How The Flu Shot Works (And Why You Should Get It)

If the influenza virus changes each year, does the flu shot even work? And what is the flu vaccine anyway? Trace explains.

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[UEGUnequaled]

Never had the flu vaccine, never had the flu. Praise the Lord!

[fkgabbana]

That's really weird! Because as a nurse, I was always one of those people who was like "Flu shots don't make you sick, shut up!" and then I got the H1N1 shot (everyone in healthcare had to) and I was sick as a dog. Later, I found out it had eggs in it & since I have an egg white intolerance ... I figured that made sense. But I didn't ever hear that ALL flu shots had eggs in them and I've gotten the flu shot the past two years in a row with no problems. Maybe it's different in Canada? Maybe my issue with eggs went away? Now I want to eat scrambled eggs or something to find out.

[TheGeneticsEnigma]

My wife & I both got our flu shots today. We have done it every year for the past four years and so far they've worked.

[TheVeR]

My sis and mom get it because they both work around kids, but I normally don't. Each and every time they get sorta sick from it, I'm not kidding. A cold, aches, and fever for a few days. It pisses them off >xD

[RocketPwn]

When I got my Swine flu vaccine, I did become sick. It wasn't a nocebo effect because I didn't think that they could make me sick. The two days after I had a fever so high that my bed sheets became soaking wet from just sweating.

[stevegmatin]

Hey Trace!! and Lacy!!! you guys do a great job! I follow you guys everyday from Canada... Keep up the good work... I don't listen to regular TV so your source of info is nice fun and informative... Unlike the news on regular TV where they only talk about accidents, killing, dogs left in a car in the summer... you guys got it... you give good news! Merci!! thanks!

[sheldon]

I got sick from the flu shot 2 years in a row a few years ago.  Within an hour, I went home from work and felt like I was dying (high fever, vomiting, etc...) but I was ok the next day.  I skipped a couple years but then H1N1 came along so I got the shot again with no problems this time.  The last few years shots were ok too.  Seeing some of the videos on YouTube is making me think twice about the flu shot.  I must say though, no flu's so far since H1N1.

[SNAS]

And did you ever look at the stats on how many people die annually from influenza? Try 500, 000. 7 deaths in Australia in 2007 (our population is 22 million) which is clearly 7 too many, but a vastly smaller number than those who died from influenza itself. Short answer, you are much safer being vaccinated than not!

[Kolepto]

This seems relatively accurate, but I'd prefer relying on my own body as a source of defense, as it has the capability of fighting off different ailments and bugs....

But furthermore, why should I become EVEN MORE reliant on my government to keep my health stable? This seems like a justifiable reason on their behalf to keep me in a loop of coming back for several vaccinations each year. What a waste of my immune system if I were to buy into it.

[XoXoDezix]

I feel like the only way people should be able to work with the public or have your kids in public school is if you have been vaccinated

[ViperstudiosNG]

If it didn't get me sick, it also has done nothing to keep me from getting sick .

[bobdown]

I have been getting a flu shot every year for the last 15 years. One year I did get sick but the symptoms weren’t as severe. Working in healthcare means being exposed to flu every day.

[tacos]

I took mine and I instantly got sick at the end of the day. I was completely okay all year and then I took it and it hit me and it was like I had a horrible cold

[ZeStealthyPwn]

If you're deaf, how did you properly watch the video? You sure as hell didn't use the captions.

[Norimarisu]

I had no idea we used chicken eggs for this ...

[MrRandomgarbage]

I have never gotten the flu shot In my life, and I have never gotten the flu in my life.

[RollingScone]

I was never able to get the flu shot as a kid thanks to an anaphylactic inducing egg allergy. As a result, I was sick a lot as a kid. I need to start getting them regularly now that I've out grown said allergy. Is there any way of developing a vaccine not grown in eggs, for other people like me though? I know not all other vaccines use egg (MMR) so what's different about the flu?

[VNSki]

The same reason why you don't consume Lysol, or anti-bacterial/virus products. These things are able to kill those microbes, but when consume it can kill both the microbe and host. Toxicity.

[dananicole]

I do have a question though - I definitely do not believe that the shots will cause "Zombification" (I've actually never heard that theory before and am kind of surprised that people actually believe that), but the next day after getting my flu shot, I always feel like I just got hit by a train. My muscles and bones ache, I get some flu-like symptoms (which I know they say is a side-effect), but why so much pain?

[lokisg]

1918 flu pandemic -
infected 500 million.
Death 20 to 50 million
Symptom: killed mostly on healthy young adults, fewer death on children and elderly.
Cause: overreaction of the body's immune system that lend to death.

Good luck staying healthy and alive.