Thank you Brian. How does your ongoing debunking of OAS in the context of flu impact your view of contemporary flu shot campaigns? My employer is once again hosting "flu shot day" soon. Is this a good thing or not?
One of my theories for the revival of interest in OAS is that modern flu researchers use it to postpone accepting that flu vaccines don't seem to make a difference to health. They are searching for a "flaw" in the immune system that they can "fix."
I am skeptical of whether the non "health efficacy" of flu vaccines is actually because of true inefficacy, but either way the "Berenson argument" is pretty strong - flu vaccines might as well not exist, as far as how many people are recorded to die from flu each year
At the same time, I haven't actually gotten to any flu efficacy studies from after the 80s and so I haven't seen the inefficacy trope demonstrated in the lit yet.
My personal views on health are pretty neanderthal in nature but one of the key premises is that the immune system knows what it is doing. I definitely think interfering with flu immunity in children is insane but also might be a wash based on the Hoskins study (which has its flaws). And likewise for young adults, probably middle-aged, probably quite close to the age where "the next flu will be the big one." If you can still survive flu naturally then avoiding it is an opportunity cost to get richer protection for later. And this would explain "Berenson's paradox" (which is also Hoskins', in children). But that's all just me blowing smoke.
My thoughts on the flu vaccines are one of my criticisms for the COVID vaccines, in that respiratory infections targeted by intramuscular vaccination don't seem like the appropriate pairing. I think much of the flu vaccine research is mired by the same methodology issues for these vaccines and that has made me rethink flu vaccines as a whole.
I never used to "think" flu vaccines at all. I had no idea anyone was really getting them. As my comment says, I'm not so much hung up on the mechanics of reducing flu positivity by juicing up antibodies - I just think the immune system needs real battles to stay in fighting shape.
Certainly true. It's more for the fact that we should focus on making our immune systems antifragile through good nutrition and exercise (i.e. the Neanderthal route ) rather than put all of our immunological eggs into a vaccine basket. It's one reason I found it so strange that we're telling obese people who may be more susceptible that they need to get the COVID vaccine. Why not tell them to get to a healthy weight and reduce all types of illnesses not just COVID?
Thank you Brian. How does your ongoing debunking of OAS in the context of flu impact your view of contemporary flu shot campaigns? My employer is once again hosting "flu shot day" soon. Is this a good thing or not?
One of my theories for the revival of interest in OAS is that modern flu researchers use it to postpone accepting that flu vaccines don't seem to make a difference to health. They are searching for a "flaw" in the immune system that they can "fix."
I am skeptical of whether the non "health efficacy" of flu vaccines is actually because of true inefficacy, but either way the "Berenson argument" is pretty strong - flu vaccines might as well not exist, as far as how many people are recorded to die from flu each year
https://alexberenson.substack.com/p/influenza-virus-gonna-virus
https://alexberenson.substack.com/p/for-you-amateur-or-professional-data
At the same time, I haven't actually gotten to any flu efficacy studies from after the 80s and so I haven't seen the inefficacy trope demonstrated in the lit yet.
My personal views on health are pretty neanderthal in nature but one of the key premises is that the immune system knows what it is doing. I definitely think interfering with flu immunity in children is insane but also might be a wash based on the Hoskins study (which has its flaws). And likewise for young adults, probably middle-aged, probably quite close to the age where "the next flu will be the big one." If you can still survive flu naturally then avoiding it is an opportunity cost to get richer protection for later. And this would explain "Berenson's paradox" (which is also Hoskins', in children). But that's all just me blowing smoke.
My thoughts on the flu vaccines are one of my criticisms for the COVID vaccines, in that respiratory infections targeted by intramuscular vaccination don't seem like the appropriate pairing. I think much of the flu vaccine research is mired by the same methodology issues for these vaccines and that has made me rethink flu vaccines as a whole.
I never used to "think" flu vaccines at all. I had no idea anyone was really getting them. As my comment says, I'm not so much hung up on the mechanics of reducing flu positivity by juicing up antibodies - I just think the immune system needs real battles to stay in fighting shape.
Certainly true. It's more for the fact that we should focus on making our immune systems antifragile through good nutrition and exercise (i.e. the Neanderthal route ) rather than put all of our immunological eggs into a vaccine basket. It's one reason I found it so strange that we're telling obese people who may be more susceptible that they need to get the COVID vaccine. Why not tell them to get to a healthy weight and reduce all types of illnesses not just COVID?
My husband and I are fellow neanderthals - he's 65 and I'm 61, and we've never had a flu shot (with no intention of ever doing so).