5 comments
I would appreciate it if the author included some of the NNTVs of more mature vaccines
I would appreciate it if the author included some of the NNTVs of more mature vaccines
That would be useful information, however difficult as many diseases were not as they once were. Do you give the original smallpox VAX rate or current? Do you give the yearly flu shot rate?
That would be useful information, however difficult as many diseases were not as they once were. Do you give the original smallpox VAX rate or current? Do you give the yearly flu shot rate?
Flu shot saves you, on average, half a workday.
Flu shot saves you, on average, half a workday.
The benefits of the flu vaccine are pretty marginal, and there are tons of physicians who don't support blanket vaccination. It's pretty silly IMO to lump all vaccines together. Some are very effective, some are less effective. Some prevent absolutely horrific illnesses, others prevent diseases that are relatively mild. Like all things, your mileage may vary and depend on your overall health, your social group, how likely you are to be exposed, etc.
Doing some rough envelope math, if the flu vaccine prevents one infection every 10 years, it gets you back to work 4 hours earlier every 10 years vs 0.5 hrs cost each administration each time for 10 years getting the vaccine. Adjust the numbers as necessary, but it's a rough ballpark estimate. It's pretty close to a wash and understandable why some people might decide to get it for their circumstances and others say it's not a benefit or a cost for them.
Interestingly, for the above 65 population (the most vulnerable to the flu), there is uncertainty and a lack of solid evidence about the benefit of the vaccine.
Evidence for protection in adults aged 65 years or older is lacking.
It's amazing how little we know about some very fundamental questions like this and yet how loudly some people proclaim certainty. Science education, critical thinking, and open mindedness are really in a dire place these days.
The benefits of the flu vaccine are pretty marginal, and there are tons of physicians who don't support blanket vaccination. It's pretty silly IMO to lump all vaccines together. Some are very effective, some are less effective. Some prevent absolutely horrific illnesses, others prevent diseases that are relatively mild. Like all things, your mileage may vary and depend on your overall health, your social group, how likely you are to be exposed, etc.
Doing some rough envelope math, if the flu vaccine prevents one infection every 10 years, it gets you back to work 4 hours earlier every 10 years vs 0.5 hrs cost each administration each time for 10 years getting the vaccine. Adjust the numbers as necessary, but it's a rough ballpark estimate. It's pretty close to a wash and understandable why some people might decide to get it for their circumstances and others say it's not a benefit or a cost for them.
Interestingly, for the above 65 population (the most vulnerable to the flu), there is [uncertainty](https://doi.org/10.1016%2FS1473-3099%2811%2970295-X) and a lack of solid evidence about the benefit of the vaccine.
> Evidence for protection in adults aged 65 years or older is lacking.
It's amazing how little we know about some very fundamental questions like this and yet how loudly some people proclaim certainty. Science education, critical thinking, and open mindedness are really in a dire place these days.
Trust the science, i mean the pharma profits