WASHINGTON, DC – The flu can be uncomfortable, at best, but it can also be deadly. According to the Centers for Disease Control [CDC] so far this season there more than 13 million people have been sick with flu, at least 5,900,000 people have been to the doctor because of flu, more than 120,000 people [not 120 million] have been hospitalized because of flu and more than 6,600 have died.”
Dan Weber, president of the senior advocacy organization, the Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC], is advising its membership and older Americans, at large, to get a flu shot if you haven’t already done so.
“It’s not too late. The flu season is not over yet and the CDC says it can last for several more months,” Weber warns. He points out that 53% of flu victims are 65 years old or older, noting that Medicare covers 100% of the cost..
“Even if your physician does not take Medicare, there are alternatives. Most drug stores, particularly the major pharmacy chains, including CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid, offer Medicare-covered flu shots. And, free or low-cost shots are available at local clinics and public health facilities.”
Weber adds, if you or someone in your family does come down with the flu, take precautions by following guidelines recommended by the CDC:
In addition to vaccination and appropriate use of antiviral drugs, CDC recommends everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs.
- If you are sick with flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and wash your hands often with soap and water.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth as germs spread this way.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like flu.
About AMAC
The 2 million member Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] [https://www.amac.us] is a vibrant, vital senior advocacy organization that takes its marching orders from its members. We act and speak on their behalf, protecting their interests and offering a practical insight on how to best solve the problems they face today. Live long and make a difference by joining us today at https://amac.us/join-amac.
WOW!!!! I am really surprised. Flu vaccine, indeed! I hope you don’t make a habit of giving out such useless advice.
Flu vaccine is nearly useless at preventing flu but has a laundry list of “side effects”. In other words, it is junk.
Preventing the flu and colds is easy. They are viruses and mutate wildly. Essential oils are my primary tool. Nearly all of them kill viruses. They are easily applied to the feet and spread from there to your lungs, nose and mouth. Then there is silver colloid. It also kills viruses. Easily taken by mouth, hold under your tongue as long as you can. For small children and babies, spray it in their faces. Don’t forget to wash your hands often and STAY HOME if you are sick. Bed rest is best for your own health as well as everyone else.
I have not had a cold or flu for decades. I used to get everything going around at least once.
Here we go again AMAC…no to flu shots…it’s all about the $…not sure why AMAC keeps promoting a failed and ineffective shot.
“Everyone Needs a Flu Shot, Particularly Those at Greatest Risk – the Elderly, says AMAC” in another John Grimaldi article posted on September 27, 2018. That article had 144 comments with 99% of them expressing generally negative perceptions of flu vaccines and also of AMAC for supporting the practice. I contacted AMAC two weeks after that article was posted asking if they would publicly address those negative comments. I haven’t seen anything yet.
Thank God for vaccinations! against all manner of contagion, and thank God for the informed professionals who must often fight an uphill battle against the benighted, uninformed fear mongers.
What’s next? some fantastic rumor that disease is caused by some baleful group poisoning our wells?
We went through that during the 14th century.
I’m in my 60s. Have never had a flu shot and have never had the flu…. until THIS winter. Was very sick for 3 days, the first day was the worst. STILL won’t get a flu shot.
Got vaccine recommended for me in November- the quadrivalent covering four strains. Have well- controlled asthma and have gone into pneumona twice now so got the flu shot although have some concerns about all that it contains. Several weeks later came down with terrible case of influenza. Very very sick. Maybe what strains are out there were not well matched in the vaccine? Makes you wonder.
Sydney, COPD Stage II here. No flu shots ever! Get the pneumonia shot; it’s tried and true and there are no side effects. Much better than some unknown concoction injected into you every year.
No, Sydney. You did not catch a strain that they didn’t put in the vaccine. What happened was the shot gave you the flu. They don’t work!!!!
What I’ve heard all my life is you take greater risk WITH a flu shot than the risk of contracting the flu. I’m 67 and have never had a flu shot. I’ve had the flu once in the last 25 years.
I’ve even read evidence that the flu has side effects as deadly if not more so than the flu.
I also learned mercury is in the shots to keep the dead virus set in a certain way which I can’t remember how it works but I know I’ll pass on this poisen .
I had all the childhood diseases including whooping cough. I believe that’s a major reason I’ve been blessed with good health all my adult life. The only time I got the flu was when I decided to get the flu shot as precaution because my husband had emphysema. I got the flu (for first time since 12 years old) that turned into bronchitis. How’s that for flu shots protecting us? I’ve not gotten the shot since nor have I had the flu since. That was 14 years ago.
Quit pushing this flu vaccine nonsense!!! If people would just take care of themselves, keep their immune systems strong, and eat right, no vaccine is necessary! Vaccines carry risks of their own and should not be pushed to the public. At 84 and 76, my husband and I have never had a flu shot, nor do we ever intend to, and we don’t get the flu. We have witnessed many people get the flu after having the shot, and anyway, it’s a shot in the dark as to what strain there will be, so most of the time it’s ineffective. The CDC, along with many other government agencies, is in the back pocket of Big Pharma, which makes billions of dollars off these vaccine scams! They can’t be trusted!!! BTW, my mother never had any vaccines and lived to over 108 years, never getting the flu!
For those who are unaware, let me enlighten you. For many years now, the CDC has been nothing more than the marketing arm of Big Pharma, pushing vaccines and medications for them regardless of the efficacy of the vaccines/medications or the adverse effects of their use. In addition, in order to “scare” the public about the flu and push the use of the almost worthless yet very dangerous flu vaccine, they overreport the number of flu cases and flu deaths every year. They do this by telling doctors that if a patient exhibits any of the symptoms of the flu, most of which are symptoms common to many other viral infections, the doctor is to report that patient as having the flu (without actually ever testing for the flu) when the simple fact is that the overwhelming proportion of patients with those symptoms do not, in fact, have the flu. And they also play games with attributing the number of deaths from the flu, including in the number anyone who had any “flu-like” symptoms as having died from the flu. The actual number of flu cases and flu deaths are a very small percentage of the numbers we are given every year. It is all one big scam.
It’s always their best guess at which flu strains will hit in a particular year. Last year, the effectiveness of the flu shot was somewhere around 17%.
Do you know what’s in that flu shot? Don’t know about anyone else but I don’t want any unknown substances injected into my body.
Keep your immune system in top shape, wash your hands raw, disinfect surfaces (doorknobs, shopping carts, etc.) and stay away from obviously sick people.
Good luck!
Very disappointed in this article. Never mentions how many have life long side effects or are dead from the flu shot. I will take my chances on getting the flu.
Do some real research to find out the truth. Less than 3% of all people getting the flu vaccine get any benefit and this year, it is thought that the vaccine does not align with the actual flu virus that is out there! Vaccines are a hugh money maker for pharmaceutical companies and health care professionals. The potential side effects can be life changing and most of these vaccines contain mercury or formaldehyde. Neither of these belong in ones body.
I am surprise at the Amac for not doing its homework. I hope they are not getting their information from AARP!
I also agree with Michael, but realize the negatives are even greater than he expresses.
I’m disappointed that you are following the “party line” when it comes to flu shots. You should do some research before encouraging people to get immunizations with a proven detrimental effect on senior’s health.
Somebody please proofread before publishing. First paragraph – 13 million have been sick with the flu and 120 million have been hospitalized.
Totally agree with Michael Nielsen, he’s right on! No flu shots here.
Flu shots have such a poor record of effectiveness that they are nearly useless. This article does not mention the many adverse effects that vaccination for flu can cause. The influenza vaccinations are responsible for more serious adverse reactions and deaths than all other vaccinations combined. This is their record in the National Vaccination Injury Program commonly called the “vaccine court” is proof where more than $4 billion has been paid out for victims of adverse reactions. AMAC should mention this and should promote informed consent. Rarely to people understand the risks.
Never had one and never will
You could not be more correct! I NEVER, EVER take flu shots. Working in a medical setting for over a decade & a half I have seen first hand the danger these shots often present. Not only that, they are definitely not very effective. When the hospitals & doctors offices started REQUIRING employees to take them I quit! I can’t believe people don’t check things out before getting them.
THE FLU ?
Better start worrying about the Coronavirus . . . and what you are NOT being told about it.
GBA/KAG TRUMP2020 – Deus Vult !
The Coronavirus had a patented vaccine ready to go long before the outbreak, with the help of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The virus is spreading quickly already. I just joined Amac and had to see their take on flu shots here. Disappointed but not surprised. There is is a reason they don’t document the giving of the shot, the statistics over adverse reactions aren’t even accurate because there is a systemic practice NOT to review or report. And people have to lose their jobs for not getting a shot. I lost a family member to a doctor who Just Said No to checking on a flu shot reaction and who gave another flu shot behind my back in the interim, obviously not knowing or caring that there was already a shot involved in the sickness. How many famlies do not even know that this is what happened to THEIR loved ones?
All true AD.
However, the Bigshots at AMAC , like many of the AMAC membership, prefer
a comfortable lie to an uncomfortable truth.
And that is what I find most sickening.