=DeusIrae
....
Originally Posted by
Modest
It is not 'basically useless' and the side effects are only very mild flu like symptoms the day of the injection. The problem is that epidemiologists have to choose which strains to defend so they pick the four most prevalent strains people have been affected with for that year. While the chances are low, if you get a rare strain that you weren't immunized against, you can still come down with it.
From the CDC:
....Can severe problems occur?
Life-threatening allergic reactions are very rare. Signs of serious allergic reaction can include breathing problems, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, a fast heartbeat, or dizziness. If they do occur, it is within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot. These reactions are more likely to occur among persons with a severe allergy to eggs, because the viruses used in the influenza vaccine are grown in hens’ eggs. People who have had a severe reaction to eggs or a flu shot in the past should not get a flu shot before seeing a physician.
Guillain-Barré syndrome: Normally, about one person per 100,000 people per year will develop Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an illness characterized by fever, nerve damage, and muscle weakness. In 1976, vaccination with the swine flu vaccine was associated with getting GBS. Several studies have been done to evaluate if other flu vaccines since 1976 were associated with GBS. Only one of the studies showed an association. That study suggested that one person out of 1 million vaccinated persons may be at risk of GBS associated with the vaccine.
What are the side effects that could occur?
Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
Fever (low grade)
Aches
The intradermal flu shot may cause other additional mild side effects including:
Toughness and itching where the shot was given
If these problems occur, they begin soon after the shot and usually last one to two days.
Can severe problems occur?
Life-threatening allergic reactions are very rare. Signs of serious allergic reaction can include breathing problems, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, a fast heartbeat, or dizziness. If they do occur, it is within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot. These reactions are more likely to occur among persons with a severe allergy to eggs, because the viruses used in the influenza vaccine are grown in hens’ eggs. People who have had a severe reaction to eggs or a flu shot in the past should not get a flu shot before seeing a physician.
Guillain-Barré syndrome: Normally, about one person per 100,000 people per year will develop Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an illness characterized by fever, nerve damage, and muscle weakness. In 1976, vaccination with the swine flu vaccine was associated with getting GBS. Several studies have been done to evaluate if other flu vaccines since 1976 were associated with GBS. Only one of the studies showed an association. That study suggested that one person out of 1 million vaccinated persons may be at risk of GBS associated with the vaccine.
In other words, you can have "life threatening" side effects. Also, it's essentially a useless vaccine, as I noted, particularly for healthy adults (P.S. it's only for 3 strains, not 4). Unless you're old, very young, or sickly, you're better off not getting the vaccine.
CDC - Seasonal Influenza (Flu) - Q & A: Seasonal Flu Shot
