Getting a flu shot is a topic of heated debate out in the world today. This is especially true considering everything happening right now with the covid-19 virus. The larger issue of vaccines in general is also another topic that people have strong opinions about. So let’s talk about the pros and cons of getting a flu shot by first looking at the independent scientific data that is not backed and funded by Big Pharma.
In 2012, a report was made by the Center for Infectious Disease and Policy noted some interesting findings:
- Flu vaccines protection overall is “sub-optimal,” especially when considering those over the age of 65 are most at risk. For this group, “a paucity (scarcity) of evidence for protection” exists. Moderate protection was noted for adults and high protection was noted for children. Without a vaccine we would already expect higher immunity in adults and children who are least likely to be at risk anyway, so correlation does not necessarily equal causation. A vaccine wouldn’t necessarily affect this.
- They also noted that, “A major barrier to the development of game-changing influenza vaccines is the perception that current vaccines are already highly effective in preventing influenza infection.” This highlights how current vaccines are NOT highly effective in preventing influenza.
- “In an effort to reduce influenza morbidity and mortality, over the last three decades the ACIP has expanded the populations recommended to receive influenza vaccine. These recommendations, however, often were based on professional judgment and not on scientifically sound data. This means that the scientific data does not support evidence for the flu vaccine being effective and recommendations are based largely on professional opinion.
The Cochrane Collaboration, which is an independent (not Big Pharma funded) group that looks objectively at the data, noted the following in their review of the available data, “We have conducted four reviews since the late 1990s. We calculated that you need to vaccinate between 33 and 99 people to prevent a single case of flu, depending on the match between the vaccine and the circulating strains of the virus. I want people held accountable for wasting taxpayers’ money on these vaccines. The reviews have been available for years and nothing has been done.”
So to put this into perspective, you may have to vaccinate between 33 and 99 people before it works in ONE case. This is a potential 1%-3% efficacy. We are telling everyone to get vaccinated for the flu shot because it works in 1% of people?! It is tough to justify a flu shot when statistically protection afforded by the shot is not higher than 1%.
They went on to say,
“An earlier systematic review of 274 influenza vaccine studies published up to 2007 found industry funded studies were published in more prestigious journals and cited more than other studies independently from methodological quality and size. Studies funded from public sources were significantly less likely to report conclusions favorable to the vaccines. The review showed that reliable evidence on influenza vaccines is thin but there is evidence of widespread manipulation of conclusions and spurious notoriety of the studies. The content and conclusions of this review should be interpreted in light of this finding.”
What this means is that studies funded by the pharmaceutical companies are manipulated and skewed. It is well known that when studies are done that don’t support the vaccine, the pharmaceutical companies simply don’t publish them. Public sources don’t show favorable conclusions to flu vaccines. Another review of the data for the flu vaccine protecting the elderly found that “evidence is of poor quality regarding safety, efficacy and effectiveness.”
The same conclusion was actually reached in this review with regards to Tamiflu, which is commonly given to people when they get the flu. Tamiflu may show little to no benefit of safety or efficacy. It is essentially worthless, because Western medicine does not have hardly any healing tools when it comes to viral issues.
In the above study, it is noted that it takes years and more than 1 billion dollars in research to make a flu vaccine. This is a lot of money spent on a vaccine that, so far, isn’t supported with scientific evidence. Imagine if we used this amount of money to actually do things to strengthen the immune system that worked in harmony with nature.
Here is why all this is important. Around 10% of adults and 20% of children get the flu every year. Mostly likely, we ALL get exposed to the virus throughout the year. Yet, only 10% of people get sick. So with 90% not getting the flu each year, I am much more interested in paying attention to the factors as to why not everyone gets sick rather than exclusively looking at those that do get sick, especially when we are all exposed every year.
We don’t need a flu vaccine to get exposure to and immunity from the influenza virus. We are all getting exposed to it anyways. What we need are good healthy practices that keep our inner immunity strong to lower our chances even further of getting the flu. Additionally, a vaccine made for one year may not be useful in the following year, since the virus mutates so rapidly.
Vaccines also contain toxic ingredients that are said to be safe in such small amounts, but why take the chance? Thimerosal, which contains mercury, is added to prevent bacteria and fungi from getting into the vial. Aluminum salts are also used. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is a known brain toxin, is used to keep vaccines stable. Antibiotics are often added to prevent bacteria from contaminating the vaccine. Formaldehyde is used to inactivate the virus in the vaccine. Swelling at the injection sight, severe allergic reactions, headache, body pains, dizziness and high fever have been reported as size effects. I think these reactions are from some of the toxic ingredients that are in the vaccines.
What are the pros of getting the flu shot?
The independent data only sees a 1-3% chance of the vaccine being effective. Since 60% of the USA population is obese having a relative degree of ill health, I can think of very simple things that give everyone a much better chance than 1% of not getting the flu.
A flu shot, singular pill or supplement will never be able to overcompensate for bad dietary and lifestyle habits. However, by avoiding The Nasty Nine food list, eating lots of vegetables and fruits, having powerful supplements (zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D, elderberry) on hand in our home, exercising and learning how to let go of stress and negative emotions, we can have more than a 1% chance at avoiding getting the flu. Getting a flu shot just isn’t necessary.
You can also download our FREE 35 page Crushing The Cold and Flu guide.
Therefore, I would not suggest getting an influenza vaccine. I will not take this vaccine now or ever. It isn’t all that effective according to the research, it is very costly and through the right dietary and lifestyle choices, we can maintain a strong inner immunity.
