From: jdbeard@patriot.net
On 02/25/2013 03:04 PM, Moe Trin wrote:
> On Mon, 25 Feb 2013, in the Usenet newsgroup alt.os.linux.mandriva, in
article
> , TJ wrote:
>
>> Moe Trin wrote:
>
>>> Both of us got pneumonia shots in late 2011, but our primary cares
>>> (different ones) didn't recommend it this year.
>
>> IIRC from my parents' care, unlike the flu shot the pneumonia shot
>> lasts several years. Let me see... Yes. WebMD says you may need a
>> booster in five years, but that's it.
>
> You may notice they make a big-to-do about flu shots in the fall, with
> ads all over the place. _LAST_ year, we saw a similar amount of ads
> and noise about the pneumonia shot, but this year I'm seeing virtually
> nothing about them,
I have been keeping an informal eye on this for maybe a decade,
and there is rhyme and reason to it.
The CDC looks at the threat they perceive (nasty variety,
percentage of population not vaccinated, expectation of result if
nothing is done vs if something is done), and if the decision is
made to make noise they make as much noise as they think they can
get away with. Never let a crisis/opportunity go to waste!
If everything seems on an even keel, and little to be gained by
kicking up a fuss, better to leave it alone than have cynics
point out the (actual, and potentially demonstrable) foolishness
of a PR campaign.
>> I haven't been given one myself because I don't fit in the recommended
>> recipient list - yet. Not yet 65, and I'm in very good general health.
>> (knocking on as much wood as I can reach)
>
> Another one getting big play here is the 'shingles' vaccine.
If they get an outbreak in an area, they flog the vaccine hard.
It normally is so rare that it probably is not worth the effort
of mass vaccination, but with a few cases around that people can
point to among their friends (shingles is nasty, even though
rarely permanently damaging) they will go for it.
>> Won't be long, though. I turn 65 in a year and a half.
>
> "End of the world coming - film at 11" Yeah, I passed that milestone
> several years ago. Usual problems, but I'm still ticking and the
> primary care didn't report anything that far out of tolerance (other
> than the usual "you can loose a few pounds" - gee, I'm so glad I'm
> allowed to do so).
My opinions on health care are strongly held, but somewhat
complicated. Every person is different, and sorting out pros and
cons is the very first and most important task.
That said, for myself, I show up for a physical every 3 to 5
years, just to see if there is visible reason I should make extra
preparations for my death in the next 3 to 5 years. Beyond that,
there are some things the medics do well (stitches, minor trama,
most bacterial infections) and some major catastrophies that
require a pay-the-money or accept-death-or-severe-damage
decision. I will happily go in for the former, and promise to
think it over carefully (if I can think at the time) for the
latter. If I cannot think, next-of-kin has instructions to let
me die rather than spend huge amounts of money for heroic efforts
to save me.
Weight control (and consequent to that, blood pressure control)
is not easy for me. My choice of exercise is walking
supplemented by weight machines at the rec center, and when I
need to lose weight the walks have to be in excess of 15 miles
minimum and the weight room is worthless. Given that I hate the
cold, my weight tends to rise in winter... Where is global
warming when I need it? (Or even local warming. I would settle
for either!)
Cheers!
jim b.
--
UNIX is not user unfriendly; it merely
expects users to be computer-friendly.
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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