Flu Shots

I have an irrational resistance to taking medicine, pills, vitamins, supplements and the like. I used to avoid flu shots. I was a big critic of the swine flu vaccination program in 1976, especially when the epidemic failed to materialize. But eighteen years later, I received a promotion at work. It entitled me to a bonus, a marginally better parking spot, and a free flu shot. I had never had a flu shot but I marched right over to the company medical department to flaunt my entitlement. The shots only cost about $5 or $10 bucks back then but I was getting one for free! I am lucky they were not giving free executive colonoscopies that day. I have gotten a flu shot every year since. One time they did poorly at predicting the flu strain and I was sick despite the shot. Otherwise I have been remarkably free from flu, whether because of shots or immunity earned by bouts of flu in my youth. I know some people who do not get flu shots but claim they never get the flu. They get horrendous colds but not the flu. They get food poisoning that lasts for weeks but not the flu. They get exotic diseases but not the flu. My sister has only gotten the flu shot once in her life. It was the year we had a shortage of vaccines, so she and I took the Victoria Clipper to Canada to get the shots. Clearly if the medical community wants people to get flu shots, they should hand them out as rewards or create an artificial shortage. I expect I have just tempted fate to award me a bad case of the flu.

Advertisement