Thursday, March 2, 2017

The Flu Shot, Part One: A Marketing Ploy




Last week my partner started haranguing me about getting vaccinated against this season’s influenza. “We should have done it in September.”

Fine. Whatever.

Needles don’t bother me, nor the minor sting. And I’ve never suffered ill effects. I just always wondered if they were a moneymaking scheme for corporate US medicine. Then I learned that the shots are free this year at a certain big ‘discount’ department store. Suffice to say it’s the one affiliated with the big ‘box’ store, Sam’s Club.

So my partner goes and raves to me over the phone about this new bandage that the needle goes through. Apparently the new technology lessens the sting.

Again. Whatever.

“But I have to wait around for fifteen or twenty minutes. Hey, do we own ‘Ferris Buehler’s Day Off?”

“Of course we do. But why the wait?”

It turns out the needle wielding pharmacist says after the fact that they want vaccine recipients to report back after several minutes to report how he or she is feeling. Besides being rude (what if the person has somewhere to be in five minutes?), that is pure garbage.

The store simply wants consumers spending money on crap they don’t need. I am sure of this because nurse practitioners in past flu seasons always ushered me out the doctor’s office before the needle was cool. Besides, you can’t tell me symptoms crop up that quickly.

Oh, I did get the free vaccination. Then I waltzed out the door. I had things to do, blog posts and fiction to write!

What do you think? Am I just being paranoid?

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8 comments:

  1. Paranoid, no. Independent, not-gonna'-be-told-what-to-do! If they were that concerned, they would have you sign something, and sit in a waiting area for the prescribed time. So, yeah, I think they hope you will impulse shop, too. However, if you see people laying in the aisles, call the pharmacy!

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  2. Hahahaha... I adore you. There were no bodies lying in the aisles. And yes, I'm an independent thinker. My hobby is making people wonder when I smile or why I'm wearing certain slogans. You won't see me touting big brands but rather obnoxious Marilyn Manson band messages.

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  3. Perhaps there was something different that they wanted feedback on. But that's just the way I look at the world.

    I haven't had a flu shot this year. I probably should have.

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    1. According to my partner, who went a day or so earlier, all they wanted was to know the patient suffered no ill feelings. Sorry if my suspicious nature will skew your kinder view. ~hugs~ Be well!

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  4. Haha. I"ve never had a flu shot and never had the flu. Probably unlucky to say that. I think they're making sure you're not having the immediate anaphalactic allergic reaction is all, to cover their liability shit required by their own insurance.

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    1. Ooh. That's something I never thought of. But would that be faster, perhaps? All I know for certain is that nurse practitioners at my doctors' office(s) in past years shooed me right out the door.

      As for the shot, I never got one for a long time until a really respected doc suggested I should due to my asthma. True to my mildly suspicious nature, I've always thought flu shots were a scam to calm the masses and make more money. ~snicker~ Who knows for sure? I know the food pyramid was based on junk science. I'm still angry about that now that I'm fat and unable to lose weight. ~sigh~ Wow, I'm ranting. Better go get my fiction writing fix. Apparently the muse is getting cranky.

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  5. Has mine in Sept. But I have been on guard hoping that something don't go wrong and I get it anyway since I had surgery! As for the wait.....no way. I have never waited after having a flu shot. Like you, I would have went right out the door. HAHA.....keep on keeping on with the rewrites.

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    1. Best wishes on your health, my dear. And thank you on the tremendous kind word! It means a lot.

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