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Influenza out break on Sirena


St Paul Girl
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Jay;

 

 

 

I’ve seen people wheeled in with wheelchairs, hacking, coughing, and spitting. My thoughts have been “please lord, don’t let them be sitting by me!”

 

 

 

Why do you constantly demean disabled people? You could be one someday.

 

 

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Just to mention in the UK, it is only recommended to get a flu shot if people are over 65 years old, or have an underlying health condition.

 

Just curious, where did you get your facts from?

This? :eek:

https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/flu-influenza-vaccine.aspx

Enjoy your cruise. :)

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Just curious, where did you get your facts from?

This? :eek:

https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/flu-influenza-vaccine.aspx

Enjoy your cruise. :)

 

''65 and overs and the flu jab

You are eligible for the flu vaccine this year (2017-18) if you will be aged 65 and over on March 31 2018 ''

 

Unless you have a medical condition it is not available on the NHS for under 65's. I wouldn't mind paying for it, but my doctor recommended not getting it, as I am fit and healthy.

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Oddly enough, some researchers feel that even if this year's flu shot is not all that good for this year's flu, it has a long-term cumulative effect. There is some evidence for this. The 1918 flu epidemic killed almost entirely young people. Researchers think one reason might have been that those over about 25 had been exposed to a variant of that flu soon before 1900, and their immunity saved them. So, each year, you get a flu shot, and it gives you some immunity to the strains included, even though they might mutate over the years. Of course, like all medical research, they might "discover" something entirely different next year. We can only do our best, right? But, in an average year, flu kills about 30,000 Americans. Roughly similar to the number of gun deaths (including suicides, etc.) or the number of traffic deaths. I don't know about you, but if I could get a vaccine that might save me from being killed by those two methods, I would take it.

 

 

 

Someone mentioned a quarantine, but that is logistically impossible.

 

I tend to agree with the "cumulative effect" theory. I have had flu shots for over 40 years, and I never get the flu. I rarely get colds anymore but I attribute that to much reduced contact with children under 18. All our Grandchildren are grown.

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I tend to agree with the "cumulative effect" theory. I have had flu shots for over 40 years, and I never get the flu. I rarely get colds anymore but I attribute that to much reduced contact with children under 18. All our Grandchildren are grown.

 

Yes. I am also allergic to children.

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Yes they do. ESP on the first few cases of the season. That’s how they id the actual strain.

 

I read last week that the southern and northern hemispheres often but not always alternate the strains. They don’t know if it travels north to south or vice versa.

 

One of the variants is more lethal in the elderly, the other in the younger population. Sorry I don’t remember the specifics. It’s a guessing game. Sometimes they win and sometimes they lose.

 

I had once over 20 years ago. Was in my late thirties as I had toddler at the time. Was sick all winter with brief respites long enough to buy groceries and do laundry, then back to bed for another week or two. After that we all got the vaccine. ESP imp for husband and son who have asthma. No incidents since then. Maybe just lucky.

 

At the time we had to pay for it so not many people got it, even though only $20. Shortly after that Ontario began to provide for free. Hard to believe but there are many who still don’t get the vaccine.

 

Mo

 

 

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Lots of us don't get it because there is research coming out showing that getting the flu shot multiple years actually reduces the effectiveness of the vaccines on your body. Given that generally the efficacy rate is low anyway, my family chooses not to get the flu shot at all and it includes one immunocompromised person. We are definitely pro vaccine- but not pro flu vaccine specifically.

 

https://www.statnews.com/2015/11/11/flu-shots-reduce-effectiveness/

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Lots of us don't get it because there is research coming out showing that getting the flu shot multiple years actually reduces the effectiveness of the vaccines on your body. Given that generally the efficacy rate is low anyway, my family chooses not to get the flu shot at all and it includes one immunocompromised person. We are definitely pro vaccine- but not pro flu vaccine specifically.

 

https://www.statnews.com/2015/11/11/flu-shots-reduce-effectiveness/

 

I think you have misread the article. A theory is postulated to explain occasional observations of an annual vaccine that is less effective than predicted. The article quotes the doctor proposing the theory as recommending continued annual flu vaccination and clearly states that there has been no systematic research on this theory. I have copied below a couple of quotes from the doctor interviews for this article. I think you have taken entirely the wrong message from this article.

 

“In every scenario, it is better for people to be vaccinated than not vaccinated,” he said. “It would not be, I think, accurate or helpful for people to take away from this ‘Oh, well, I shouldn’t get vaccinated because I got vaccinated in the past and that’s a bad thing.’ ”

 

“The policy of vaccinating every year has been generally successful,” Belongia said. “We wouldn’t want to change that unless we know for sure that we’re changing it to something that’s going to be better. And right now I don’t think we have any good idea what that would be.’’

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Bobbie;

 

People purposely misread the information. The flu shot is always recommended, especially for those over 65.

 

We’ve had the same discussion on these boards, and this thread even, with the yellow fever shot. The CDC advises everyone going to specific locations to get the yellow fever vaccine. Then we have posters crying they’ To frail to get the vaccine, but not to frail to be bitten by mosquitoes!

 

Some of the anti vaccine group will always argue against getting vaccines.

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Bobbie;

 

People purposely misread the information. The flu shot is always recommended, especially for those over 65.

 

We’ve had the same discussion on these boards, and this thread even, with the yellow fever shot. The CDC advises everyone going to specific locations to get the yellow fever vaccine. Then we have posters crying they’ To frail to get the vaccine, but not to frail to be bitten by mosquitoes!

 

Some of the anti vaccine group will always argue against getting vaccines.

 

We always get our flu shot, and so far we have not got the flue since we started getting the shots, whether through luck, our constitutions or. the vaccine.

We heve been told by a couple of doctors, that the vaccine we get every year is an educated guess by the experts, as to which strain of the flu virus will be dominant in North America in any given year. The result is, there are potential issues. Firstly the if experts guess wrong and secondly the dominant strain here, in North America, may be different from Asia or the Middle East. As a result, people like us and many others on this forum, who travel all over the world, may bring back a "foreign" flu virus, infecting some folks here at home, who have got their flu shot against the local variant.

 

The last time I had the flu, before I began getting the shot, was a very memorable experience that I will do what I can to avoid repeating. Therefore, we get the shot, even if it may only be partially effective.

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Bobbie;

 

People purposely misread the information. The flu shot is always recommended, especially for those over 65.

 

We’ve had the same discussion on these boards, and this thread even, with the yellow fever shot. The CDC advises everyone going to specific locations to get the yellow fever vaccine. Then we have posters crying they’ To frail to get the vaccine, but not to frail to be bitten by mosquitoes!

 

Some of the anti vaccine group will always argue against getting vaccines.

 

Speaking of "misreading information", see this about Yellow fever and elderly on the CDC site:

https://www.cdc.gov/yellowfever/qa/index.html

Specifically (highlighting and underlining mine):

 

Who should not get yellow fever vaccine?

 

Infants younger than 6 months of age should not get the vaccine. In addition, anyone with a severe allergy to any part of the vaccine, including eggs, chicken proteins, or gelatin should not get the vaccine. Anyone who has had a severe reaction to a previous dose of yellow fever vaccine should not be vaccinated again.

If you have any of the following conditions, your healthcare provider can help you decide whether you can safely receive the vaccine:

  • HIV/AIDS or other disease that affects the immune system
  • Weakened immune system as a result of cancer or other medical conditions, transplant, or drug treatment (such as steroids, chemotherapy, or others that affect immune function)
  • Thymus disorder
  • Adults 60 years of age and older
  • Infants 6 – 8 months of age
  • Pregnant women and nursing mothers

That's a whole lot of people who may be advised by their health care provider NOT to get the Yellow Fever vaccine rather than just deciding by themselves not to get it..

In addition it also states:

"For some countries, there are only certain areas where there is a risk for yellow fever; for those countries, more specific information is given in the chart to guide the recommendation for vaccination."

So just because you are visiting a certain country on the list, you may not be at risk in certain areas and thus may choose not to get the vaccine.

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I have been vaccinated for the gamut of ills - Hep A,B,C/ Typhoid/Shingles/Pneumonia . Thank goodness. I cite an example. Some relatives contracted Shingles and spread it around. It was devastating. My wife and I (vacinnated) were spared. NO publication/study can convince me that these vaccines are ineffective. Remember all these medical studies, whether pro or con, are funded by organizations that are promoting their mission. Consider, as an example, the fake news of whether fat, carb or all other diets are healthy. As long as I can remember, the fads came and went, but all were based on some "study" endorsed by an MD. Got to ask yourself, who made a buck?

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Stay healthy.

This makes me wonder if the flu strain circulating on board is matched with what is included in US and European vaccines this year and if Oceania requires that its staff receive a flu shot each year.

Given that many Oceania passengers would be considered high-risk for flu complications (given their age and/or underlying health status), and the inherent close contact found on cruise ships, it would seem that they should.

 

No.

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I don't see how the airlines would have the capacity to monitor everyone's health and deny boarding to those with symptoms. Unfortunately, airlines are relatively unforgiving when it comes to cancellation and change fees so the honor system might work to a point if the airlines relaxed those penalties.

Also, not everyone with a cough has a communicable disease or has a communicable disease in its transmissible period- again, it's beyond the capacity of an airline to determine this.

 

Just an FYI if you're interested - you're referring to "isolation" when you talk about separating ill individuals from people who aren't sick.

"Quarantine" is the separation of people who are not ill, but potentially exposed, from others who are not exposed or ill in order to break a chain of transmission.

 

No.

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I don't see how the airlines would have the capacity to monitor everyone's health and deny boarding to those with symptoms. Unfortunately, airlines are relatively unforgiving when it comes to cancellation and change fees so the honor system might work to a point if the airlines relaxed those penalties.

Also, not everyone with a cough has a communicable disease or has a communicable disease in its transmissible period- again, it's beyond the capacity of an airline to determine this.

 

Just an FYI if you're interested - you're referring to "isolation" when you talk about separating ill individuals from people who aren't sick.

"Quarantine" is the separation of people who are not ill, but potentially exposed, from others who are not exposed or ill in order to break a chain of transmission.

 

No.

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  • 2 weeks later...

If you have had the yellow fever shot you no longer have to be revacinated. This is what we were told this year before we went to Africa. They said the shot we had was valid for life.

 

Some people get the flu if they get the flu shot my daughter for one no longer gets it because she gets very sick after it each time. For allergy reasons I am now advised not to take it. It works differently for different folks.

 

It would be nice if when people sneezed or coughed that they did cover their mouths and noses but not everyone will do that. That is part of human nature. Some of us think of others and some do not.

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I wonder if it is a case of:

 

 

 

1. Worldly travelers not getting their flu shot as recommended; or

 

 

 

2. Wrong flu shots?

 

 

 

Hard to imagine that a line like O doesn’t mandate all its employees get the flu shot. Maybe even a couple.

 

 

 

I do know that it’s been an issue where some passengers refuse to get recommended shots , such as yellow fever shots, before taking cruises. Really have to wonder how much that’s coming into play? A flu shot is cheap, painless, and easy to get.

 

 

 

I am coming a little late to this “session”but i am wondering if you all believe everyone should get all vaccinations all the time regardless since they are so “cheap”.

 

I am allergic to eggs and cannot get any vaccination made from chickens or egg protein, which is most of them, including every flu shot i have ever heard of. Fortunately, I was not allergic when i was a child; this is an adult onset situation so I have had all of the childhood vaccinations. My primary physician, whom I have had for over 20 years, expressed concern when the allergy was discovered (after several violent food reactions and some investigation). He told me i couldn’t have any vaccinations from chickens or eggs and that included pneumonia, flu and shingles.

 

So i would ask that before you criticize those who don’t get shots as uncaring and/or cheap, or worse, please consider that they may be a very good reason why they don’t get certain vaccinations.

 

 

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People should consult their doctors for what shots they should or should not have

The crew have to have a complete medical before joining the ship maybe a flu shot is in that requirement

I know a friend who works as a nurse on HAL occasionally had to have her shot for the flu before joining the ship

 

That said ...I never get the flu shot & have not had the flu since 1976

My sister had the shot & a week later had the flu her DH did not have the shot & was fine

read into it what you will

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Our PCP says the flu vaccine is available without the egg . He orders a few in every year with the regular vaccines. Your PCP can either order them in for you, or direct you to a clinic where they are available. The vaccines have shelf lives and they don’t want to order them in to not us them.

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Sorry about your sister getting the flu LHT28. However, when you receive a flu shot you are advised that it takes at least 2 weeks for the flu vaccination to become effective. You can get the flu within the first 2 weeks after having the flu shot.

That is absolutely true.

In addition, and as discussed in this thread, some years the match is not good at all.

During the past year, the H3N2 strain has mutated to a point where the current vaccine isn't a good match.

I don't think anyone has suggested that the flu vaccine is 100% effective. It's really all about reducing risk.

I know that some people think the flu shot can cause the flu. It can't. That's just basic science.

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