Americans are not getting seasonal vaccines ahead of the holidays

[littlemissmartypants]

Americans are not getting seasonal vaccines ahead of the holidays

Experts worry that the unenthusiastic embrace of vaccines could spark outbreaks and increased hospitalizations

By Sabrina Malhi
November 27, 2024 at 5:00 a.m. EST

As the holiday season approaches, public health experts are sounding the alarm about low vaccination rates against the coronavirus, flu and RSV. With gatherings and travel on the rise, many people are heading into the next few months unprotected against these respiratory illnesses, which typically peak from December to February.

Experts worry that the unenthusiastic embrace of vaccines could spark outbreaks and increased hospitalizations.

As of this month, about 37 percent of adults 18 and older had received a seasonal flu shot, while 19 percent had received updated coronavirus vaccines and 40 percent of adults 75 and older — the group at greatest risk — got an RSV vaccine.

The vaccination rates are similar to last year’s figures, and the numbers reflect a persistent public health challenge achieving broader vaccine uptake for these illnesses.
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Archive:
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/11/27/flu-covid-rsv-shots-holidays/

❤️pants

[CousinIT]

1. When Dr. Brain Worm destroys

FDA, CDC & NIH, they won't be available.

[JohnSJ]

2. f**k them for their stupidity. I am convinced there is only one way for some people to learn, and that is the hard way.

[littlemissmartypants]

10. At least 35 to 40 percent of the voting population ...

...prefer "the hard way" as their method, apparently.

At least we know what percentage of idiots there could be in a room full of a hundred likely voters now.

(I'm trying to look on the bright side.)

I'm not sure how they represent in the general population but it's pretty clear microbes could not care less than the idiots do.

Which unfortunately puts everyone at the mercy of the idiots and the microbes when it comes to communicable diseases.

Thanks for your reply, JohnSJ.

❤️

[jimfields33]

24. Seems more like 60 percent of the population.

Only 37 percent got the flu shot and much less got the Covid booster.

[Rebl2]

38. Agreed

[RandySF]

3. Sucks to be them.

We’ll outlive them.

[True Dough]

4. Some Americans do things that are contrary to their best interests

Like voting a slimeball back into the White House.

Happy vaccine season to you, LMSP!

[littlemissmartypants]

7. You make it sound so delightful True, vaccine season...

But that's no surprise. It's why we're pals.

Happy vaccine season to you, too.





❤️

[Rebl2]

39. Isn't that the truth

[Demovictory9]

5. I did my part

[DET]

6. I would have thought...

…that MAGAts dropping like flies during the COVID epidemic would have convinced them of the need for vaccines, but apparently not. What will it take - a replay of polio and iron lungs? I just wish that the rest of us did not have to pay for their willful ignorance.

[littlemissmartypants]

12. Maybe if one's not vaccinated...

And "knows" that they going to heaven because "Jesus" who cares?

Or cause and effect relationships (like human relationships) are just too hard?

Or maybe we're finding out just how many sociopaths and/or psychopaths walk among us.

Probably all three plus something else and a combination of all.

Sad regardless.

It's the children that always pay the most. I share your wish, DET.

Thanks for your reply. ❤️

[DET]

16. Thanks

I used to follow the semi-satirical Sorryantivaxxer website until it seemed to be abandoned about a year and a half ago. It appeared that the dominant theme of the antivaxxers was religion (‘Jesus take the wheel’ kind of horsesh*t). And these people were absolutely adamant that the hospital treat their loved ones with Ivermectin or the wingnut treatment of the day (at no expense to them, of course). Despicable as these people may be, I mostly blame the preachers and the politicians - who know better but have no moral spine - for this epidemic of idiocy. I feel so sorry for their children, who will pay the price.

[Karasu]

8. This stupid shit terrifies me, especially with the prospect of RFK coming in.

Last edited Fri Nov 29, 2024, 02:35 AM - Edit history (1)

If the fascists start citing low demand as an excuse to deny access to vaccines, this country is beyond fucked and officially not worth living in anymore. If they do that, then when all these lazy, science-illiterate idiots actively choose to die in the next major pandemic--in which we almost certainly won't get nearly as lucky as the last--they can count me out.

[littlemissmartypants]

18. These are excellent points!! ...

The ripple effect doesn't get the appreciation it deserves. Even just a small outbreak can easily become an epidemic if not given the proper attention and respect.

It reminds me of the proverb* "For the want of a nail."

Todd Rundgren wrote a song about it. I hope you don't mind me linking to it here.

Thank you so much for adding these important points to the discussion, Karasu. ❤️

*https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_Want_of_a_Nail

Todd Rundgren - The Want Of A Nail (with Bobby Womack) (Official Music Video)

The Want of a Nail
Todd Rundgren

[Intro]
I've been wrong
I had plans so big
But the devil's in the details
I left out one thing
No one to love me
No one to love me
No one to love

For the want of a nail, the world was lost
For the want of a nail, the world was lost

[Verse 1]
For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost
For the want of a shoe, the horse was lost
For the want of a horse, the rider was lost
For the want of a rider, the message was lost

For the want of a nail, the world was lost
For the want of a nail, the world was lost

[Verse 2]
For the want of a rider, the message was lost
For the want of a message, the battle was lost
For the want of a battle, the war was lost
For the want of a war, the kingdom was lost

For the want of a nail, the world was lost
For the want of a nail, the world was lost
(such a tiny thing)

[Intro reprise]
I've been wrong
I had plans so big
But the devil's in the details
I left out one thing
No one to love me
No one to love me
No one to love
Yes and no one to love

[Verse 3]
You're askin'
What's all this talk about horses and war?
Put yourself in the place of the man at the forge
And day after day you live a life without love
'Til the morning you can't take it anymore
And you don't get up

Multiply it a billion times
Spread it all 'round the world
Put the curse of loneliness on every boy and every girl
Until everybody's kicking, everybody's scratching
Everything seems to fail
And it was all for the want of a nail

[Outro]
(For the want of a nail)
Tell me what else could the answer be
(For the want of a nail)
(For the want of a nail)
Don't hold back now
(For the want of a nail)
Hey hey
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
Want of a nail
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
Wooh
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
Don't hold back now
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
Just a little tiny bit of love
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
Don't hold back, don't hold back
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
Give me all your love
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
Don't hold back, don't hold back
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
Hey, hey, hey!
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)
(For the want of a nail the world was lost)...
Released on
May 18, 1989

[RainCaster]

9. We got ours

Simple and obvious thing to do.

[littlemissmartypants]

19. ❤️

[Old Crank]

11. Plague rat nation

Idiocracy nation.

[littlemissmartypants]

14. I really appreciate...

How you paint with words. And the brevity.

Direct and right to the point.

Thanks for your reply, Old Crank. ❤️

[SunSeeker]

13. Both my husband and I got our RSV, flu and covid vaccines this fall.

Because we're not idiots.

[littlemissmartypants]

21. Thank you. ❤️

[JI7]

15. Who should get the vaccines ?

[agalisgv]

25. Is this a serious question?

Is it?

If you can't go to cdc.gov, then ask your doctor.

Be informed.

Strangers on the Internet really aren't your best source for health information.

[Aristus]

45. Everyone who is not allergic to the vaccine should get it.

I’m a Physician Assistant in Primary Care, with fourteen years of clinical experience.

I’m not a YouTuber or a Tik-Tokker.

Everyone should get vaccinated.

[TexasTowelie]

17. I've had doses of the flu, pneumonia, and coronavirus vaccines this fall.

I'm trying to find an inexpensive shingles vaccine, but it is prohibitive in cost and may also be out of limited travel area.

[littlemissmartypants]

20. Hi!! 👋 I got the shingles shots for free at the health department in my county.

I'd try your county health department. Call first.

The way I found out that they do it was from my doctor's office because they don't do it and they send everyone to the health department.

If your health department doesn't do it then they may be able to help you find out what other options are available.

If you are able get your tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough*, too. Whooping cough is on the rise too, apparently. Probably because people don't update their vaccines.

I got a bad cut in my flower bed on my foot a while back and my expired tetanus shot was my first fear.

Someone can get sick from Clostridium tetani, a common soil bacterium, from just a slight open wound gardening. What a shock finding out that was! I learned a lot when I was there!

It's really good to hear from you. I'm glad you're taking care of yourself!





❤️

*Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis Vaccine (Tdap)
https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/tdap-vaccine-for-adults

[DFW]

22. Republicans who obtain neither vaccinations nor health insurance they can easily afford

I would give them lowest priority at any place of treatment.

No need to ask their party affiliation, of course. If they come in unvaccinated by choice and uninsured because they thought Obama was a “soshalist,” it’s like Obi-Wan Kenobi said: you don’t need to see their identification.

[Mariana]

31. That would make sense, but as we saw during Covid spikes, that isn't what happens.

I'll never forget that during the Delta wave, my then 79 year old mother needed a fairly simple outpatient surgery to resolve severe and debilitating nerve pain - and she couldn't get it for months because the hospitals in central Florida were jammed with unvaccinated Covid patients. She needed a ventilator during the surgery, you see, and they were all being used. Her surgeon was absolutely furious. She had to take so many painkillers that she went through withdrawals when she stopped. When she finally got the surgery, the pain was gone. Poof. Just like that.

[Puppyjive]

23. I waited too long

I got the flu. Never had the flu before because I always got vaccinated. I got afib. Had to have an ablation. Health is not that great now. Please don't wait. My co worker's mom got covid and was recently in the hospital for a week. It did a number on her lungs. We almost lost her.

[alcuno]

33. I'm so sorry to hear that.

Thank you for sharing your struggle and I hope that your health improves.

[Puppyjive]

36. Thank you for the kind words

I appreciate that. I try to keep my head up despite my current health issues. Still working, but contemplating retirement.

[NickB79]

42. Yep, COVID does a number on your lungs

I got it in 2022 despite being fully vaccinated. Never been so sick in my life. I was a 42 yr old man, excellent shape, ate healthy, lifted weights, worked around my hobby farm for exercise. Basically the kind of guy statistically at the lowest risk of a bad COVID infection.

2.5 yr later, I've had bronchitis 6 times when I'd never had it once before COVID. Now I have an appointment in January to start seeing a pulmenologist to check out my lungs. My GP thinks I've developed adult-onset asthma as a long COVID symptom.

[raccoon]

26. I guess some people gotta FAFO.

[JT45242]

27. Womp womp...more preventable deaths because of mango Mussolini

Got mine early.

Will likely thin the herd of dumb antivaxxers. Too bad it didn't happen before the election.

Adding two antivaxxers to the cabinet will only make this worse.

[Emile]

28. Here we go again. Stupid people

[PJMcK]

29. We got our vaccines a few weeks ago

We went to Walmart and got both flu and Covid shots within 25 minutes. Fast, easy and it puts our minds at rest. I had to travel overseas and the State Department recommended I get a Hepatitis-B vaccine (2 doses, one month apart) before going. I got that shot at the same time.

The vaccines are covered by my insurance so for us, they're essentially free. The pharmacists were great and the shots were painless... until the next day! Still, to know we've done the SCIENTIFICALLY CORRECT THING TO DO means we'll worry less about our health this season.

Here's what we learned from the Covid pandemic. 30% to 40% of Americans are ignorant and don't have the education to understand the science behind vaccines. Instead they believe conspiracy theories, crank medical ideas and listen to ignoramuses for advice. They are generally Trump supporters so that position explains a great deal about them. (A sign in one of my doctors' office reads, "Please don't confuse your Google search with my decades of study, research and experience." )

Frankly, I don't care about such people except to the extent that their poor health choices could affect the rest of us in two big ways. First, by not getting vaccinated, these people could carry viruses that will infect others. The point of mass vaccinations is to create a societal immunity to limit the transmission of disease. By opting out of this fundamental step of public health, those people are threatening the well-being of the rest of our country. That's not just ignorant and stupid, it's selfish.


Second, their health costs and care for when they get sick will unnecessarily burden the medical facilities in their areas. There won't be enough medical professionals, equipment and medications available. Want proof? Look what happened in '20-'21. Granted it was a mysterious new pathogen but the mass of people who refused care, preventative measures and social distancing were the ones who put the most strain the medical systems and they suffered the most casualties during the pandemic.

Stupid people don't learn from their experiences.

[2naSalit]

30. I did...

And I'll be getting that shingles vaccine too. I can't imagine dealing with that on top of my other issues. Probably get the RSV vaccine too. I'm not into being vulnerable to diseases and pandemics.

[milestogo]

32. "unenthusiastic embrace of vaccines"

That is a weird way to say not getting vaccines.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

34. I will get mine regardless. I trust Science.

Those who refuse, even among my family, will suffer the consequences.

I cannot be around them if they refuse science. It's hard, I know because there are 2 under 18 involved.

[bluestarone]

35. With you here. BUT

I fear the vaccines will NOT be available even for citizens that WANT them. Man, i just cannot understand people today. What if these crazy bastards were in charge back in the days of mass diseases? WTF?

[ProudMNDemocrat]

37. My children received the vaccines as directed.

The fact that many Americans are refusing to get vaccines against Flues, RSV, Pneumococal Pneumonia, COVID, Shingles, etc., are risking their lives for nothing! The next generations will be guinea pigs to diseases that were once considered eradicated.

[NickB79]

40. I'm getting my COVID booster today

Wound up getting the actual flu in early October before I was able to get the flu vaccine (it was horrible), so I'm skipping it this year.

[Passages]

41. RFK Jr will do some serious damage to an already worrisome climate

of doubt.

I truly hope MSM does not shy at calling him a fraud, and to date, I have heard references to him as a skeptic.

Skeptic sounds SO much more neutral, doesn't it? As if you're a smart guy weighing in all the facts.

UGH.

[Ms. Toad]

43. I got COVID and RSV vaccinations -

That's all I'm getting for now. Shingles #2 is on tap for early next year. I'm still contemplating the pneumonia one.

I'm not particularly susceptible to the flu, and it doesn't wipe me out l like a simple cold does. Never been vaccinated, and 2009 was the last time I had it. In it's best year, the flu vaccine is less than 50% effective. I've got a wonky immune system (parts overactive, parts under active). And since COVID messed up my immune system even more, I react badly to vaccines (103 fever nearly every time). Saving my vaccination reactions for the more effective vaccinations against things more likely to kill me or make life unbearable.

[republianmushroom]

44. We do know apprx. 50% of the population is dumb and dumber.

[MineralMan]

46. This American Already Has.

Nothing is stopping anyone from getting their vaccinations. People are choosing not to, and that's a mistake.

Me? As soon as one is available, I'm up at my favorite pharmacy getting stabbed by the nice lady who does the injections there. She recognizes me, and knows that I like joking about vaccinations. She keeps me up to date on how people are behaving about them. I'm a chatty, friendly, supportive patient, so people tend to trust me enough to share more information than they normally would.

The problem is individuals who are ignoring the need for those vaccinations.

If I didn't know better, I'd think the right is trying to discourage people from protecting themselves, which might just lower the population a bit. If that's their long-range goal, they may well succeed.

[City Lights]

47. I got the latest covid booster and the seasonal flu shot.

Still need to get pneumonia and shingles. I plan on getting both before the kooks take over.