

Yes, very. It is by far the most common illness that we have a vaccine for, but most cases pass without consequences.

2022-2023 Flu Stats (CDC)

31 million cases

(~9% chance of getting the flu)

360,000 hospitalizations

(~0.12% chance of hospitalization)

21,000 deaths

(~0.0063% chance of death)

"36,000 deaths a year" Fact or Fiction?

Each year in the United States, influenza leads to an estimated 100,000 hospitalizations and roughly 1,500 reported deaths. However, the CDC suggests that the actual number of flu-related deaths is closer to 36,000 annually.

This wide gap comes from the way flu deaths are tracked and reported.

The primary source of influenza data is the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), which combines flu and pneumonia deaths into one category. Since most cases of pneumonia are bacterial in origin and not directly caused by influenza, this figure can be misleading. While some bacterial pneumonia cases may be triggered by influenza (especially in older adults) it’s impossible to know exactly how many. As a result, the media and even some medical groups often state that “36,000 people die from the flu each year, most of them infants and the elderly.” This paints an inaccurate picture, suggesting the flu alone kills far more people in these groups than it actually does.

The National Center for Health Statistics, unlike the MMWR, reports flu deaths separately from pneumonia-related ones. Together with the American Lung Association, they published a 2015 analysis that looked at flu mortality across age groups over 25 years. From 1999-2013 their findings showed and average of:

36 flu only deaths in children >5
28 flu only deaths in children 5-14
83 flu only deaths in ages 15-44
26 flu only deaths in ages 45-64
1,002 flu only deaths in ages 65+

Another study of the severe 2003–2004 flu season helps illustrate the true impact of influenza. That year, which had unusually high infection and death rates, saw 153 pediatric deaths reported in 40 states. If we added in the remaining states, the number would be about 200 deaths in children under 18—a figure far lower than the thousands often cited. Similarly, reviews published by the Cochrane Collaboration have confirmed that around 1,000 flu-related deaths occur each year across all age groups, and they note that the CDC’s 36,000 estimate includes all forms of pneumonia, not just those linked to influenza.

Flu Vaccine and Pregnancy

Pregnant women face a higher risk from influenza compared to the general adult population, and the infection itself carries a small possibility of miscarriage or preterm labor. Because of this, health authorities recommend flu vaccination during pregnancy. But how strong is the safety research behind this recommendation?

One controversial study suggested that the flu vaccine could actually increase the chance of miscarriage. Until 2010, no flu vaccine had been specifically approved by the FDA for use during pregnancy because safety trials had not been conducted. At that time, package inserts clearly stated this lack of testing, and the vaccines were labeled as pregnancy risk category C—meaning animal studies had shown potential risks, but human data were absent.

In more recent years, some animal and limited human research has suggested a level of safety. As a result, several flu vaccines are now listed as pregnancy risk category B, with package inserts noting that studies in animals (such as rabbits and rats) did not reveal harm to developing fetuses. Still, these inserts also emphasize that adequate human trials are lacking, and some explicitly caution that it is not known whether flu vaccination could cause fetal harm or affect fertility. They recommend use during pregnancy only when clearly necessary.

Expectant mothers should have open discussions with their healthcare providers, weighing the risks of influenza against the potential risks of vaccination. While influenza does pose added risks in pregnancy, it is not something to fear constantly. For example, the largest study to date tracked nearly 50,000 pregnant women over five flu seasons. Only nine were hospitalized with influenza, and every one of them recovered without complications.

For breastfeeding women, vaccine safety is less certain as well. Package inserts generally state that it is unknown whether vaccine components pass into breast milk, advising caution. However, most medical professionals believe there is no significant risk - Dr. Robert W. Sears agrees with this as well. He states, even if tiny traces of viral material or preservatives were to pass through breast milk, they are unlikely to cause harm.

I love the way Dr. Robert W. Sears breaks down these next questions, in a very non-judgemental way. The following Is directly from his book, The Vaccine Book.

Some Reasons People May Choose to Get the Vaccine

Theoretically, high-risk groups (the elderly and those with chronic medical problems) stand to benefit most from the flu vaccine, since catching the flu is more likely to cause severe disease and possibly death in these groups. Infants in the first two years of life are also at slightly higher risk than older kids and healthy adults. Healthy people who live with someone in a high-risk group are often vaccinated so the high-risk family member is theoretically less likely to catch the disease. People who have suffered a difficult course of the flu in the past often get the flu vaccine to help them avoid getting it again.

If the primary wage earner in the family catches the flu and has to miss work for several days, this can create a financial burden. If a child has two working parents, one will have to miss work if the child catches the flu. Even though the flu is rarely fatal in children, it can create complications that require hospitalization. Getting a flu shot every year decreases this chance.

Severe side effects from the vaccine are rare. Research has shown that preventing the flu decreases the chance of ear infections. This may be a good reason for kids with recurrent ear infections to get the shot.

Some Reasons People May Choose Not to Get the Vaccine

Some parents are reluctant to give their young babies, and themselves, a flu shot because of the high incidence of flu-like symptoms. Although such reactions aren't an actual flu infection, the perception of having fever and body aches for a few days seems little different. Plus, the risk of febrile seizures in children under two is a concern.

The flu shot is the least effective of all vaccines. According to the CDC website, the shot has had an average efficacy of about 40 percent over the past fourteen years; one year it was only 10 percent effective.

The theoretical benefits discussed in the above section haven't been verified by research. Some studies have shown that the flu vaccine is less effective in the elderly compared to young adults, and research has failed to prove that the vaccine works in infants and toddlers at all. A large study by the Cochrane Review concluded that there isn't enough research yet to prove that the vaccine works for those under two years of age, and current research has demonstrated that it is only minimally effective in the elderly.

Furthermore, research has not proven that the vaccine prevents transmission of the disease. The main benefit seems to be that it reduces disease severity in those who catch the germ, but they still catch the germ and can pass it to others.

Breastfeeding mothers who stay at home typically view their babies as less susceptible to catching illnesses like the flu, and they are right. The number of infant deaths from the flu each year is very low. While these deaths are tragic, some parents view the risk as low enough for them to decline the shot. Some pregnant women forgo the shot due to its lack of safety research and chemical content, especially those brands with mercury.

The flu shot has more chemicals than most shots. Exposing infants and children to these chemicals may worry some parents. The flu is less likely to cause hospitalization in children over age two. Some parents don't feel it's worth getting a shot every year beyond toddlerhood. Parents know they can treat their kids with an antiviral medication if they do catch the flu, so they may feel safer about the disease. This medicine, however, is mainly indicated for high-risk groups in whom the flu is likely to be more severe.