Cameran Eubanks Deleted A Post About Getting The Flu Shot After Facing Backlash From Fans

Some people like to avoid conflict and keep the peace however they can, and that's exactly what one Southern Charm star is doing. On Thursday, Cameran Eubanks deleted a post about the flu shot after facing backlash from fans in the comments section. Though science and medical experts back the effectiveness of vaccines, it's still a fraught and divisive issue — especially on social media.

“I just deleted a post that I made today about my belief in getting the flu shot,” Eubanks wrote, as you can see in a screenshot from a note on her iPhone. “Never did I think it would cause such a fuss.” Given that last year's flu season was one of the deadliest in recent history, according to Healthline, one would assume that an innocent post urging others to protect themselves against the virus would garner a like or two.

But that wasn't the case. In the same post on Thursday, Eubanks — who has a daughter named Palmer — went on to issue an apology to anyone who was offended by her post. “I’m sorry to all I offended who don’t believe in vaccinating themselves and their children.” She also tried, in true southern belle style, to keep the peace, writing: “If you do not vaccinate I do not think you are stupid or wrong. We just disagree.”

And she set some boundaries, writing: “I have always said I will not talk about religion or politics on social media and now I’m adding vaccines too.”

As Eubanks experienced, the topic of vaccines is, indeed, divisive and many online have no problem getting into heated debates on the matter. Thankfully, though, science is pretty uninterested in anyone’s opinions about the topic.

While experts insist on getting the flu shot, the flu vaccine is not a static science, as Scientific American put it, so there isn't a 100 percent guarantee that it'll work and advice regarding it has been changing in recent years. For instance, Scientific American reported in 2016 that doctors have warned away from using the nasal mist vaccine in the United States because of reduced effectiveness. Scientists don’t know exactly what contributed to the drop, but it’s thought that a new formulation by the drug's producer may have been to blame, according to NPR.

As for the shot, the effectiveness can be variable depending on the characteristics of the person receiving the vaccine and how well the vaccine matches the virus that crops up each season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Still, studies show the shot reduces the risk of getting the flu by between 40 and 60 percent, as noted by the CDC, and reduced the risk of having to be admitted to the ICU by as much as 82 percent among adults. So the benefits are surely worth it, Dr. as Dr. Tara C. Smith wrote for SELF.

But what about kids? Harvard Medical School advises that there are only a very few people who should not get the flu shot. Kids under 6 months old or who have had a previous allergic reaction to the shot should avoid it; for everyone else, it is considered safe.

Furthermore, Harvard Medical School notes that some people who are higher risk of complications from the flu — like children with asthma, heart problems, weakened immune systems and chronic illnesses — should get the shot as soon as possible.

Perhaps one bright note in Eubank’s decision to take her thoughts on the flu shot down has been in the responses she has received. Overwhelmingly, people seem to support her right to say her peace and make a wise decision for herself and her child.

“Geez. People need to get over themselves. You were trying to be helpful @camwimberly1, [...] This is your insta feed, you can post whatever you want. If people don’t like what they see, buh bye! 👋🏼,” one fan responded.

“It’s sad you had to post this! As moms, we should just be respectful of the decisions of other mothers. Just because something isn’t right for you or I, doesn’t mean you’re criticizing anyone,” another chimed in.

Progress? Perhaps. Slowly. Social media will always be a divisive place, but at least her new post is, perhaps inadvertently, reminding people to get their flu shots.