Agree it is controversial, Pat. For one thing the vaccine is only 30 to 60 % effective (depending which batch), and the flu strains change all the time, making the development of one prevent-all vaccine impossible. Side effects are few, but include development of a flu-like syndrome from the injection, or full-blown flu. A rare but devastating side effect is development of Guillain-Barre syndrome (ascending paralysis). It is not usually fatal, but it can cause temporary total paralysis and dependency on a ventilator if breathing is affected.
So, what to do? The vaccine is most important for elderly who can die from the flu, and people with pulmonary diseases like emphysema.
The controversy continues.
Gene
