The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is urging Americans to get a flu vaccination in a news release this morning. An earlier-than-usual influenza outbreak could foreshadow a severe flu season, they say.
Here in Ontario, we have an aggressive campaign to get everyone to get their flu shot. This service is completely free to all residents of Ontario and a number of convenient clinics are held throughout the province. Taryn's work even held their own clinic so she could get her shot without hassle while James and I got ours at a local walk-in clinic.
If you could avoid getting the flu, wouldn't you? Getting a flu vaccination makes good sense, right? You'd be surprised at the conspiracy theories I heard when talking with coworkers. Some think it's a cash-grab for the pharmaceutical industry. Others think it will leave them defenseless when the "super flu" arrives. Some even think the contents of the vaccination aren't to be trusted and that it could cause the flu or even worse. Someone even claimed their friend told her it contained radiator coolant. I've heard it all.
If you believe in such conspiracies, then you believe that every single medical doctor in the country is in on the deal. I challenge you to find one doctor who will tell you the flu vaccination is a bad idea. You won't because it isn't. Get a damn flu shot. This isn't The X Files.
