totellthetruth, ok, i'll use the 2010 review.
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"Authors of this review assessed all trials that compared vaccinated people with unvaccinated people. The combined results of these trials showed that under ideal conditions (vaccine completely matching circulating viral configuration) 33 healthy adults need to be vaccinated to avoid one set of influenza symptoms. In average conditions (partially matching vaccine) 100 people need to be vaccinated to avoid one set of influenza symptoms. Vaccine use did not affect the number of people hospitalised or working days lost but caused one case of Guillian-Barré syndrome (a major neurological condition leading to paralysis) for every one million vaccinations. ....... Our results may be an optimistic estimate because company-sponsored influenza vaccines trials tend to produce results favorable to their products and some of the evidence comes from trials carried out in ideal viral circulation and matching conditions and because the harms evidence base is limited."
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From the authors, again they say it results in no change in hospitilzations and only a modest reduction in sick days lost from work.
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They also said this
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"There is no evidence that they affect complications, such as pneumonia, or transmission.WARNING: This review includes 15 out of 36 trials funded by industry (four had no funding declaration). An earlier systematic review of 274 influenza vaccine studies published up to 2007 found industry funded studies were published in more prestigious journals and cited more than other studies independently from methodological quality and size. Studies funded from public sources were significantly less likely to report conclusions favorable to the vaccines. The review showed that reliable evidence on influenza vaccines is thin but there is evidence of widespread manipulation of conclusions and spurious notoriety of the studies. ........."
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pointing out that about half of the studies used were funded by those standing to make billions from its approval. Also pointing out that those studies funded by those poised to make billions were often much more favorable than independent study.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20614...
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They also said this
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"Over 200 viruses cause influenza and influenza-like illness which produce the same symptoms (fever, headache, aches and pains, cough and runny noses). Without laboratory tests, doctors cannot tell the two illnesses apart. Both last for days and rarely lead to death or serious illness. At best, vaccines might be effective against only influenza A and B, which represent about 10% of all circulating viruses. "
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so despite what you might want to believe, most people getting sick, don't get sick from the flu, and the vast majority of those getting flu shots, are doing nothing more than subjecting themselves to junk in their bloodstreams they don't need.

No - with the meds I take I am not allowed.
I wouldn't anyway.

No - with the meds I take I am not allowed.
I wouldn't anyway.

I get them because I have a disorder that makes me more susceptible to more severe consequences of the flu. I don't have a co-pay so my shots are free.

And for the record it is physically impossible to get the flu from a flu shot made from dead virus. Period. Genetics class was pretty tough for me but that was one lesson that hit home.

I have to get the pneumonia shot as well, and I had an allergic reaction to mine last week. My arm swelled up, was hot and red, and I developed a patch of a hives like rash next to the injection site. Less than 1% of the population has allergic reactions, so it had to be reported at the national level.

No flu shot for me. Ever since I read about the oral polio vaccine causing a few cases of polio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polio_vacci...

I've been wary about the potential negatives of preventative medicines.

Got mine two weeks ago...

No shot for me, humans need their immune systems, and all these medicines and shots are messing with that balance. I'll let natural selection take it's course, if I am chosen then so be it.

I got my flu shot on Friday, got sick on Sunday with a fever, chills, sore throat, congestion and cough. Next year I'll take my chances.

Flu shots are really about government mind control aren’t they?

No. It protects against only 4 strains of the flu, I can't remember the last time I had the flu and I'm not in a high risk category nor do I come into contact with anyone in a high risk category on a regular basis. I'll take my chances. If I get it, my immune system can do its job. I may suffer a bit if I get it and miss some work, but that's what sick time is for.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side...

If you're getting a flu shot, make sure you know what kind of flu shot it is. Live or Inactivated? Per above (CDC), "One brand of inactivated flu vaccine, called Afluria, should not be given to children 8 years of age or younger, except in special circumstances. A related vaccine was associated with fevers and fever-related seizures in young children in Australia. Ask your healthcare provider for more information."

rather than taking the "widely held belief" that they are the best option for fighting the flu, especially as you age, maybe you should do a bit of fact checking??

despite the vaccination rates going from 10% in the 80's to near 70% of those on medicare being vaccinated today , there has been zero change in hospital admissions and death in that age group. I'd say it's not doing much of anything other than creating fear every fall, and some pretty rich companies.

with 50% more of a targeted and at risk population being vaccinated, don't you think you'd see at least a minimal change?
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In a review of 48 reports including more than 66,000 adults, "Vaccination of healthy adults only reduced risk of influenza by 6% and reduced the number of missed work days by less than one day (0.16) days. It did not change the number of people needing to go to hospital or take time off work."

Reference: "Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults." The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 1 (2006).
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In a review of 64 studies in 98 flu seasons, For elderly living in nursing homes, flu shots were non-significant for preventing the flu. For elderly living in the community, vaccines were not (significantly) effective against influenza, ILI or pneumonia.

Reference: "Vaccines for preventing influenza in the elderly." The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.3 (2006).

With the shots being laden with thimerisol, panda parts, monkey lips and the blood of red herrings?

Of course.