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Why aren't more Americans getting the flu shot?

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    Dr. Marc Siegel weighs in

  • Duration 5:00
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Almost half our population expect to get a flu shot this year.

So what about the rest why aren't.

I've yet to get the solution I'm afraid it gets -- taken the flu shots right so I don't think that we.

As soon got flu shots -- health care professionals studied bees suddenly -- -- -- -- did not back OK I had a bad reaction my son I have not yet.

But I will shortly I mean you know people that.

Have gotten shot and I have still got -- and I don't know if I am going -- I've never had a flu shot so that's why haven't got what I don't get the flip side.

I don't like -- -- the the -- party had the flu in the town ever done it negated a -- Within seconds after that they all got the -- -- to doctor Marc Siegel on whether their fears are justified what do you think mark.

This is all about fear and -- the whole thing a lot of the people flooding the yards are afraid of the flu they may not have symptoms that warrant that that cost a big price figures you just heard from Charles then there's people afraid of the vaccine well.

First of all the vaccine can not -- view of the flu the vaccine has a dead virus and it.

It cannot be infectious you can't get the -- and get a little allergic reaction from -- you can get a little muscle -- Or sniff -- or what tiny favor it goes away 24 hours it doesn't give you the fluid can give you ought to -- that's been studied people are afraid -- needles they can take a flu mist that's out there.

It's very disturbing that the fear that we're having -- the flu could be replaced by a simple vaccine that would make you feel better you'd be protected we got a very good match to the flu strain this year so take the vaccine now.

You just tell me a couple of days ago its efficacy ratings success rate it's not out of percentage it's barely 60% -- -- a -- -- -- present shot.

Shots on -- -- let's go over that -- because it's not exactly right I say 60% but let me tell you something it's closer -- 90%.

That -- have a milder case if you got it.

So it's 60% -- protects you but if you have that vaccine and you get sick with the flu despite the vaccine.

The chances are you won't end up in that hospital if you had them actually so.

Buzz -- president -- that you got that wasn't protected with that vaccine.

Whatever flu you do get won't be is -- severe would otherwise.

In the case if it's that bad strain and that bad strain is again more numbers that -- 80% of the flows out there so if you have -- you've got that bad strain.

-- you do get is covered by the vaccine even if you're one of those that it doesn't work for you'll get less sick.

It's a really Smart thing to do it'll help treat the -- here.

What -- total is frank is it more to -- other strains and then other you know this what we have to actively and it's -- it -- -- -- as you remind you were nowhere near that now but we are at a stage where suddenly we're dealing with the flu.

That has arrived a lot earlier -- spread a lot further than we thought what happened.

-- that's an excellent question but we're not doing the movie contagion here because this time we're right in the heart of the flu season it's gonna peak and another few weeks.

And we know that this is the predominant strain the -- -- flu mutates all the time.

It is not gonna morph into something more severe over the next few weeks we can be very respond now that you know because it's already too late for that to happen it's too late in the year for that and it's not a pandemic this is the yearly flu strain typically when you see a flu strain like there's this ends up being that we targeted we -- -- And it's gonna get worse before it gets better but it's not gonna mutate at this point I'm pretty sure that -- different clues -- Yet the -- -- evolving get other strains that take over from this one.

But looking looking -- at the only other major flu strain out there is -- old Swine Flu from 2009.

And that's in much much weaker shape than it was a few years ago.

So I think fair is the biggest virus we have right now -- bigger even in this slow but of course take those precautions as Rick Levin also you wash your hands isolate yourself but you're sick again -- stay home from work if you don't of the -- to stay home from work if you have the -- You know a lot of people although very nervous about their own job security.

Come into work anyway he it they have flu like symptoms they don't -- they have to have the that the flu itself what is the rule of somewhat.

Well that is -- that is -- disaster because if you actually have flu like symptoms even when you're feeling better you can continue to shed the flu for about a week afterwards and that's why this contagion spreads.

People -- actually have the flu or are told by a physician that they may have the flu should stay home for a solid week and do as much as they can.

By computer and then you know maybe you -- maybe and maybe Charles is right that that's gonna cost billions of dollars but -- -- cost billions more if they go to work have you been reading a lot of doctors announcement.

I've been writing a lot of doctor's notes I've been given -- a lot of vaccines and and running -- for a lot of Tamiflu for people that are sick with the flu that needs something to feel better fast people that are in high risk groups should be considered for Tamiflu as well.

Doctor it's gonna get better but it's gonna get better before it gets gonna get worse before -- -- better.

Worse before it gets better.

All right got to thank you very much.

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