Influenza Virus-- the basics
The influenza virus has been a huge setback this year, maybe more than any other year. One out of every 14 hospital visits during the week of January 21-27 was flu related. 53 children have died from the flu. This is all due to the fact that the flu vaccine this year is ineffective, causing 80% flu infection. Some experts say that the mutation of the virus every year is too much for scientists to keep up with, but others believe that the vaccine was never effective in the first place, that you just had to get lucky.
The most famous outbreak of the influenza virus was in 1918, which lasted for an entire year. It is said to have killed as many people as the Black Death, or more. The symptoms of the flu consist of a persistent fever, chills, and muscle aches. The flu puts 140,000 to 710,000 civilians in the hospital each year, and that number is drastically increasing. CDC says, “your best shot is the flu shot.” In 2007, 132 million doses of the vaccine were distributed, but much of it went to waste. The vaccine isn’t meant to rid one of the flu shot completely, but at least decrease the severity of the symptoms. The shot’s effectiveness varies from year to year, it depends on how well the solution matches with the mutation of the virus each year. This year, it was only 10% effective, which caused a lot of people question the vaccine all together.
Ingredients:
Flu Strain A/(Hong Kong) (H3N2)
Flu Strain B/(Brisbane)
Flu Strain B/(Phuket)
Formaldehyde
Aluminum Salts
Gelatin
Thimerosal
Chicken Egg Proteins
Antibiotics
So what does this have to do with the media?
The media has publicized the flu shot so much for the past decade that it seems that everyone should get it, or else. But now, people are beginning to realize that although they religiously get the vaccine every year, they still get sick, and so do those around them. A recent event has made the public question the media even more, and its ties to the government.
Missing CDC Employee
Timothy Cunningham, 35, works as a commander in the U.S. Public Health Service. He has two degrees from Harvard. He recently went missing on February 14, 2018 after going home from work. "Tim had been in communication with us extensively on Sunday [Feb. 11], and I pinpoint Sunday because there were some exchanges via phone as well as text that alerted me to be concerned about our son," his father Terrell Cunningham said. Many people are beginning to believe that he was kidnapped by the government. But, this isn't just some uneducated theory. Cunningham was known to believe that the 2018 flu shot was ineffective, and he has even mentioned it to the public on a few occasions. There have been events in the past where the government has done something to harm one that knows to much, so this scenario could be the same.
Is the flu shot even necessary?
In the end, it is your decision whether or not to get the flu shot. Many believe that it is just a vaccine publicized for marketing purposes, others say it is vital to staying healthy and clear of the influenza virus. Sometimes it is best to educate yourself first before putting unknown ingredients into your body. A lot of information that the media puts out is not valid, so do your research. Your body is YOUR body, you only get one, so make sure you keep it as healthy as possible.
Works Cited:
Christensen, Jen. “What You Need to Know about Thimerosal.” CNN, Cable News Network, 15 Feb. 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/02/15/health/thimerosal-vaccine-preservative-explainer/index.html.
Drash, Wayne. “CDC Doctor Disappears; $10,000 Reward Offered.” CNN, Cable News Network, 27 Feb. 2018, www.cnn.com/2018/02/26/health/missing-cdc-doctor/index.html.
Foley, Katherine Ellen. “This Winter's Awful Flu Season Was Made Worse by a Wildly Ineffective Vaccine.” Quartz, Quartz, 5 Feb. 2018, qz.com/1198395/this-years-flu-vaccine-is-more-than-20-less-effective-than-last-years/.
Gale, Jason. “How Effective Is the 2018 Flu Shot? What You Should Know.” Time, Time, 7 Feb. 2018, time.com/5138100/how-effective-is-the-2018-flu-shot/.
Martinez, Josh, et al. “Josh Martinez.” Passport Health, 14 Oct. 2016, www.passporthealthusa.com/2016/10/what-ingredients-are-in-the-flu-shot/.
“Formaldehyde and Cancer Risk.” National Cancer Institute, www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/formaldehyde/formaldehyde-fact-sheet.
“Aluminum Salts in Deodorants Caused CANCER, and Switzerland May Be the First Nation in the World to BAN Them.” NaturalNews.com, 11 Sept. 2017, www.naturalnews.com/2017-09-11-aluminum-salts-in-deodorants-caused-cancer-and-switzerland-may-be-the-first-nation-in-the-world-to-ban-them.html.
“Why This Year's Bad Flu Season Is Good for the Flu Vaccine.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/why-year-s-bad-flu-season-good-flu-vaccine-n842756.
“GELATIN: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings.” WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1051-GELATIN.aspx.
Credits:
Created with images by USACE Europe District - "USACE employees receive flu protection" • USACE Europe District - "USACE employees receive flu protection" • 41330 - "egg fresh cholesterol" • burlesonmatthew - "formaldehyde chemical science" • Hans - "gummi bears business cards pixabay" • George M. Groutas - "Making Trahanas"