What to say when pressured to get the flu shot

HappyA text message conversation prompted me to think of more answers to the question “Why didn’t you get a flu shot?”

My mom lives in a retirement community that offers annual flu shots. They have someone come out every year to administer them for the convenience of the residents. I made sure my mom was fully informed as to WHY she did NOT want to get one, but then she was worried about what she was going to say!

My Mom’s message: 
Hi!! O.K.– so yesterday I didn’t show up where they were giving flu shots. Now — what am I supposed to say when I run into a person of authority and he asks me ‘why’! ‘My daughter told me not to’ sounds pretty weak!! Love you!! Mom
 
My response:
We’ll done! I’m soooooooo proud of you!! I’ll send you some links with info. 
 
Other possible answers: “Someone who loves me a lot has researched it extensively and told me there is too much mercury in the shot. They don’t want me to suffer from mercury poisoning. “
 
Or, “Many people have acquired GBS (Guillain-Barre syndrome) from the flu shot which is extremely debilitating.” 
 
Or, “I’m going to stay healthy this winter with Vitamin D3.”
 
Or, “Flu shots make me sick.”
 
Or, “If I got a flu shot my daughter might have a nervous breakdown!”
 
And you could add, “But if I get sick, I will send for my daughter and quarantine myself!” 
 
You could also say, “Have you read what is in those shots?”
 
“Have you read the contraindications?”
 
“I don’t think my husband would want me to get this one!” (My mom is a widow. My dad was an MD)

There are many approaches to take.  I like to follow the Biblical patterns of communication and figure out how I can apply them in my life. I confess I don’t always get it right, but here are two principles:

  1. “a soft answer turns away wrath”
  2. Questions, when asked politely, usually give you the upper hand.

Here are more examples of strong questions in response to the question “Why don’t you get flu shots?” or when you are experiencing pressure to agree to a flu shot:

“What do you know about the contra-indications – that is, the people who shouldn’t get flu shots”?

“Did you know you can find the vaccine package insert from the FDA for every shot? The vaccine package insert is provided by the manufacturers lists all the ingredients, the contraindications, and the side effects. It also states that some categories of people should not get flu shots. Have you read it?”

“Do you know how effective the flu shot is expected to be for this flu season? Some years it’s been as low as 15% accurate.”

“Do you know what they make flu shots from? Did you know they’ve been experimenting with growing the flu virus in different mediums? Do you know the other ingredients in a flu shot, like mercury which is in the multi dose vials?”

“Do you know what mercury does to your brain and why the FDA limits the amount in ingestible foods to well below the amount they want to put into a person’s body with a needle?”

“Did you know that some vaccines (not flu shots) are developed using aborted human fetal tissue?”

When you think about it, most people who think the flu shot is a good idea really believe that it is good. They have been influenced by the vast amount of money spent on marketing by those who would benefit from flu shot sales. They haven’t been exposed to the research and facts that show the flu shot is overrated and possibly very dangerous. Most doctors are “educated” by the drug reps who want to sell more drugs, or by the CDC who has a dodgy record regarding accurately communicating vaccine safety studies (see #CDCwhistleblower).

You can read what I shared with my mother here. It was prompted by our text conversation.

How about you, what is your best response to those who try to influence you to get a flu shot?

2 thoughts on “What to say when pressured to get the flu shot

  1. I love what your mom said: “…so yesterday I didn’t show up where they were giving flu shots. Now– what am I supposed to say when I run into a person of authority and he asks me ‘why’! ‘My daughter told me not to’ sounds pretty weak!!”

    Your well researched information has persuaded me not to have any more vaccines. I am sharing this with my family and friends as well. I just wish there were a way to undo vaccinations. Especially for my poor 2 year old great grandson.

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