Deseret News | Reader comments: Is flu to blame in 6 Salt Lake-area deaths?

Reader comments
Is flu to blame in 6 Salt Lake-area deaths?

Grace Jones | 6:36 a.m. Feb. 20, 2008

I'm 79 years old and the only time I have had the flu was the year I got a flu shot. It sounds like they were not on course for this year's vaccine. Why are people still being encouraged to get the shots?
If I feel a cold coming on, or exposed to the flu, I take some extra vitamin C and three echinacea capsules and, eureka, no cold or flu! It works!

Bird Flu | 8:39 a.m. Feb. 20, 2008

Enter comment Is this article unsettling to you? If there really were something serious or even catastrophic ocurring in our community, how much useful information would the "authorities" actually be willing to give us?

Anonymous | 8:35 a.m. Feb. 20, 2008

I'm glad that Grace's echinacea capsules work for her--not so with everyone. We've tried it!

We believe in the flu shots here.

My mother was quarantined in her retirement home in Oregon recently. I don't think it was for influenza, but for some other virus where the residents had dysentery of some sorts. Food was delivered to them at their door, but they weren't allowed out of their rooms and the dining room was closed. The cleaning people came around with masks on, disinfecting doornobs and everything else. Fortunately, no one died.The elderly are always more at risk this time of the year.

Comments continue below

Bubba | 9:40 a.m. Feb. 20, 2008

We've had a flu epidemic raging down here for months. Trust me more than 6 people died, way more. People in rest homes and such are extremely succeptible to things like this.

Comment about flu shots is interesting. I took a flu shot for 4 years in a row and got flu every year. Stopping taking them some years back and haven't had the flu since. This year everyone here is getting the flu, flu shots or not. The proferred explanation is it's the wrong flu strain and the shots only last 3 months and the flu epidemic started at the 4 month level.

Your choice, shots or no. As for me, no thanks.

flu | 10:34 a.m. Feb. 20, 2008

They may not have died from the flu but some other serious virus. It's possible to be as sick or sicker without having a confirmed case of the "flu". Viruses lead to other infections and people die from pneumonia, bronchitis, or another infection. Just because they didn't have the flu means nothing.

truth in vaccinations | 11:13 a.m. Feb. 20, 2008

40% of those infected had the flu shot. Not very encouraging numbers to me. The elderly are resistant to the vaccine but are even more encouraged to get it. If their immune systems are more delicate, why are you injecting what is quite probably yet another flu strain into their bodies in addition to the one they've already contracted on their own?

Your choice (for now): fight off the flu you've already got or get injected with an additional strain or two and try to fight them all at once. Oh, and don't forget to inject your young children, too.

Has anyone read the side effects of Tamiflu? If you haven't, you deserve what you get. Anyone know what preservatives come included in your shot? Formaldehyde, mercury, and thimeresol for starters.

cyndi6653 | 11:33 a.m. Feb. 20, 2008

out of the 297 flu viruses the flu vaccine covers only three. They pick what three to use every year. So which one of the other 294 could you get?

cyndi | 12:39 p.m. Feb. 20, 2008

no dearest. those are the three type strains of influenza that are circulating. the 297 CASES are compromised of the three type strains.

Wuh | 12:49 p.m. Feb. 20, 2008

Of course not! I think it's safe to put the blame squarely on the shoulders of Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Add your comment

Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.

Words Remaining

E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.