My friend Brad texted me during the Michigan-Michigan State football game yesterday telling me I have to read the flu shot article in the WSJ and write about it. Well, I got home from the BIG Michigan victory (Go Blue!) and promptly read the November 16, 2019 article. This article must have been supplied to the WSJ writer by Big Pharma as this was nothing more than a promotional spot for why we should be vaccinated against the flu.
Let me give you my opinion and the true facts behind the flu vaccine then you can make an informed choice on whether to receive the flu vaccination or not. When you decide, please post your comments on my blog or email me at [email protected]. I love hearing from my readers whether you agree with me or not. I will go through much of the article and comment on what is true and what is fake news.
The WSJ article starts by stating, “Each year, influenza sickens millions of people. But typically, too few Americans get the flu shot to shield everyone from the contagious disease.” The article then states that babies and those who cannot be vaccinated are put at risk when people decide to forgo the flu vaccine.
True News: Yes, millions do get the flu each year.
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Fake News: The flu shot has NEVER BEEN SHOWN to prevent transmission of the flu. The best it can do is to limit the symptoms in an infected person. That person can still transmit the flu virus to others. The flu vaccine is not the only vaccine that fails to stop the spread of disease. Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio (injectable) and the meningitis vaccines all fail to prevent the spread of the respective illnesses, but that’s another article. To claim the flu shot will protect the spread of influenza to those with immune systems that are vulnerable is…FAKE NEWS!
The article states, “…there are life-threatening conditions that the {influenza virus} can trigger, including inflammation of the heart, brain or spinal cord. A nursing expert stated, “It’s really the complications related to the flu that we should be scared about. That’s what the vaccine helps to prevent or reduce.”
True News: Influenza can cause serious complications including those mentioned above. The greatest risk of complications from the flu do occur in children and the elderly.
Fake News: The flu shot has NEVER BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS PNEUMONIA OR HOSPTILIZATION FROM INFLUENZA INFECTION IN CHILDREN, HEALTHY ADULTS AND THE ELDERLY! Cochrane is an independent group of scientists who evaluate evidence from research. They do not take funding from Big Pharm and other commercial interests and therefore their reviews should be carefully weighed. A 2018 Cochrane Review on Vaccines for Preventing Influenza in Healthy Children (1) reported that there was “…no data on…hospitalisation{sic}.” The authors further reported limited evidence for the treatment of lower respiratory tract disease (i.e., pneumonia). The Cochrane authors further state, “To date no studies have adequately measured or reported hospitalisation (sic) {benefits of the influenza vaccine}.”
