Do you take a flu shot? Flu season hitting its peak in 43 states

[mfcorey1]

Flu season is reaching its peak -- with the virus “widespread” in 43 states -- and 14,000 new infections a week.

With a quarter of the student body in Clarkton, Missouri home sick with the flu, school officials decided to park the buses and close the doors.

“We were dropping like flies,” said Superintendent Delane Beckwith. “We had about 70 kids out.”

That’s a first for Beckwith.

“Friday, I was hurting, and got home Friday night, sick all day Saturday,” Beckwith said.

Missouri is one of 23 states with high activity this season. And we’ve seen a total of 20 flu-related deaths in children.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/flu-season-hitting-its-peak-in-43-states/ar-AAmOZBI?li=BBnb7Kz

[safeinOhio]

1. I don't think the shot

covered the strain going around now.

[NNadir]

2. This is true. My wife had the shot but got the flu. Her doctor said that this year's...

...vaccine apparently missed this strain.

I didn't have the shot - although I'm a big believer in vaccination - and I got that flu as well. It's pretty bad. It incapacitates you totally.

[ksoze]

3. The source article says otherwise, as does the CDC

Appears it did target successfully this year:

The CDC says this year’s vaccine is a good match for the year’s virus and 145 million doses have shipped out.

[MoonRiver]

4. Then why are so many people getting the flu?

Something doesn't compute here.

[boston bean]

8. More people dont twke the shot.

[ksoze]

11. "so many" is tough to debate

Traditionally, the flu vaccine in any given year is 40-60% effective. This year appears to be on target for the strains causing most problems (H3N2). It is not a guarantee you won't get the flu, but I'll take those odds.

[MoonRiver]

14. I was just responding to a post, that stated how effective the vaccine is this year.

That statement contradicts what I'm hearing from the medical professionals.

Btw, my husband and I always get our flu shots. So far, this year, so good. I had a bad cold, but don't think it was the flu.

[mfcorey1]

13. My doctor recommended that when you recognize that

you have symptoms of the flu, immediately get a prescription for tamiflu. It seems to make recovery faster. The down side is that Tamflu is expensive and will cost anywhere from $128 to $178. That is what the price range has been where I am.

[GreenEyedLefty]

5. Yes, I did, for the first time in my life.

So far, so good. A lot of people in my office have come down with the flu. Hoping the vaccination holds.

[easttexaslefty]

6. 5 out of 5 of us received the shot

4 out of 5 of us got the flu anyway

[Wounded Bear]

7. I did. Still got sick, but not as bad as some others I know...

my brother (not sure if he got the shot or not) was laid up for about 3 weeks. Went to ER a couple of times. I had what amounted to a bad cold that lasted about 10 days or so. It's still hanging on with some low grade chest congestion and occasional coughing fits, but I'm ambulatory.

[suffragette]

9. Yikes. Glad you are recovering.

[Wounded Bear]

10. Thanks...

Like I said, I didn't get hit that bad myself. I feel for those who had to deal with the real thing.

[irisblue]

12. Wash your hands. often.