Is there any correlation, positive or negative, between receiving a flu shot and getting the flu?
4 thoughts on “Just wondering”
Comments are closed.
Trivia that matter
Is there any correlation, positive or negative, between receiving a flu shot and getting the flu?
Comments are closed.
It depends on the year. Each year the NIH makes an educated guess as to what strains of flu are likely to be common the next winter. They pick 3, and that’s what the drug companies use to create the vaccines.
If NIH guesses right and you get a flu shot, then you won’t get what’s “going around”. If they guess wrong, then the flu shot is useless and you have just as much chance of getting sick as you would have if you hadn’t had a shot.
Anecdotally, it’s around 1-1. Get a flu shot, get the flu. Statistically, you are no MORE likely to get the flu if you get a flu shot, and probably a bit LESS likely. As far as the timing, it is statistically within the margin of error.
Personally, every time I’ve looked at the data for the correlation of getting the flu to getting a flu shot, the correlation is within the margin of error but seems to frequently trend TOWARD a greater correlation.
I can only speak from personal experience, but if I get a flu shot, I will get the flu. 100% chance.
If I DON’T get a shot, I usually don’t get the flu. I don’t understand it either.
It is a requirement at work now to get the flu shot. I have gotten the shot last year and this year, and have not gotten the flu. Then again, I don’t usually get the flu anyway.