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Hi, I’m Mackenna Faucher from the Triton Voice. Typically, students at my school go to the doctors to get their flu shots around winter time. I, on the other hand, will probably never get one again. Here’s why…

Interview with Eric Faucher:

“I mean I think that one is the flu shot doesn’t guarantee you’re not gonna get the flu. I don’t think we are at risk if we get the flu that it’s gonna be-like, we’re gonna be sick, we’ll survive. And I think that I have unknowns about what is actually in the flu shot and if what they’re putting in your body is worse than the consequences of actually getting the flu.”

Getting the flu shot can be a controversial topic. Protecting yourself against sickness is important…especially when the flu last year hit record numbers. We’re already seeing a 70% increase in cases for 2019.

Newscaster talking about the Flu  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zinBQHsumgs

Despite the fear-driven response, some parents out there are still against this shot. Its accuracy and ingredients are often unknown to its customers. In order to gain insight on the flu shot, I talked to my aunt, Gail Savory, who is a nurse.

Interview with Gail Savory:

“Yes, it’s important for both the staff and my patients to have flu shots. Most of them are elderly patients so their immune system is usually not as protected so the flu shot is super important.

I think people get nervous with shots. I think a lot of people think they’ll get the flu if they get the flu shot- sometimes that does happen. But, for the most part, you have to look at the good that outweighs the bad. Many times it does protect from certain strains of the flu. I think the misconception is”I’m gonna get sick if I get the flu shot.”

I think sometimes people hear one story that might be misconstrued and they hop on this bandwagon of not wanting vaccinations because they think it will cause autism or other issues. I don’t think people are always educated enough to make the right decision and I do believe vaccinations are very important.

The flu shot will protect against… it is an introduction into your body of a medication that you can fight off certain antibodies or certain germs. I would say that many times its not effective because many times there are certain strains of flu that it’s just not going to protect. It’s not gonna protect every single strain of flu. Each year, each season, there’s more and more strains. So it will protect you from a lot but its not going to protect you from every single one.”

Most doctors will suggest getting the flu shot, despite the fact that sometimes they don’t choose the right strand and deaths occur like last year’s case.

Senior, Lindsey Gardella has yet to get her flu shot but still agrees that the stats are enough to make her believe in getting the shot.

Lindsey Gardella Interview:

“I think they should get it because we did have like an outbreak of the flu last year that affected a lot of people so I think it definitely helps if you have it.”

Sophomore, Kyla Prussman avoids the flu shot like others in her family. After a close family member died of cancer, her family stopped getting the shot. What seems to be a rare case shows reasoning to those who are fearful toward the shot.

Interview with Kyla Prussman:

“My grandfather died of a very rare… it’s almost a genetic type of cancer so we all have the strand in us so I just chose not to get it because I don’t want to risk cancer.”

Whether it’s better to be safe than sorry, or not even bother putting unknown chemicals into your body, its up to personal choice.