Ah, thanks for the reminder, I need to get this! My father got shingles, and it was extremely painful.

I’m a huge proponent of vaccinations, but of all the suite of vaccinations, the flu shot is the least effective. They prepare the shot based on their best guess as to which variety of flu is going to be dominant, and they get that right about half the time, so half the time they’re all worthless.

If they get it right, it isn’t a complete protection against the flu by any means. On average, you save a day of being sick (which includes the people who don’t get sick at all). Occasionally, it will prevent you from dying — but nearly always if you are immunocompromised or old.

Also, the flu is so widespread, and true immunity so rare even amongst vaccinated people, that the “herd immunity” phenomenon never happens.

Should you get the flu shot? If you are immunocompromised or old, you should get it, no question. If you aren’t, it’s not so urgent. Here in the Netherlands, they strongly recommend it for people over 55.

But the shingles shot is very effective. Shingles very rarely kills you, but often causes extreme pain. Anyone over 50 should get it, and that includes me, and I’m a little pissed off that no doctor has reminded me of this in the last seven years.

And for those who don’t like nuanced conversations and skimmed all of that— for God’s sake, do what your doctor says, and get your kids immunized! The vaccine is one of mankind’s great inventions, one that has saved countless people from death, or other horrible consequences like paralysis.