Vegans: Do you vaccinate?

[Ignis]

It's "Happy Flu Shot Time" at work, and they're really pushing to get everyone vaccinated this year.

I haven't had the flu in more than 10 years, but I'm also doing a lot of traveling this year from hot to cold climates and back during the Winter.

I guess I'm just curious where other vegans stand on this issue. Thanks in advance. :hi:

[LeftyMom]

1. If it helps...

Temperature variations shouldn't impact your flu risk, but traveling generally will because you'll be exposed to more people (and recycled air, assuming you're flying.) If you need Official Vegan Dogma (TM) I can dig up the Vegan Society statement on taking needed medication, but my personal advice would be to make the thoughtful decision that's right for you and not feel like you have to defend yourself either way.

Personally, my son and I have a history of adverse reactions (and odd immune responses generally) but are quite healthy, so I've opted out of some of the jabs for lower-risk things (for example, my kid didn't have the chicken pox shot, and neither of us get flu shots) on the thinking that for us the likely benefit-risk ratio is substantially lower than average, and for relatively minor illnesses the risk may outweigh the benefits.

I wouldn't give the cultured-on-eggs thing any more weight than I would any other prescription medication, most of them are animal products to some degree (lactose based pills, gelatin capsules, glycerin liquid suspensions, etc) and all are required by law to be animal tested, so there really aren't readily available vegan alternatives, and you do have a responsibility to yourself to be healthy. So just make the best decision you can for yourself, and keep working to change the system. :)

[Ignis]

2. That does help. Thanks.

I'd like to first point out how much I appreciate your scientific, nutrition-based approach to veganism, LeftyMom. It mirrors my own path (via Dr. MacDougall) over the past 20 years from vegetarianism to veganism.

Now if I could only find a vegan-friendly MD in the Bay Area, I'll be set. :)

---

I'm not looking for dogma, and I certainly understand that veganism is a point on a spectrum rather than a light-switch. I have no qualms about taking medicines in gelatin capsules when other alternatives aren't available. I just found myself wondering how other vegans deal with this issue.

I mention the extremes of climate because my own reaction to travel between climate extremes seems to be a slightly lowered immune response. (Of course, it's hard to separate that from the factors of travel and crowds.) The severely limited vegan options while traveling also make it hard to keep up the percentage of fresh veggies in my diet.

My mother receives a flu shot annually, but she always has a severely adverse reaction. (Stubborn woman! :)) She's not allergic to eggs, so I'm not sure why her reaction is so horrible...or why she keeps subjecting herself to it.

I've been unable to find any real data on whether or not adverse reactions appear hereditary, but that certainly gives me pause. Any thoughts here?

[LeftyMom]

5. With reactions, it's kind of hard to say.

We generally can't pin down the causes of adverse reactions (other than those associated with a known allergy) so it's difficult to say whether they run in families. My personal suspicion is that some causes do, but I wouldn't give that any particular weight.

[flvegan]

3. I do not, personally.

BUT, it's not because of the unvegan-ness of the flu shot. I'm very *knock wood* lucky to have not gotten the flu in...well, forever. Were I going to be doing a lot of travel or palm pressing over the next 6 months, I might consider it, and here's why:

Shunning something that will likely keep you healthy (like meds, shots, etc) because it's not quite vegan enough is just stupid. If you get sick or gawd forbid, killed because of your vegan holiness, then what good are you to the animals?

Veganism is about doing all you reasonably can do. It's not an absolute. That's impossible.

[Ignis]

4. Ah, the "more vegan than thou" game. I always lose that one.

I'm on the same page as you: We all do what we can, when circumstances permit, to reduce animal suffering. It's not a contest for Most Veganest. :)

It's funny, you always hear how fanatical, fundamentalist, and anti-science vegans are from ... certain people. What a joke, eh?

Thanks for your insight. :hi: