Nearly everyone worries, at least a little bit, about getting the flu.
For most of us, it may represent just a few days to a week of feeling
ill, and under-the-weather. For some people, however, the flu virus can
cause serious complications.
According to the Centers for Disease
Control, as many as 49,000 people a year die from influenza. The CDC
states that 90 percent of those deaths occurred to people age 65 or
older. For this reason, many organizations encourage seniors to receive
annual flu shots.
This has not met with wide-spread approval.
Last year, Scientific American reported that flu vaccines may not be
effective for elderly people, or young children.
The virus which
causes influenza mutates every year. Because of this, vaccines need to
be changed every time flu season comes around. No one is exactly sure
which variety of influenza is likely to be common each year. This means
no drug manufacturer can be certain its vaccine will be effective.
Doctor
Mayer Eisenstein is the director of Homefirst Health Services. He is a
graduate of the Illinois Medical School and John Marshall Law School. He
has spent four decades in medicine, treating over 75,000 patients.
Eisenstein is also one of the leading voices in the country talking
about possible dangers of vaccines.
Mayer Eisenstein is our guest on the show today.
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