Wyoming | I've got the full course of vaccinations because I hold health care licenses, and vaccinations are required for patient contact. I have had to have the full suite of adult vaccinations for the last five years, which includes influenza vaccinations every year. I just got my flu shot today.
Influenza vax: It isn't overwhelmingly effective, because the production logistics require that the CDC/manufactures make an educated estimation of which variants of influenza we're going to see starting at this time of year from what Asian/Australia/New Zealand are seeing six months ago. For most people, it's no more than a nuisance.
Shingles: There are two shingles vaccinations: - Zostavax (used since 2006, and allowed to be used until November 18, 2020), which is less effective and was recommended for people 60 and older,
- Shingrix, the new vaccination, recommended for people 50 and older who have had chickenpox in the past, or shingles in the past. It is highly effective, at least 85% effective. It is a two-step vaccination, with two (2) to (6) months between doses.
If you have ever had chicken pox, you can get shingles. If you have had shingles in the past, you can get it again in the future. The virus lives in your nervous tissue, and can re-emerge when you are under stress, or are sick from something else, or become too tired, overworked, etc. I've seen even young people get shingles when they were under emotional distress (a boyfriend cheated on a young (26 year old) woman in that case). Some people get mild cases of shingles that are little more than annoying. Some people get horrible cases of shingles, which can scar their eyes, leave them with permanent nervous system compromise, etc. Talk to your doctor. I've had Shingrix with no adverse effects from either of the two shots. I've had chicken pox, but never shingles. I've seen severe cases of shingles, and I want nothing to do with it.
Pneumonia: If you are over 65, talk to your doctor about your medical history and whether they recommend one of the two pneumonia vaccinations for you. There is a series of questions that need to be answered about your health situation before they would recommend a pneumonia vaccination.
Edited by WYDave 10/30/2020 00:03
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flu shot?
