I agree

it is mandatory....

I don't usually get sick; I get a cold once every three or four years. I teach school, so am exposed to a wide array of microbes on a near-daily basis. The last time (perhaps the only time??) I had the flu was 25 years ago.

Don't worry; if I ever do get the flu I will stay home so as not to spread it.

I did have pneumonia once, so was eager to get the pneumococcus vaccination when that became available.

..town once a week, so Im not exposed to-nor do I expose myself-to many ppl. Hubby is a Pharmacist and gives these shots at work but has NEVER advocated for me to ever get one. He is however very adamant that I get the pneumonia shots and the shingle shots...which I get.

Those right smack dab in the middle of the health care field know whats most effective... and whats not.

I had chicken pox as a kid, so I guess I am susceptible to it. And it sounds quite unpleasant.

I turn fifty next year, so I should get on it.

Trying to shame those of us who for medical reasons can't get a flu shot.

While medicinal practice deals with mostly-true data, the information is not absolute.

One-size-fits-all is not medical fact. If it were, we wouldn't need opticians.

I happen to be one of those people with an autoimmune disorder.

are probably the people most equipped to understand that not everyone CAN be vaccinated, and that by encouraging more people to get the vaccine we help build a herd immunity that can protect those who are unable to have the treatment.

Nobody is shaming those people.

to create herd immunity. The less effective the vaccine, the higher the percentage of the herd must be vaccinated to create herd immunity.

https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/52/7/911/299077

At its best, the flu vaccine is only 60% more effective than no vaccination at all. It has only topped 50% three years since 2003. Last year's was only 29% overall, and in my age group - only 12%. Influenza has an R0 of 2-3.

So taking the largest R0 (the most contagious), and the most effective vaccination year (60%)- 111% of the population would need to be vaccinated to create herd immunity.

Last year - again, assuming the most contagious R0, with 29% effectiveness (last year's rate), 230% of the population woudl need to be vaccinated.

Both are impossibilities.

The efficiency of the flu vaccine needs to be significantly increased in order for it to be even possible to achieve herd immunity.

While it may make sense to require immunizations for those working with particularly at risk populations (nursing homes, or example) or those in fields of high exposure (health care, for example), there is no reason to encourage people to get the vaccination for the purpose of chasing herd immunity.

You are correct that those advocating for the flu vaccines should be best able to understand the need for herd immunity - BUT - they should also best be able to explain why it is currently impossible with influenza and should not be promoting vaccinations ***for the purpose of building herd immunity***. (That is not to say they should not advocate it for other reasons, but it is dishonest to imply that those not getting the vaccination are hurting the possibility of achieving something it is currently impossible to achieve even every single person was vaccinated.)

Herd immunity would mean you are in a much safer position as well. Those not getting them for questionable reasons are your concern.

and they deserve it

There's a difference.

Herd immunity has an actual definition. Given the issues with the various flu strains, and the limitations of trying to capture that in an annual vaccine, I don't see how "herd immunity" can possibly come into play.

I don't see how this happened, and therefore, it is not possible.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=12561318

Herd immunity is possible, and a good thing to strive for with highly contagious diseases and effective vaccines.

Influenza fits neither of those characteristics. In the best year for vaccine effectiveness, taking the most contagious factor to calculate the % needed for herd immunity - 111% of the population would need to be vaccinated. 11% more people than than exist.. Last year, 230% of the population would need to have been vaccinated.

With other diseases, and more effective vaccinations, it is highly achievable (75% - 95% - depending on effectiveness and rate of contagion). with the flu, it is not.