Flu Shot Debate and Cuddle Considerations

Ari90510Ari90510
edited September 2019 in General

It's the time of year in my office where they have arranged for everyone to get free flu shots. I am one who never gets the shot. Never have, and didn't plan on doing so. However, thinking about the cuddle community, should I reconsider? Would I be irresponsible if I cuddle with someone and didn't tell them I didn't get the shot?

  1. Flu Shots47 votes
    1. Yay
      53.19%
    2. Nay
      46.81%
«1

Comments

  • plantqueenplantqueen

    Yes, you should reconsider, unless you have a compromised immune system and cannot take one; Otherwise you put countless people at risk, especially those that do have compromised immune systems.

  • LovelightLovelight
    edited September 2019

    It’s your decision. Though, maybe it’s a discussion you can have with the individual, and see if you are compatible in this regard. Personally, it’s not even something I thought about. Though, I am also not looking to cuddle in the wintertime*. If I even meet others in that time, it’d be here, and there. A time that I also seem to feel well.

    Whatever it is, there’s something holding you from proceeding with this. Maybe there’s a match for you around.

    If you choose to do, I think you should do out of your own choice, not because you feel obligated to.

    Though, I think if someone lives alone, and seldom goes out, then their likelihood of catching the flu is much less? I could be wrong. So, it also depends on your situation.

    Cuddling, like many said should be a comfortable experience, and if you are on the fence about this: it’s probably best to not proceed with people who don’t match with you at this stage.

  • MelancholyMelancholy

    Unless you have the flu or have symptoms of the flu I really don't see how anyone would reasonably be upset that you hadn't had the flu shot. Many many people I know in person do not ever get the flu shot including doctors I know.
    As for me, I always get the flu shot every year because I know the one year I didn't get it I got the flu really bad and was sick for 2 weeks. But I don't expect you or any other cuddler to get one if they don't want it...just don't cuddle with me if you're sick and have symptoms of being sick.

  • CatloafCatloaf

    I really hope this thread doesn't devolve or bring out the uh...well, you know which crowd I'm talking about. Regardless of how the shot makes a person feel, or however many times they have to make uneducated complaints about how it doesn't work or makes things worse, the fact of the matter is that it helps protect yourself and everybody around you from contracting illness. I'd wager a bet that most people would agree it's irresponsible to knowingly carry a sexually transmitted disease or infection and sleep with somebody unprotected. Why is the same attitude not held with regards to getting the shot?

  • hirickyhiricky

    FLU SHOT SAVES LIVES!!
    Working in health care and seeing first hand how people can suffer or even can die with flu. I always get it

  • MelancholyMelancholy

    I think its kind of strange to compare having an STD to not having had the flu shot. Not even in the same ballpark?
    The flu shot doesn't even work half the time cause its a crap shoot whether they chose the right strain.

  • triskeletriskele

    For people who can get it, it's certainly not a bad idea. However, I'm one of those folks that gets sick 100% of the time I get a flu shot, so I do without, but I'm generally also pretty germ conscious and tend to stay far away from sick people. I also don't book sessions if I even think I might be coming down with something.

  • CatloafCatloaf
    edited September 2019

    It's not the type of disease in question, it's the fact that in either case, the disease/illness is communicable. Why do we take precautions against giving our bodies a communicable illness in one scenario, but completely disregard it in others? The flu shot isn't a crap shoot. Just because you get sick still doesn't mean it isn't working, or doesn't work for others. Other than, of course, cases where the immune system has been compromised or some other health issue prevents it from being effective like was mentioned above.

  • AliceOcelloAliceOcello

    If the person you're cuddling has or comes into contact with young children or the elderly, it's best to get the shot. If you don't feel like asking such questions of the people you're cuddling, best to just get it and cuddle safely.

  • [Deleted User]Zundar (deleted user)

    As someone currently on immunosuppresents, please let anyone you're planning on cuddling that you haven't had your flu shot. Compare the possibility of some people getting miffed at the idea VS the possibility that some people could get gravely ill from cuddling with you.

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    I never have had one. And never have had influenza. Being that the virus is literally injected into you with the idea being that your body will then build up immunities, I think I'll go with the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" camp. If I ever do get sick I'll reconsider. They throw out stats and those stats are derived by "randomized studies". The most popular being taking two groups of people, giving one a flu shot, giving the other a placebo, then keeping track of which ones get flu and which don't. Even with this far from perfect method (group 2 are not clones of group 1, they are different people with different immune systems) the best they can say is a shot decreases the risk of getting flu by 40-60%. I believe those were the last numbers I saw on the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website. So I think I'll just stay my course and decline for the foreseeable future.

  • SpartanGuySpartanGuy

    Seek medical advise from a medical doctor, not here, not Facebook etc

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    https://bentonintegrative.blogspot.com/2017/10/why-this-doctor-doesnt-get-her-flu-shot.html Couple of years ago but interesting read

  • MelancholyMelancholy

    I just think its ridiculous how people are saying if you don't have the flu shot you're somehow a danger to cuddlers.
    Flu shot is not like other vaccines like mmr or polio. It barely works half the time.
    I have never had a cuddler pro or non pro ask me if i had the flu shot before cuddling.
    The flu shot protects the person who takes the shot it doesn't mean you can't get the flu and spread it.
    It just means you can fight it faster and easier but some people still get the flu.

  • CatloafCatloaf
    edited September 2019

    @melancholy I'm aware that there are vaccines for different types of viruses. However, as @Zundar's experience attests, even a simple flu can be a grave danger to some. In that case, yeah, it kind of does matter. I personally don't ask a list of medical questions such as "have you had your flu shot". I do however ask if there are medical issues they wish to disclose so that I can be more mindful of the person I'm with. If for some reason it would be a health risk to cuddle that person, I would decline until we're both better or move along if it wouldn't work out in any case.

    I don't see the harm in asking if it's a point of contention for one of the people involved.

    Also... again... just because the shot "barely works" for one person doesn't mean it barely works for others. No one in here claimed that the flu shot gives you full immunity, but for many people it does help. There have been biases debunked in the past by the medical community itself, you don't need to go to a naturopathic health blog (a rather biased source to begin with) to find that stuff out. Regardless of the opinions on efficiency, a 60% success rate is still a "majority" success rate by and large... it's better than a comparable mortality rate in times before influenza could be vaccinated against.

  • LongbowLongbow

    The question should be "do you have a good immune system", rather than have you had your flu shots.I'm one thats never sick, and thats gotta count for more than a yearly flu shot getter who get sick all the time and is co dependent on it. Better to take care of yourselves than rely on a magical cure.

  • hogboblinhogboblin

    @Longbow

    “magical cure.”

    Yeah, because flu shots are brewed up by bog witches. They mix bat blood, the eyes of a raven, and mandrake root into a big cauldron, utter some gibberish, and walk widdershins around the cauldron to imbue the fluid with arcane power.

    That’s it. That’s how it works.

  • DonLonGDonLonG
    edited October 2019

    They mix bat blood, the eyes of a raven, and mandrake root into a big cauldron.

    @hogboblin

    Can you get me in contact with your supplier? I get mine from a colonel in Kentucky, but he has been substituting with wing of bat, and eye of newt instead. Though I am not 100% sure that wing is from a bat. Mandrake root is probably one of the 11 secret herbs and spices he uses. Been trying to get it in a noodle soup variant like mom used to make.

  • elguapoblancoelguapoblanco

    This is another one of those threads where a popcorn emoji would come in handy. Just sayin'......................

    For now, some birthday cake will have to do.........🎂

  • LovelightLovelight

    @elguapoblanco I heard cake, what kind, sharing?

  • SashamcgeeSashamcgee
    edited October 2019

    Flu vaccines literally are a guess...

    They track the prevalent strains of years past and take an "educated guess" as to what it will mutate into.

    If they guess wrong it is literally ineffective which is what happened a few years ago and a bunch of people in the recommended shot groups (elderly, young and pregnant) died.

  • pmvinespmvines

    By the time the shots get to the local pharmacies and doctors offices the virus has already mutated into something different than what it was when the shot was being developed

  • LongbowLongbow

    people has died from flu shots, quite a few. flue shots can join the other healthy drugs that claims to be good, and then years later on tv they have a recall and lawyer tells you if you have taken this drug and gotten cancer to call the number, naa forget that. im healthy think lll pass

  • LongbowLongbow

    Just saying there is 3-4 drugs ive seen on tv the past few years that now they say causes cancer and other diseases, drugs they wanted me to take as a youth but lucky me refused.

  • bigbenbigben

    Ok let's all make a deal here and now . We won't cuddle anyone until we are at least 3 days sick free . Thank you for your consideration

  • UKGuyUKGuy
    edited October 2019

    And some drugs that are allowed in the US are banned in Europe as unsafe.

  • LongbowLongbow

    Almost all drugs are not good for you. Even common ones we take will wear down our liver and kidneys. I dont even take headache meds or anything. Almost 40 dont take anything but protein powder and collagen bioten suplements

  • AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike

    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289043/videoplayer/vi4071817497?ref_=tt_ov_vi

    Reminding me of this flick. Which I thought was decent.

  • elguapoblancoelguapoblanco

    If I was a newbie reading threads like this, I don't know how long I would care to stick around. Just sayin'........

  • DonLonGDonLonG

    @elguapoblanco You have a point. So I'm going to upload a virtual hug here for everyone.

    image
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