What should we do next?

[Sehc]

There is a flu vaccine made with live but weakened virus. The one we get at the local CVS is a killed virus and can not cause the flu. 

I was surprised yesterday when getting flu shot, they said I am eligible for the pneumonia. Is there a new pneumonia shot during the last two years?

[Al F]

14 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Immunity from a flu shot only lasts about 6 months so if you get yours in early Sept. and flue in late Feb. your 6 months of protection was expired. It was probably declining by that point. Pam's doctor used to tell us to wait until mid October to get them because of the length of time it lasts and the flu isn't usually too bad until about November. This year the doctor said to get them early because of the risk with covid19 as she felt Pam's risk is too high to wait. If the flu is still rampant at that point we will just get a second shot in Feb. Medicare won't pay for the second one but our plan G supplement would. 

That is what a couple of staff in the hospital told us, "Get a second flu shot in Jan-Feb if you get one in September." 

[noteven]

Are flu vaccines du jour a best guess by health officials what is the single worst strain this winter?

or

multi pack good pattern spread at 50 yards?

[2gypsies]

3 hours ago, Sehc said:

There is a flu vaccine made with live but weakened virus. The one we get at the local CVS is a killed virus and can not cause the flu. 

I was surprised yesterday when getting flu shot, they said I am eligible for the pneumonia. Is there a new pneumonia shot during the last two years?

Here are some informative articles on the flu, pneumonia and shingles vaccines:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/09/flu-coronavirus-same-time-frequently-asked-questions-twindemic-cvd/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=crm-email::ngp::cmp=editorial::add=SpecialEdition_20200918&rid=ECC251AB09091E701A4918CF50EAB3DB

https://www.cdc.gov/features/adult-pneumococcal/index.html

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shingles/expert-answers/shingles-vaccine/faq-20057859

[Barbaraok]

1 hour ago, noteven said:

Are flu vaccines du jour a best guess by health officials what is the single worst strain this winter?

or

multi pack good pattern spread at 50 yards?

They look at what is circulating in Southern Hemisphere, as well as other trends and make a best guess at the 4 strains that will probably be circulating.  Between pushing flu vaccine early, wearing masks, washing hands, little international travel, plus lower incidences of flu in other countries, we just might have a better than usual flu season.

[bruce t]

Here in Australia, seeing Australia has been mentioned a few times, there are 2 basic types of flu shots. Live and dead. (I don't know the technical terms). Flu shots are free for many/most Australians or $20.00, about US$14.00, at a pharmacy. What's the cost in the USA?

As mentioned the flu is less of a concern this year due to the measures in place for covid-19. The drop in flu deaths has more than out weighed the deaths from/with covid. So there is a positive news item about covid-19 you won't see on most of the media. 

There may be a positive with the covid-19 virus and that is our change in habits. Maybe, just maybe, those habits will become long term. That may mean a drop over all in flu cases. No more jabs😊

 

Edited September 27, 2020 by bruce t
Wrong word

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, bruce t said:

Flu shots are free for many/most Australians or $20.00, about US$14.00, at a pharmacy. What's the cost in the USA?

Medicare pays for them 100% for all who are over 65 or disabled. Most health insurance plans do that also. I really don't know what it would cost if one had to pay for them. 

[durangodon]

$25 at Walgreens.

[Blues]

On 9/19/2020 at 10:47 AM, Pappy Yokum said:

Female pharmacist's husband is a dentist.  Said he had a patient who had shingles in his jaw area.  Would come in for a Novocaine shot to be able to eat!  Another friend had it which affected her hearing for about two weeks. (Couldn't hear out of one ear).

I noticed you said "female pharmacist."  Why?

[Barbaraok]

"Pharmacist's spouse is a dentist ...." would seem a more logical way to start the sentence.  The gender of either one is immaterial to the discussion.  

[kurtsara]

So is there going to be tshirts saying female pharmacist lives matter?

[Blues]

19 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

"Pharmacist's spouse is a dentist ...." would seem a more logical way to start the sentence.  The gender of either one is immaterial to the discussion.  

Or even "pharmacist's husband is a dentist."  I'm just wondering why the pharmacist needed to be identified as a female, especially since the gender of a nurse in the same post wasn't mentioned.

[Kirk W]

4 hours ago, Blues said:

I'm just wondering why the pharmacist needed to be identified as a female,

Since it isn't an issue, I was not offended and doubt that others were. 

[Barbaraok]

9 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

Since it isn't an issue, I was not offended and doubt that others were. 

How do you know that?

 

[Al F]

I guess the original statement here:

Quote

BTW - However,  Shingles can be very nasty.  Female pharmacist's husband is a dentist.  Said he had a patient who had shingles in his jaw area.  Would come in for a Novocaine shot to be able to eat!  Another friend had it which affected her hearing for about two weeks. (Couldn't hear out of one ear).

Could be reworded to:

BTW - However,  Shingles can be very nasty.  The pharmacist's partner is a dentist.  Said they had a patient who had shingles in their jaw area.  Would come in for a Novocaine shot to be able to eat!  Another friend had it which affected their hearing for about two weeks. (Couldn't hear out of one ear).

🙂

[bigjim]

49 minutes ago, Barbaraok said:

How do you know that?

Educated guess?

[sandsys]

1 hour ago, Al F said:

I guess the original statement here:

Could be reworded to:

BTW - However,  Shingles can be very nasty.  The pharmacist's partner is a dentist.  Said they had a patient who had shingles in their jaw area.  Would come in for a Novocaine shot to be able to eat!  Another friend had it which affected their hearing for about two weeks. (Couldn't hear out of one ear).

🙂

I do not consider that better as "they" and "their" are plural not singular. And partner does not imply spouse. But, all of this is just playing word games; I'm pretty sure we all understood what the OP meant. Oh, how bored we get with this social isolation.  

Linda

[Dutch_12078]

46 minutes ago, sandsys said:

I do not consider that better as "they" and "their" are plural not singular. And partner does not imply spouse. But, all of this is just playing word games; I'm pretty sure we all understood what the OP meant. Oh, how bored we get with this social isolation.  

Linda

And in theses times, "husband" and "wife"  can be gender neutral, adding even more to the confusion...

[bigjim]

Come on Linda, lets duke it out. I think I can take you unless it involves spelling or cooking  or   Oh nevermind I am way out of my league.

[Barbaraok]

3 hours ago, Al F said:

I guess the original statement here:

Could be reworded to:

BTW - However,  Shingles can be very nasty.  The pharmacist's partner is a dentist.  Said they had a patient who had shingles in their jaw area.  Would come in for a Novocaine shot to be able to eat!  Another friend had it which affected their hearing for about two weeks. (Couldn't hear out of one ear).

🙂

Yup.  No gender mentioned because there is no need for it.   Just like there is no need to know the age, ethnicity, skin pigmentation, religious affiliations, nor ancestors of anyone.

[Barbaraok]

2 hours ago, sandsys said:

I do not consider that better as "they" and "their" are plural not singular. And partner does not imply spouse. But, all of this is just playing word games; I'm pretty sure we all understood what the OP meant. Oh, how bored we get with this social isolation.  

Linda

Have you read this piece in the Atlantic?

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/09/the-new-they/568993/

[Kirk W]

3 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

How do you know that?

As I said, I doubt others were offended either and I know. I also think it foolish to try and make an issue of it.  Don't be so thin skinned.  🙄

[Barbaraok]

deleted

Edited September 29, 2020 by Barbaraok

[sandsys]

3 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

Have you read this piece in the Atlantic?

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/09/the-new-they/568993/

I had not. Proving we are never too old to learn. It's going to take some effort for me, though, as the author indicated it would. I do think it's time for there to be a replacement for he/she but I thought it would be a new word, not a new use of an old word.

BTW one of our SKP friends introduced us to the singular "we". That's where one says, "We should..." actually meaning "You should..."  

Linda

[Al F]

5 hours ago, sandsys said:

I had not. Proving we are never too old to learn. It's going to take some effort for me, though, as the author indicated it would. I do think it's time for there to be a replacement for he/she but I thought it would be a new word, not a new use of an old word.

BTW one of our SKP friends introduced us to the singular "we". That's where one says, "We should..." actually meaning "You should..."  

Linda

Yeah, Sharon & I do the "we should" many times, really meaning "you should".  😀

Edited September 29, 2020 by Al F