I went to get my free flu shot at work today, and found out chicken eggs were involved in the process (I had to answer whether or not I was allergic to eggs before receiving the shot).
I asked if they had any alternatives, and they said they didn’t because they were too expensive. I ended up getting the flu shot they offered.
Do you get the standard flu shot, or a vegan variant? How much do you pay, if the latter, and where can you find it?
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I’d take it. Generally I only try to reduce harm “as far as possible and practicable”. The consideration is then whether a flu vaccine is a necessity. I’d say it arguably since it reduces risk not only to yourself but also reduces the odds you’ll spread the flu to other potentially vulnurable people. You may want to weigh the costs in terms of suffering, but, while it probably is profitiable for animal aggriculture I’d argue that the usage of eggs as an ingredient in vaccines is probably downstream from direct egg consumption and people who simply take a vaccine aren’t directly responsible.
I did end up taking it, but I think next year I’ll look for the “Flucelvax Quadrivalent” vaccine that uses mammalian cells, and seems less harmful to living beings. I wouldn’t consider myself directly responsible either, but if I have the option where I’m not indirectly responsible either, that seems even better to me.
There appear to be alternatives, but they use cultured mammalian cells or insect cells instead, and while they say no animals are harmed in the process I guess that’s not technically vegan.
If you’re interested in a non vegan opinion on the matter overall:
spoiler
using an egg-related product once a year to prevent illness doesn’t seem so bad to me. you probably already eat “about one to two pounds of flies, maggots and other bugs each year without even knowing it” according to this food anthropologist lady
Thank you for the link. The mammalian cell option seems like a good one, since it seems like no creatures are harmed to gather the cells. Or, at least, any harm is abstracted to an additional level.
I would say though, taking the vaccine is an active choice that I can weigh my options on, while unknowingly/mistakenly consuming insects is not. The latter is regrettable but unavoidable, so I wouldn’t blame myself for that. To the best of my ability I want to avoid contributing to animal suffering, so part of living up to the “best of my ability” part is looking into alternatives in the one-off cases like this one.
Appreciate your input, thanks again
“He has only forbidden to you … the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah . But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] … there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (2:173)
“Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine … But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (5:3)
Take the vaccin
Would you refuse anti-venom if bitten by a deadly snake?
Of course not, so take the flu shot, no one is going to judge you for it.
Read my post, I took the shot. I’m asking if others have gone out of their way to get a vegan option, and what their experience was. I’m not worried about others judging me, I don’t want to use animal products unnecessarily.
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