Damn that flu bug!

originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Many school systems do not allow children to participate without some vaccines. Flu vaccine is not on the list of required vaccines, although schools must be a key locus of virus transfer. What criteria do these systems apply to determine which vaccines are 'enforceable,' and why isn't flu vaccine widely included?
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Some school systems "teach the controversy". I doubt there is a uniform criteria, but it's not really my thing.
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I was trying to feel my way towards whether there is, in practice, a kind of criterion that legitimizes government sanction of non-vaccinators in the eyes of the general public.

People - hairless great apes that we are - aren't especially rational decision-makers as a group.
 
New study from today's MMWR here.

The punchline is: "These adjusted VE estimates indicate that vaccination with the 201213 influenza season vaccine reduced the risk for outpatient medical visits resulting from influenza by approximately one half to two thirds for most persons, although VE was lower and not statistically significant among older adults. Antiviral medications should be used as recommended for treatment of suspected influenza in certain patients, including those aged ≥65 years, regardless of their influenza vaccination status."

Much to discuss here, but no time now.
 
My doc says I have a whacking good case of bronchitis now. (I knew it wasn't the flu!) I mentioned that I couldn't taste anything because my sinuses are all stuffed. He shook his head and said my tastebuds are all swollen and they won't work in that condition.

I don't think I knew that tastebuds could swell.
 
One of the strains -- H3N2, which accounted for about 18% of cases this year -- got fouled up in the manufacturing process; its protective power was compromised, lowering overall efficacy from 60-70% down to 40-50%. By the time they realized something went wrong, it was too late to do anything about it.
 
Ooops.

Those manufacturing processes for old vaccines like flu are like mass-producing souffles. It's amazing they don't have more trouble than they do.

Whole lotta secret sauce.
 
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