Vaccine Blamed for the Worst Flu Season in Four Years

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Vaccine Blamed for the Worst Flu Season in Four Years

Posted by: Dr. Mercola
May 06 2008 | 27,569 views

The current flu season is shaping up to be the worst in four years, partly because the vaccine didn‘t work well against the viruses that made most people sick.

The 2007-2008 season started slowly, peaked in mid-February, and now seems to be declining. Based on adult deaths from flu and pneumonia, this season is the worst since 2003-2004.

This year, the vaccine was only 44 percent effective, according to a study. It was the worst match for flu viruses since 1997-1999, when the vaccine didn’t work at all against the circulating virus.

Every year, health officials make an educated guess to formulate a vaccine against three flu viruses they think will be circulating.

This year, two of the three strains were not good matches.

Sources:

Dallas News April 18, 2008

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly April 18, 2008

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Every year the CDC stands on its soapbox and peddles the flu vaccine to just about every man, woman and child in the United States. From the urgency of their message, you would think that the flu shot would at least do what they claim it does: prevent the flu.

But, alas, this year the flu shot was reportedly only 44 percent effective, and it included two strains of flu virus that weren’t even widely circulating this flu season.

However, if you dig a little deeper you find that the flu shot was likely even less effective than that.

To start, that number only accounts for participants enrolled in the three-week period between January 21 and February 8, even though the study continued through March 28. So these are just preliminary numbers.

Meanwhile, anyone who reported feverishness, chills, or cough was eligible for enrollment, but the way “influenza” was defined was those who had these symptoms AND tested positive for a flu test known as RT-PCR.

The control group was not a group of healthy individuals. Rather, it was a group of people who showed flu-like symptoms (feverish, chills, and cough), but tested negative on the test. So all of those people who were vaccinated and tested negative for the flu still felt like they had the flu.

After testing over 600 people, 19 percent of those who tested positive for the flu had gotten it despite their flu shot. Meanwhile, 39 percent who tested negative had had a flu shot, which leaves the 61 percent of those who did nothing, and still did not get the flu, in the majority.

But this is the norm when it comes to the flu shot.

One Harris Poll even found that adults who had flu shots prior to the winter of 2007 were only 24 percent less likely to get the flu than those who were not vaccinated.

Yet, the CDC continues to claim that the flu vaccine is often between 70 and 90 percent effective. Where are they getting these numbers from?

Likely out of thin air, the same place they get their vastly skewed annual flu deaths number of 36,000 (when in reality, in 2005 1,806 people died from influenza, not 36,000. And in 2004 there were just 1,100 flu deaths).

It is high time that the CDC scrapped this whole nonsense of a flu vaccine, but don’t hold your breath for that to happen. Flu shots bring in $15 to $35 a pop, and the drug companies aren’t ready to give up on that pretty penny.

Whose Side is the CDC On?

I think their “Take 3” slogan for preventing the flu says it loud and clear:

1. Take time to get a vaccine.
2. Take everyday actions to stop germs like frequent hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes.
3. Take antiviral drugs if your doctor says you need them.

Wow. It’s as though they’re not even trying to hide it anymore.

Two out of three of their recommendations involve -- surprise! -- drugs and vaccines. I especially love #3: take the sometimes fatal flu drugs your doctor says you need (i.e. under no circumstances should you challenge the conventional medical paradigm’s drug-based solution to your illness).

Well, I say think again. The only recommendation I agree with is #2, and even then you need to be careful not to wash your hands too much, as this can damage your skin and make it easier for viruses to enter.

If you want to stay healthy during flu season and after, skip the flu shot altogether and instead use these “secrets” that I’ve used to avoid the flu for over 20 years.

Get plenty of sunshine or vitamin D.
Eat right for your nutritional type, including avoiding sugar
Exercise
Get adequate sleep
Address emotional stress
Wash your hands regularly (but not excessively)