My training at the University of Washington stopped short of medical school. That D in organic chemistry sent me running in the opposite direction — straight to the English department.
Nevertheless, I am a font of medical opinions. Forget clinical studies, I have a bachelor’s degree in English.
That’s another way of saying I’m preposterous, at least when I proclaim something like, "I never get a flu shot. Flu shots make you sick."
Until two days ago, I never had a flu shot. I don’t understand them. I don’t know how a 747 stays up in the air either, but I fly in them.
So on Monday, I took a leap of faith in medical science. At lunchtime, I rolled up my sleeve and took my medicine.
It barely hurt at all. By about 4 p.m. I had a slight headache, pretty normal for a workday. I jogged Monday night and awoke Tuesday with barely an ache.
In large part, I got the shot so I could write about it. If — just maybe — it keeps me from getting sick, all the better. I made someone happy, too, and not just my mom.
"I am so proud of you," said Dr. Maxine Hayes, a health officer with the state Department of Health in Olympia. "I guess we haven’t adequately educated the public about what flu is.
"People equate flu with a bad cold, yet almost 36,000 people a year die of flu-related illnesses. It’s not just a bad cold, it can kill you," Hayes said.
A specialist in pediatrics, she acknowledged "there are a lot of misgivings" about the vaccine. If you think the country is polarized by the 2004 presidential choices, bring up the topic of flu shots.
My parents swear by them. Their shots every October are as sure a thing as turning back the clocks. Yet, a half-dozen co-workers either told me they were afraid of flu shots, or they never get sick except when they get one.
Why the reluctance? I have a vague sense that getting sick the old-fashioned way builds your immune system. But that doesn’t explain why older people are at greater risk from the flu.
Don’t listen to me, I majored in Charles Dickens.
Certainly, my kids have had the mandatory childhood inoculations. With those come risks, however small the chances. But look at the diseases being fought — diphtheria, polio, measles and hepatitis B. Even the names cause chills.
Flu? You get it. You sleep and watch soap operas. You come back to work four days later and 3 pounds lighter.
But this year, it doesn’t take a medical degree to know flu is scary. From Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle to Valley General Hospital in Monroe, patients with flulike symptoms are seeking emergency care. Locally, supplies of flu vaccine are dwindling.
"It looks like we’re going to have an unusually long flu season," Hayes said.
The doctor gets annual flu shots herself and for the rest of her household, which includes two teens and her 81-year-old mother.
"I’m trying to protect her. She’s vulnerable, and these kids are very good vehicles for flu illnesses," said Hayes, who served in the 1980s on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The national panel decides what manufacturers should include in the flu vaccine each year.
"Basically, they look at what’s circulating the year before. This year, what’s in the flu vaccine is the Panama strain," Hayes said. "The flu that’s out there is the Fujian strain. It’s a little drift from the Panama strain, but early indications show there is crossover protection. It’s better than not having any protection."
But can a flu shot make you sick?
According to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, any vaccine will cause redness at the site in up to 20 percent of people. Fever and malaise are uncommon after flu shots. Allergic reactions are rare and limited to those with egg allergies.
With or without a shot, there are ways to ward off flu.
"Practice good health manners," Hayes said. "You can’t wash your hands enough. People are blowing their noses and coughing, they need to wash their hands. Dispose of those tissues. And don’t share utensils.
"It’s very important to get adequate rest," she added. "During the holidays, there’s so much stress. People work and then shop until they drop. They’re partying, drinking alcohol and skipping meals. All these viruses just take hold."
Oh, but I’ve had my shot. I’m protected, although it doesn’t kick in for two weeks. If I get the flu after that, you’ll be reading about it.
Columnist Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460 or muhlsteinjulie@heraldnet.com
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