I can also tell you, anecdotally, that I have met a number of people who have caught the real flu this year even though they got their flu shot.
Now, for young and healthy people, this isn’t so important; they can survive the flu, nasty as it is. What is very important is to let the people at risk of dying from the flu know about this. Those people are senior citizens and anybody who has an immune system problem (a victim of AIDS, for example).
I’m not trying to scare anybody, I just want those at risk to know that they have a much higher chance of getting the flu this year despite being vaccinated. So stay away from people who’ve had the flu if you can, and wash your hands after being a in a public place.
This is really important for those at risk of dying from the flu. Please spread the word on this one for me, if you can.
Another group of people who should watch out for this are people who work or care for senior citizens or people with immune system problems. If you get the flu, stay the hell away from your job for a little bit; try not to spread it. Again, wash your hands regularly.
Yes, yes, even if you’re a liberal, I still want you to watch out for the flu this year. 🙂