I read basically the same thing from a different source (a couple of days ago?) which if I remember correctly stated this years flu shot is ineffective against this strain. Par for the course I suppose. I don't take flu shots but have never had the flu so maybe I am just lucky.

I was out of work all this week with the worse cold I've been in over a decade. I was watching the nightly news, which I rarely do, and they stated the US was experiencing a flu epidemic across the states.

Firstly can anyone confirm that this hasn't happened before and/or its the worst yet. When looking on here I always start with paranoia before even questioning the problem. I'm all for the current events involving illness not being natural but sometimes we can get caught up and see everything as a Conspiricy.

Either way. I feel that recently there has been and increase in illness. No evidence to prove it. But it's catching my attention more than usual.

I did notice extreme contrails and plane travel over my house this morning but was two tired to think until I noticed the contrails had spread into long rectangular clouds in perfect lines. Very low as well. Which is adding to my belief that where being poisened?

I didn't take photos. But I will check again tomorrow just incase.

I know a bunch of people who are coming down with the flu. Thankfully, I am not sick. Hopefully, this won't be the start of an epidemic.

Stay safe ATS!!

Originally posted by happykat39
Flu infections sweep America hospitalizing thousands and leaving 18 children dead of complications, and it's going to get worse.

I got my shot, like I do every year. And I don't get the flu, even as it works its way through my extended family.

I was given a choice at work this year. Get the flu shot or wear a mask for 12 hours a day while on hospital campus at all times. If you have ever worn one of those masks...

They did offer nasal and thimerisol free, as well as anti-allergy (eggs), and they were free.

I chose the shot.

Especially after seeing people drown in their own secretions from H1N1 last year, and being sick as a dog for almost 2 months with something that seemed like flu followed by croop.

Cannot afford to be sick with much higher insurance costs this year.

Most in our family has it! AND IT IS A BAD ONE! We have been sick with it for almost 2 weeks.

My advise to everyone! The first sign of a un-easy feeling in the throat and chest is go to the doc for antibiotics ASAP.

It can turn into pneumonia quickly and it's extremly contagious.

Wash your hands, dont touch your mouth and if you are around someone who is coughing,.. RUN in the other direction as fast as you can.

May even want to take something to build up your immune system.

Trust me guys! It's bad.

5000 is likely a very conservative number. I know like 15 or so people who have the flu or flu like symptoms... And everyone I'm talking to knows people who have it. Scary stuff for sure, just be careful everyone and don't touch your hands to your face AT ALL....

My kid came down with that a few weeks ago, and no, It wasn't pretty. She would ask me for a hug, I'd make a cross with my fingers, and walk WAY around her!!!, And then I'd give her a kiss on the forehead. The poor thing had it for 7 or 8 days. she still wasn't feeling too hot for X-mas.

I went on one of my bleaching frenzies. The dishes, door handles, ect. Neither me or my ol' man got it. Of course, I'd have to be dying not to go to work.

Off topic:

Had Strep for 9 months, came down with it on New Years Eve a few years ago. I worked around water and cold. The girl I worked with called me a freak one day, because you have to tie your hair up, you could see every lymph node in my whole neck. She was refering to the ones that run down the back of your neck. She said it looked like I had marbles under my skin... Fun year for me, but I had my tonsils taken out (i'm 36) I was asking my ol' man to shoot me. Can having strep that long, could it have done some sort of damage?

I don't know when the last time I got a flu shot was, I'm assuming i had it when i was a child which was some time ago. Do people suggest getting one with all of this going around or no? I've heard people say to stay away from it and others who are big supporters of it. I just don't know what to do here...

Ban the flu.

Cant believe I just seen this thread. Just got back from hospital visiting the hubs. My kids started the flu, I had it all of last week with the hubs, his turned into double pneumonia & he has been throwing up blood. The problem with this flu is, we thought we felt better by Thursday, only to be back in bed by Friday with 103 fevers! It comes back with a VENGENCE! They just now moved him out of ICU, but he has still been sick and throwing up all morning at the hospital, complaining of a massive headache...be careful people, if you think your over it in a few days, you won't be! This flu IS BAD

Originally posted by Merlin Lawndart
It is pure fear hype and hysteria. Big pharma just wants to get everyone scared of the big bad flu while selling everyone billions of dollars worth of toxic drugs that prevent nothing and poison your body. Then will say there's a shortage of vaccines, all to create their fear and hysteria illusion. What's that statistic we always hear? That flu kills some 36,000 people a year? That is not so. Only 18 people die per year from the flu. All of the other deaths were caused by pneumonia, not the flu, according to the CDC's own data.

I agree that there's hype and hysteria but it's not unfounded.

Please go visit your nearest Emergency Room and let us know what you see. If it's anything like what I experienced last week, it will look like something out of a plague-movie.
(spent 7.5 hours there. The ER was packed when we arrived at 5pm and when we left at 12:30 am)

My girlfriend has been sick for nearly 2 months now with what the doctors in the emergency room called "Asthmatic Bronchitis", although she doesn't have asthma. They gave her a rescue inhaler and some kind of antibiotic that helps her when she can't breathe, but clearly have not completely helped. Chest xrays show she does not have asthma or pneumonia.

She's now playing this game where she does a round of meds, calls the doctor and says "I still need to use my inhaler several times a day", and he prescribes something else. We're on the third round of that.

Meanwhile, several co-workers and friends have been in similar situations, out of work for weeks or in the emergency room with complaints of being unable to breathe. And yet I'm not catching it.

I don't know. It just seems extremely bad this year.