HIV (120 nm), Influenza Vaccine (100 nm), Lassa (100-130 nm)¹

Flu season is almost upon us. Its leading predictive indicator, Australia’s flu season, is telling us that our flu season will be more severe than normal. Anne and I are both inoculated. So, we’ve done our part to fight back. Today, I also got the booster dose of the Singles vaccine. Shingles is not communicable, unlike the flu, but I’m all caught up now on all of my shots. I’m even up to date with my Tdap inoculation, which is now required for visiting infants.

Which suggest the real purpose of vaccination. It’s not really about personal immunity. All vaccines are less than 100% effective. Vaccination is really all about herd immunity. The idea is that enough people get vaccinated so that the spread of disease is halted. When even healthy people are vaccinated, then those people who are more susceptible to disease, either because of age or medical condition, they are also more protected. More protected than if only they were inoculated. So, get vaccinated. If not for yourself, then for others.

The Med Tech who gave me my flu shot was so good that I didn’t even feel the needle. I later wondered if I had even got the shot, but peeling off the Band-Aid, I saw a tiny drop of blood on it. The new needles are so much smaller than the older ones. I did feel my Singles vaccine though. It’s needle was not that small.

1. Lassa is the causative agent for a hemorrhagic fever, Lassa fever. Lassa fever is endemic in West Africa.