Flu jabs

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
How come Abuse Owl's ears are so screwed up? Did Momma Owl take crack while she was...uhhh...laying eggs?!

Pulled from the CDC website (the Centre for Disease Control in the US)

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm

Updated September 2, 2005
Who should get a flu shot?
In general, anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting the flu can get vaccinated. However, certain people should get vaccinated each year. They are either people who are at high risk of having serious flu complications or people who live with or care for those at high risk for serious complications. During flu seasons when vaccine supplies are limited or delayed, including the 2005-06 season, CDC makes recommendations regarding priority groups for vaccination.

People who should get vaccinated each year are:

1.) People at high risk for complications from the flu:

People 65 years and older;
People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that house those with long-term illnesses;
Adults and children 6 months and older with chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma;
Adults and children 6 months and older who needed regular medical care or were in a hospital during the previous year because of a metabolic disease (like diabetes), chronic kidney disease, or weakened immune system (including immune system problems caused by medicines or by infection with human immunodeficiency virus [HIV/AIDS]);
Children 6 months to 18 years of age who are on long-term aspirin therapy. (Children given aspirin while they have influenza are at risk of Reye syndrome.);
Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season;
All children 6 to 23 months of age;
People with any condition that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions (that is, a condition that makes it hard to breathe or swallow, such as brain injury or disease, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other nerve or muscle disorders.)

2.) People 50 to 64 years of age . Nearly one-third of people 50 to 64 years of age in the United States have one or more medical conditions that place them at increased risk for serious flu complications.

3.) People who can transmit flu to others at high risk for complications . Any person in close contact with someone in a high-risk group (see above) should get vaccinated. This includes all health-care workers, caregivers of children 6 to 23 months of age, and close contacts of people 65 years and older.

Updated September 7, 2005
Is CDC recommending that flu shots go to “priority groups”, as was recommended last season?

To ensure that those who are at highest risk of complications from influenza have access to vaccine this season, CDC recommends that people in certain priority groups receive inactivated influenza vaccine (i.e., the “flu shot&rdquo😉 until October 24, 2005:

people aged 65 years and older, with and without chronic health conditions
residents of long-term care facilities
people aged 2–64 years with chronic health conditions
children aged 6–23 months
pregnant women
health-care personnel who provide direct patient care
household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age
Beginning October 24, 2005, all persons can get a flu shot.

The Economist has an article about a potential global pandemic on avian flu and other types of flu. It gives a good description on why flu jabs are developed every year, who produces them, and so on.

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=4423927

Based on all these sources, as long as the priority groups get their jabs first, I'll have no problem in a) companies buying flu jabs for the employess who may want them and b) me getting one.

Originally posted by DOlivier2004
Based on all these sources, as long as the priority groups get their jabs first, I'll have no problem in a) companies buying flu jabs for the employess who may want them and b) me getting one.

Originally posted by knightwest
I can see you are making the most of your friday night!!

remember: we built this city on rock and roll.

Rock on.

Originally posted by DOlivier2004
OMG, a closet Starship fan! Run away, run away....

Anyhoo, since I had no intention of following a Thursday night drinks call to 1 in the morning with another one, I felt that staying home would be the best option. That and hoping I can get the taste of alcohol out of my mouth. Ugh!