Vaccines are really necessary

Do you think you had any vaccine strength left when you got Covid this time? When I had Covid it wasn’t long after I’d had the third dose and, while I was pretty ropey for a few days, I certainly wasn’t ill enough to need medical attention. I was just curious whether previous vaccines from ages ago still have any influence on Covid if you catch it long after your last jab.

1 Like

Good question, I suppose that is an individual thing as we are all different.
As your body has created the correct antibodies once then hopefully the process will be quicker if you catch Covid again.

2 Likes

We both got flu jabs last year and will probably do the same this one. Husband used to get it free at his workplace before he retired.

1 Like

Absolutely none at all. A different strain of virus too.

1 Like

Yes, that is what I know too. I know the flu jab is basically one year behind but it’s still worthwhile. Some people (and not only here) swear by it. I have an acquaintance here that had this vaccine every year since many years and never got ill.

I think you have some misconceptions about this stuff. As we could see with Covid, it doesn’t necessarily work that way.

2 Likes

I think it’s 6 months behind, in the sense that Northern Hemisphere experts look at what is happening recently in the Southern Hemisphere and vv.

1 Like

It’s a bit more complex than and others factors are taken into consideration but that’s part of the decision making process.

My husband got a flu shot once and coincidentally had strong flu a few months after. Since then we are a bit sceptical about flu vaccines and don’t bother.

Maybe he caught a variant from someone who had it from overseas and which the current vaccine at the time offered no protection.

There are many other illnesses with the same symptoms as flu. Maybe it was something else.

Maybe he was just unlucky. Maybe he was actually lucky and without the vaccine, he may have ended up in hospital with the same flu virus.

For me there would be too many variables to reach a conclusion like you did.

Here I post again the effectiveness rates of flu vaccines over the past six seasons, the highest effective rate is 40%. So if you are exposed to a flu virus then at best you have almost a two-thirds chance of being sick.

Here are the effectiveness rates over the past six seasons for which data are available:

  • 2016–2017: 40%
  • 2017–2018: 38%
  • 2018–2019: 29%
  • 2019–2020: 39%
  • 2021-2022: 36%
  • 2022-2023: 44%
1 Like


Just to comment on data in Switzerland (from bag dashboard)… Why has 2021 got almost zero cases?

Anyway, I used to get the flu vaccine as, many years back, I had 18 months of chemotherapy. After this, my doctor strongly advised me to take due to my weakened immunity. Probably took for 10 years and didn’t catch flu so :wave:

I think that just shows that the COVID measures such as masks, isolation and WFH really do work to prevent, or at least reduce virus transmission.

6 Likes

So, there’s a new covid strain developing called XEC, an Omicron subtype. It’s more infectuous but not more deadly or otherwise dangerous than Omicron. Effectively it’s Omicron with increased infectuousness. Based on the currently existing strains it might overwhelm the currently dominant strain KP.3.1.1 and become dominant during the winter. The vaccinations against Omicron are believed to be effective against XEC, too, as well as natural immunity conveyed by infection.

The BAG recommends vaccination for the 65+ and other at-risk groups, e.g. people with an impaired immune system.

4 Likes

I started getting a flu shot around 2000, I worked in a hospital (not patient care), but it was recommended nevertheless. I’ve never had the flu since then.I get a flu shot every year. In 2011, I had chemo and rads, but I think my immune system is decent for an old bat. Of course now that I am considered elderly, I will continue.

I’m going to get a covid booster as soon as I can. I had friends visiting from the US first two weeks of September. They both came down with covid once they got home. Neither my husband nor I have tested positive. Apparently our friends were exposed at the airport or on the plane. ZRH was crazy busy the day they left. One of my friends said she heard that the variant circulating in Europe right now has a two day incubation period. I guess that’s the XEC variant.

But we’re pretty sure they were exposed while traveling, not visiting us. I

5 Likes

Bülach hospital reported today an average of 20 people per month require hospitalisation due to COVID-19, it is still around …

1 Like

Had my 5th booster and flu jab last week.

1 Like

The pharmacy here didn´t have the flu jab yet, Covid I have to wait as I just had it.
But thanks for the reminder, they now have it.

Flirting can be dangerous.What to Know About COVID FLiRT Variants | Johns Hopkins | Bloomberg School of Public Health

Don’t worry, KK assures us men cannot get pregnant

2 Likes

Neither our family doctor, they said we can get it in November. After so many people complained of some sort of persistent cough and flu-like symptoms*, I think we are going to get the flu jab this year.
*btw there was someone here who complained about the same things; I heard of many others lately.