I'm throwing a flu shot poll, and you're invited!

[snugglekitty]

[Poll #1463704]

Comments

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I am terrified of flu shots, for a rather unique reason. I haven't had the flu in over 14 year. I've only had the flu twice in my adult life, and both times I was on death's door for a month.

What I'm afraid of is being one of those rare but real people who reacts badly and dies from the shot. I know that doesn't happen often, but probably the people who did die of it were told "Oh, that hardly ever happens."

[pink-pet.livejournal.com]

I'm not in the target age for the regular flu, but I get it because my wife works at a nursing home. And we can get them free at my place of employment. Each year they bring in a nurse to give out free flu shots. And then they serve us lunch. (I had the flu once about 10 years ago and was in bed for two weeks. It's pretty awful when you do get it.)

I'll consider getting the H1N1 maybe later in the season after a large population has gotten it. Again, I'm not really in the target age for it and I'm generally healthy. So I don't see a need to rush out and be first in line.

[alisoninsweden.livejournal.com]

I'm very much pro-vaccine, especially for something like the flu that is so highly contagious. One of the things I do for extra money (among other reasons) is volunteer as a healthy control subject for new vaccine development. As long as you are not allergic to any of the components (which they will ask you about beforehand) and do not have a compromised immune system, there is little to no risk. Unfortunately, people with compromised immune systems are the people who need to be protected the most, and vaccines are riskier for them. This is one of the problems that immunologists are working on.

[devoken.livejournal.com]

I'm also very pro-vaccines (I don't get flu shots, but I think it's very important that they - and other vaccines - exist) and I think it's great that you're volunteering for vaccine testing. In fact, you've inspired me to do the same. However, I don't know where to start. Could you point me to some places where I could sign up?

[alisoninsweden.livejournal.com]

Sure! I don't live in Boston anymore, so I don't know specifically which studies are going on now, but as I'm sure you know, Boston has a lot of research hospitals. I have done vaccine studies in the past at Brigham & Women's Hospital and at Tufts. Here's a link for current clinical trials at Partners Health Care: http://www.brighamandwomens.org/research/microClinicalTrial.aspx If you click on "Healthy Volunteers" and then scroll down and click on "Vaccines" there is information on how to enroll (this blurb talks about their HIV vaccine research, and I know that this group studies other things in addition to that as well). Also, there are often ads for clinical trial recruitment in the newspaper and on Craigslist (under "volunteers" in the community section or "etc." in the jobs section).