FWIW - my dear old mum worked in hospitals, jails and for 30 some odd years as a prison nurse... and never once had it. She was dead against them. Several times over the years it was supposed to be made mandatory and she and many fellow nurses all but took up arms to avoid the flu jabs. Always found that interesting.
as for meself... I lived for about 10 years in what is consistently ranked as the highest population density place on earth (Mongkok district, Kowloon, Hong Kong) with some the overall lowest public sanitation and I never once had it. I've only had the flue once in about 20 years. Go figure.
Yes, both the regular and H1N1. In the military I had to get them, once I got out and missed one year I got the flu and it sucked. Maybe it's just a placebo but I don't care. The flu is worse than being seasick for 48 hours straight.
Most of the symptoms are a result of your immune system fighting off the infection, so immunosuppressants would probably help to moderate the symptoms, but make it harder for you to actually overcome the infection itself.
Probably not, I'll be passing on the flu shot this year. I take vitamin D and that has been found to be excellent at preventing colds. Have had only bought with the flu in the last 5 years - thankfully.
Read a great article this morning by Dr. Cannell about the effectiveness of flu shots verses vitamin D3. Guess they are about the same. So he and his family do both, take D3 and have the flu shot administered.
What do you mean common flu? IIRC there isn't such a thing.
Do you mean seasonal flu (what you get the shot to prevent) or the common cold (an illness unrelated to flu)?
MANY people think that a common or garden cold is "the flu". The amount of people I hear say "I've got the flu" when all they've got is a normal cold. On average most people will get between 2-5 colds a year.
Flu kills people. Colds do not. Flu knocks you on your back for a week. Colds make you feel a bit icky for a few days.
Basically if you can walk up to someone and say "I've got flu" you almost certainly don't have flu.
I'd say that depends on the amount of money you have. The last time I had flu and was confined to my room with a temp of 39 degrees and given tamiflu by the visiting doc, I'd have quite happily crawled outside to get a £50 or a £20, even a £10 or a £5. A £1 coin I'd probably have let go.
Hell no, waste of time. I got like 4 different flu strains last year probably including H1N1.
Didn't get it diagnosed though. Sounds dumb to some but hey it'll pass. The Flu virus mutates so frequently there's no way to prepare for every strain.
I've been flu and cold free for most of the past decade. I think I just got hammered last year cuz o the law of averages. But I think a healthy immune system, practical hygiene and proper winter attire is enough to deal with a pesky non-life threatening disease.
Yes I know the flu kills some ppl but I'm fairly healthy so let nature take its course.