What will be different for 20/21 Ski Season?

[jimk]

Well if there was ever a winter to give the flu shot a shot (ha) it’s this winter! I get them regularly to no ill effect......

+1

 

[jimmywilson69]

I'm certain that I've never had Influenza symptoms, is that better BG? Jesus Christ man...

 

[2Planker]

We have to get it for work every year. DPH gets report of every employee, Shot or no shot recorded.

This is definitely the year to get a Flu Shot if you haven't done so in the past.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I'm certain that I've never had Influenza symptoms, is that better BG? Jesus Christ man...

Unless you've never had a cold in your life during flu season, then no.

EDIT: May as well explain why. The point is, it's not possible for you to know given how similar flu can often be to what is referred to as, "the common cold". But ignoring that, it's also mathematically highly unlikely to be possible you've never had a flu in your entire life. It's pretty common. When pharma companies build models for sales of therapeutics for things like Tamiflu (a crappy drug BTW) you need to know population incidence, and suffice it to say, the average person will get a flu (whether they know it or not, something like every 3 to 6 years). So it's highly statistically unlikely someone who's......say....30 years old has never had the flu in their life.

 

[machski]

HOW?!?!?!

Do you have a polymerase chain reaction machine in your garage or a molecular assay unit on top of your toilet?



FALSE.

The flu shot always protects you from flu, but it often doesn't make you immune from the predominant annual form(s) of flu. So you may get sick, but your illness likely wont be as severe as it would if you didnt get the flu shot.

The above should be a government-funded P.S.A. that runs nonstop until every American has heard it 48 times, like those C. Everett Koop (RIP) surgeon general anti-smoking commercials I remember from when I was a little kid. I swear you couldn't avoid those spots circa mid or late 1980s.

Sorry, the flu vaccine protects you from the strains they blend into that year's vaccine, and they are educatedly guessing what strains to blend in each year. They do not always hit the target, some years the effectiveness of the vaccine is like 25%. And don't try to sell me you won't get as sick, a good friend had the fluu vaccine a couple years ago, got the flu and wound up in the hospital for several days on oxygen. He was 48 and otherwise healthy, doubt he thinks the vaccine prevented him from not getting terribly sick from flu.

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[BenedictGomez]

Sorry, the flu vaccine protects you from the strains they blend into that year's vaccine, and they are educatedly guessing what strains to blend in each year. They do not always hit the target, some years the effectiveness of the vaccine is like 25%.

This is all correct assuming we replace the word "protects" with immunizes.

And don't try to sell me you won't get as sick, a good friend had the fluu vaccine a couple years ago, got the flu and wound up in the hospital for several days on oxygen. He was 48 and otherwise healthy, doubt he thinks the vaccine prevented him from not getting terribly sick from flu.

This is not correct.

Nothing in healthcare can ever be 100% every time, there are too many variables with every human beings individual situation & sickness, so maybe it didn't help your friend as you suggest; but the fact your friend is still alive to ask, bespeaks to the fact that perhaps getting the flu vaccine that year actually saved his life & he may have died without it. That unfounded supposition is at least as likely as yours.

At any rate, it matters not whether you choose to believe it, but the science on the flu vaccine helping the body deal with flu sickness has been proven for decades, and mathematically this falls into the, "without a shadow of a doubt" category of statistical significance.

 

[deadheadskier]

Agreed.

How many people are seriously harmed from a flu vaccine each year vs the number of people whose life was saved?

It's gotta be in the millions to 1 ratio in favor of getting the vaccine.

We would be reading about many lawsuits yearly attacking flu shot companies if it were such a problem. I conservatively scan 5-10 online newspaper and other news sources a day. Ive never once in my recollection seen a article regarding litigation against Flu shot manufacturers.

I just don't get anyone who has an ounce of fear in getting a flu shot.

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[VTKilarney]

Isn’t saying, “I don’t get the flu vaccine because I’ve never gotten the flu,” kind of like saying, “I don’t wear a seatbelt because I’ve never been in a car accident”?

 

[mbedle]

Isn’t saying, “I don’t get the flu vaccine because I’ve never gotten the flu,” kind of like saying, “I don’t wear a seatbelt because I’ve never been in a car accident”?

Good one...

 

[Not Sure]

I’ve had a serious reaction in the past and haven’t gotten the vaccine for 5 years. My 90 yr old mother in law had issues more than once and stopped quite a while ago . It’s a numbers game for sure, my wife and kids get it and encourage me to start getting it again.Maybe I will get it this year but there are very serious but rare side effects that give me a fair amount of anxiety.

 

[machski]

Agreed.

How many people are seriously harmed from a flu vaccine each year vs the number of people whose life was saved?

It's gotta be in the millions to 1 ratio in favor of getting the vaccine.

We would be reading about many lawsuits yearly attacking flu shot companies if it were such a problem. I conservatively scan 5-10 online newspaper and other news sources a day. Ive never once in my recollection seen a article regarding litigation against Flu shot manufacturers.

I just don't get anyone who has an ounce of fear in getting a flu shot.

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You and BG make it sound clear cut, and it isn't. The flu vaccine is far from perfect, if the strain you get isn't in the vaccine you basically have zero defense from it. And the other strains that were in the vaccine you got won't help your body fight off the different strain, sorry.

If we're talking Polio vaccine, well then obviously that had very high efficacy and the benefits were obvious with a definite downside to not. With the Flu vaccine, while downside risk may be minimal, the variablity of efficacy makes the upside not as defined as other well known, high efficacy vaccines. And for most that are uncompromised, flu doesn't kill or leave permanent damage, even if one finds themselves hospitalized for a bit with it.

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[BenedictGomez]

if the strain you get isn't in the vaccine you basically have zero defense from it. And the other strains that were in the vaccine you got won't help your body fight off the different strain

This is all factually incorrect.

I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

 

[machski]

This is all factually incorrect.

I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

That internet God being you apparently. Sorry, here's the CDC's take; https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm.

As to their studies on reducing severity/hospitalization/death, they have this one posted https://www.cdc.gov/flu/spotlights/2016-2017/vaccine-reduces-severe-outcomes.htm that examined patients from the 2013-14 season. No where in the study article does it say whether or not the vaccinated folks were infected with flu strains vaccinated for that year or strains outside the normal 3-4 in annual vaccines. Further, the study does not note if it was other strains, if these strains were more/same/less aggresive than those vaccinated for that year. To be honest, it appears these were just observational studies and didn't really lock down all the variables that come into play with differing flu strains and effects. It looks good for the vaccine though, that is for sure.

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[BenedictGomez]

Sorry, here's the CDC's take; https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm.

All directly from your link above:


1)

It’s possible to get sick with flu even if you have been vaccinated (although you won’t know for sure unless you get a flu test).

Which is precisely what I said.

2)

Flu vaccination has been shown in several studies to reduce severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick.

Which is precisely what I said.

3)

Flu vaccine prevents tens of thousands of hospitalizations each year. For example, during 2017-2018, flu vaccination prevented an estimated 91,000 flu-related hospitalizations.

Which is precisely what I said.

 

[Newpylong]

You and BG make it sound clear cut, and it isn't. The flu vaccine is far from perfect, if the strain you get isn't in the vaccine you basically have zero defense from it. And the other strains that were in the vaccine you got won't help your body fight off the different strain, sorry.

If we're talking Polio vaccine, well then obviously that had very high efficacy and the benefits were obvious with a definite downside to not. With the Flu vaccine, while downside risk may be minimal, the variablity of efficacy makes the upside not as defined as other well known, high efficacy vaccines. And for most that are uncompromised, flu doesn't kill or leave permanent damage, even if one finds themselves hospitalized for a bit with it.

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It is clear cut though. The worst that happens from a flu shot is your body reacts to the injection and you have mild side effects for a few days (this is when people accuse the flu shot of "making them sick.") The best case scenario is you may be protected from a covered strain.

There is no downside except stubborn paranoia or a successful game of russian roulette ("I've never gotten it before.")

 

[Not Sure]

It is clear cut though. The worst that happens from a flu shot is your body reacts to the injection and you have mild side effects for a few days (this is when people accuse the flu shot of "making them sick.") The best case scenario is you may be protected from a covered strain.

There is no downside except stubborn paranoia or a successful game of russian roulette ("I've never gotten it before.")

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/general.htm#side-effects

Well there is GBS side affect but very rare although they do alude to possibly life threatening side effects. The nasal spray appears safer .

 

[slatham]

Changing gears to more practical on snow changes, if areas operate at 50% capacity I presume they will not use 100% of their typical snowmaking budget. Has anyone heard of actual strategies areas may take? Less base due to less traffic? Same base, less trails? Some middle ground? I would at the least expect areas known for resurfacing prowess to downsize those efforts. But something has to give.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I think the most logical choice to sacrifice, is park. It's crazy how much those things cost.

 

[granite]

Changing gears to more practical on snow changes, if areas operate at 50% capacity I presume they will not use 100% of their typical snowmaking budget. Has anyone heard of actual strategies areas may take? Less base due to less traffic? Same base, less trails? Some middle ground? I would at the least expect areas known for resurfacing prowess to downsize those efforts. But something has to give.

Yes, Cannon Mountain has already stated they may reduce snowmaking and other on mountain operations.

 

[skiur]

Lets hope for a lot of natural snow this year. May be pretty bleak without it.