I wholeheartedly believe in them. My daughter gets pneumonia numerous times per year. The flu shot won't prevent her fron getting other illnesses but can make the difference in some of the illnesses becoming life threatening. The flu shot is a moment of discomfort that can save your life. Our whole family gets them annually, as soob as they are available!

Can you say mercury?

Believing in flu shots is irrelevant. You can believe in God or not believe in God. Studies show that the flu vaccine is 59% effective at best and 7% at the worst. Most flu vaccines contain mercury (25 micrograms) in the form of thimerosal which has never been safety tested. Consider these facts. Safe drinking water must contain less than 2 parts per billion mercury. Substances containing over 200 ppb mercury are considered hazardous waste. A thimerosal containing flu vaccine contains 50,000 ppb mercury! This is not a typo. Yes, unused flu vaccines must be discarded as hazardous waste. We should not be letting these near our schools, never mind injecting them into our children. And pregnant women? Are you kidding me? God help us!

No offence bruce, but studies can be found on bth sides of this. One thing we all know is the severe outbreaks in the US anyway have not been any where near the major ones in history. For me it like those who are against all vaccinations and such that obviously stopped many an epidemic in this country and around the world. Are there problems with some of these in certain individual? Yes. However the risk are minicule compared to the loss of life for doing nothing. I refer to the following and could post many a fact of history on deseases that have decimated populations that no longer happen., because of these shots, especially in 3rd world countries. I would not risk my children on studies that cannot give an example of there suppositions that the risk of getting the shot, outweighs the epidemic to the population if not getting it. Thats how I see it anyway.

The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 killed more people than the Great War, known today as World War I (WWI), at somewhere between 20 and 40 million people. It has been cited as the most devastating epidemic in recorded world history. More people died of influenza in a single year than in four-years of the Black Death Bubonic Plague from 1347 to 1351. Known as "Spanish Flu" or "La Grippe" the influenza of 1918-1919 was a global disaster.

Look also to polio, typhoid, avian flu, small pocks, and so many others in just the last 100 years that vaccines have virtially wiped out, or made allmost on existent.

Bruce-where are you getting your information that "most flu shots contain mercury?" According to the CDC, "The single–dose units are made without thimerosal as a preservative because they are intended to be opened and used only once." As a mother to an immuno-compromised child, the flu could mean DEATH. The flu can be fatal not only to those with underlying medical conditions but also to otherwise healthy people. Even IF there is trace amounts of mercury in the vaccine, the risk is worth survival.

Also Bruce, sugges you read the history of "thimerosal" which has been used as a preservative to stop vaccines from contamination and has save childrens lives because of its use since the 1930's. So again saying that it is not been safely tested is not true t all. After 80 years I would say tey have all the data they need to know o the dangers of that element. Check it out at.

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/UCM096228

Not all flu vaccines contain mercury.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/thimerosal.htm

The single–dose units are made without thimerosal as a preservative because they are intended to be opened and used only once. Additionally, the live–attenuated version of the vaccine (the nasal spray vaccine), is produced in single–dose units and does not contain thimerosal.

Oh well Da Bears ;-]

3000 people died on 9/11. 30,000 in the U. S. die from the flu or complications from the flu each year. I'll take my chances with the shot!!! If we got as angry about deaths from the flu as 9/11, more folks would get the shot.!!

The November issue of “Scientific American” had a really good article on why we believe what we believe. The author makes the point that belief is distinct from, and essentially unrelated to, scientific inquiry and fact-based analysis. As the author reminds us, belief, once settled, discards all evidence which contradicts our established conviction. At its best belief forms the basis of faith - which can be a powerful force for good.
At its worst, it causes us to ignore real and present threats.
As a survivor of the polio pandemics of the 1950’s (I didn’t get polio, but many kids around my home did), I’m just grateful most people accept the evidence of the CDC and FDA and get their kids vaccinated - and their flu shot.
Dick
PS. If you want to avoid mercury, don’t eat tuna.

In 1997 the flu struck my family. My then 3 year old who has autism spent 2 weeks curled in a ball, unable to understand why he felt so awful. He became severely dehydrated and was almost hospitalized. At the same time I had a 103 deg fever and was too sick to drive him to the doctor. My husband, who was the only one that got the flu shot that year had to stay home from work to care for all of us but never got sick. My son and I both developed secondary infections and it was over a month before we fully recovered. We all have gotten vaccinated each year since then and none of us has gotten the flu since! The flu is a serious illness and everyone should protect themselves by getting vaccinated! Don't forget the it is also available in nasal mist form for healthy children and adults under 50.

What happened to that autistic child? He has grown from a non verbal, non social 3 yr old, to a six foot tall junior at PHS taking precalculus just like everyone else. All those years of vaccinations haven't done him a bit of harm.

P.S. He is getting vaccinated at school today!

Never have, never will. Eat right, exercise, wash your hands. All the things that prevent the flu. My son and I haven't gotten the flu or a flu shot.

Patricia, this is a good link on vaccines and autism, levels of mercury in said vaccines. I found it interesting reading anyway ;-}

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/thimerosal.htm

This idea is Off Topic..but I will suggest it anyhow in hopes it will make people THINK. about the possibility. I have a theory about the cause of Autism. 40+ years of the PILL. Introducing chemicals on a regular basis to the body. We think we are cheating mother nature.......Maybe .maybe not. Maybe WE are not as smart as we would like to think. NOT trying to stir the pot...trying to stir THOUGHT.

I have never gotten the flu-shot, but have gotten the flu 2 times in the last 10 years. The first time put me in the hospital because of complications with an already stressed immune system, the second time, the following year, within the first few days of all the same symptoms, including uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea,fever, etc.. I tried a new treatment that i had just come across: http://www.miraclemineral.org/
I had my doubts at first of course but I figured the treatment was relatively safe when I saw this product:
http://www.rei.com/product/736898/potable-aqua-chlorine-dioxide-tablets-package-of-30
Within three days I felt good enough to go back to work. This worked for me and that is all I can say.
The thought of getting the shot never crossed my mind. Have you seen this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU8nSn5Ezd8&feature=related
The CDC says mercury is safe as Jim Donahue' s link reveals. It's true that they don't all contain mercury, but insist that they are ALL safe. Hmmm.
Ultimately though, I believe free will to be an absolute. If you want to put anything into your body that is always a decision that is entirely up to you, but at least do the minimal to protect yourself by doing some of your own research first.

The EPA won't allow you to throw a vial of flu vaccine into the trash. It is highly neurotoxic hazardous waste. But the CDC says it's safe to put into your children. Follow the money. Look at the financial ties of CDC's ACIP members. They decide who gets what. Google the recent Cochran Collaboration report on safety and efficacy of flu vaccines. This was in the national news just last week. Cochrane sets the global gold standard for research. Flu vaccines rarely work. In fact, kids who get the vaccine are hospitalized for flu three times more often than unvaccinated kids. But if you still choose to believe the propaganda the CDC and pharma companies shove down your throat and want that vaccine, please request one that is free of mercury. Don't take an unnecessary risk. Mercury exposure has been linked to autism, ADHD, asthma, Alzheimer's - and that's just the A's.

I have been a flight attendant (flying mostly international) for 22 years and so am exposed to all kinds of germs - and I've never had the flu or gotten a flu shot. I have a good immune system - probably because of my exposure to germs, and because I eat healthy and exercise. So for me, no flu shot. However, I think for some people, especially those with compromised immune systems or the elderly, it's a good idea.