What is the point in getting a flu shot if 2 months later you get the flu?

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Aria Broeka Profile
Aria Broeka answered

Flu shots protect you only from those particular strains of flu.  There are many types or strains of influenza virus.  They cant anticipate all that may hit in a season as many are rarish.  Viruses also mutate easily.  So when they go through the expensive and intensive process of creating anti-viruses they do the most common flu varieties - flu Type A and type B usually.  From those you are protected.    From other flu strains you arent.  It also does nothing against non-flu viruses that cause similar reactions like the noro- and rotoviruses that are nearly epidemic this year.  You get the shot to protect you from those you are most likely to get.    Its impossdible, or practically so, to create a vaccine for every possible flu strain out there. 

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Curiously Curious
Influenza is what the doctor said my sons have. She said the shot only protects against 5 most common strains of the virus and there are 15 strains total. Learn something new everyday. And thanks for your information as well!
Aria Broeka
Aria Broeka commented
Flu is just a coloquial shortening of inFLUenza. I dont know what Mr. O'Reagan thinks he is talking about. InFLUenza or the 'flu' is a class of inFLUenza viruses or various types and it is true sometimes SOME people use the term 'flu' to INCORRECTLY refer to other viruses like the noro- and roto-viruses that are prevalent this year that have similar symptoms to flu/influenza. But other than semantic differences, inFLUenza and the FLU are references to the exact same class of viruses.
Walt O'Reagun
Walt O'Reagun commented
From the Mayo Clinic:

"Influenza is a viral infection that attacks your respiratory system — your nose, throat and lungs. Influenza, commonly called the flu, is not the same as stomach "flu" viruses that cause diarrhea and vomiting. "
Pepper pot Profile
Pepper pot answered

Because there is some chance that the flu you get, may come from the ones you have been vaccinated against, be it there are many different strains of flu. Formaldehyde is in the vaccine for flu vaccine Agriflu, Fluarix, Flulaval, Fluzone. Since some have egg allergies they use canine kidney cell protein, so for those having Flucelvax flu shot it contains canine DNA. The flu mist has monosodium glutamate in it.

http://guardianlv.com/2014/03/flu-vaccine-ingredients-what-is-injected-into-the-body/

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/guillainbarre.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_vaccine_ingredients

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