Are the news outlets just trying to start a panic? It's all "FLU SHOT SHORTAGE!" and "FLU SHOT CRISIS!". And I just read an article that said those who previously never got the flu shot, now want to this year. Uhhh, why???? Just because there's a shortage? Typical American thinking "there's not much of it, but by gum I want mine!".

It's so ridiculous. Don't people remember last year when there were loads of flu shots, but it didn't protect from the big one that was supposed to hit hard. Flu shots are not panaceas. You're not guaranteed no flu just because you got a shot. And do people know what's IN those freaking shots? -shudder-

We don't do shots. At all. Any kind. Well, okay, if we needed a shot of something to live, that's different. And I occasionally do shots, but not the kinds with needles. But we don't do shots like vaccinations or flu shots, etc.. I've done a lot of studying on all of them and their drawbacks and benefits and it just doesn't add up that we fill our kids with all those chemicals for such a little protection. Flu shots are the worst of the worst though, in my opinion. Just a little more handwashing and hygiene and you can avoid most colds and flus. And really, unless your immune system is compromised, you can make it through colds and flus with just a little inconvenience. Last year, I did feel like I was coming down with that awful one. It was pretty bad and came on quickly. But I started downing Vitamin C, Echinacea and garlic and it was gone, totally gone, by the next morning. This was the flu that people had for weeks on end. So no, the flu is not going to kill you unless it's some weird strain or you have little immunity to fight it off. But yet everyone is clamoring to get the flu shot this year, because there's not much of it. How selfish would you have to be to be mid thirties, healthy, standing in line next to an 80 year old just so you get yours. Nice. But okay, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they're all working in the health care field ;-)