Single mums should be offered a free flu jab?

There’ll be some knobs who claim to be a single parent to cover themselves 🤷🏼‍♀️

I hope you’re lying cause you’re totally wrong.

Have you thought of asking your GP surgery? They were offering them to people in the waiting room in my surgery last week. I got one and I don’t meet any NHS eligibility criteria.

I have had it but you have my sympathy- I did this while ill with covid last year it was hell

Yeah, you won't be costing anyone any money because you just push through on your own. It's hell though. I just got through a protracted 2 weeks of me/my son being sick. I think now it took a lot longer to recover because I can't rest and let my body fight the virus. And now we are better but the house is a tip because I let a lot of housework slide. Gaaah.

What did your GP or consultant say when you asked if you were eligible for the flu vaccine (and even Covid) because of the lupus?

www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/

I voted YANBU, but tbh it might be a quite sensible just to offer it free to everyone.

Expensive at the time but then surely good for the economy through fewer sick days being taken? And yes does mean that people with no one to back them up can carry on with important responsibilities including childcare.

@Medstudent12 this 5 year UK study, testing antibodies before and after each flu season, concludes that 18% of unvaccinated people catch the flu each year, and the majority are asymptomatic (23% with symptoms).

While it can, obviously, be a very nasty illness, it's not true to say that the majority are incapacitated for long periods.

If you've got/being treated for Lupus, you're in the free flu jab group.

It’s an absolute myth that flu is always severe. Last year my son almost died from it and the whole family was swabbed. All of us were positive, two completely asymptomatically and me only with very light cold symptoms. Testing is the only way to tell.

Christ don't do this if they check the records in audit and it's found you don't have a valid maternity exemption certificate you'll be fined.

No she won't. You don't need a maternity exemption certificate - or any proof - to get a flu jab.

Christ don't do this if they check the records in audit and it's found you don't have a valid maternity exemption certificate you'll be fined.

No, it’s like a tenner isn’t it? 😂

Anyone can get a free flu jab by just saying they’re pregnant and going to a chain pharmacy. It’s a white lie but if you’re struggling do it.

Are you sure it wasn't covid OP? Flu is at very low levels ATM (it normally peaks later in the winter) whereas there is a big spike of covid right now.

Also even if you were eligible it is unlikely you would have had the vaccine yet anyway. In my area carers are only just being asked to book in now.

I think it is an insult to GPs to not allow them to use some discretion and their better judgement when they think the benefits of giving the vaccine outweigh the costs.

Just to clarify, GPs can also use clinical judgement and do on patients in front of them. The issue is that people not on the recall lists don't get an invite so don't always realise they might be eligible.

I’m a doctor. People say flu and it’s not flu. Flu can hospitalise people in their 30s. If you managed to function after a couple of days it’s not flu. We test for it in hospital like Covid.

You’re a doctor and you aren’t aware that flu can be mild or asymptomatic? That’s very concerning.

It's my understanding that the Carers who are receiving the free flu vaccination on the NHS, in the cases you describe, are receiving it not to prevent the Carer role breaking down (although this is understandably likely to be the Carer's motivation for having the vaccine), it's to lower the risk of the person they are caring for (who is very likely to already be in a vulnerable group, so receiving a vaccine) from catching flu from the Carer.
So it's primarily about protecting the person being cared for. The Carer is a potential source of infection to them, so becomes eligible this basis.
One argument people put forward against the above seems to be 'Well, if the person they're caring for has had the flu vaccination themselves, surely they are protected without the need for the Carer to have a vaccine too!'. However, they possibly don't realise that the person being cared for may have an inefficient 'response' to vaccines due to their general condition. Their immune system has not made the antibodies, despite being fully vaccinated. So the Carer being vaccinated lowers the risk to the cared for person.

I’m a single mum, the jab is £10 here. Never had a problem paying for it before. I think instead of single mums being given it for free then the most vulnerable should be given it for free and everyone else can pay. Not every single mum is unable to afford it, you’re excluding single dads and single carers of adult or non related children who arguably need their carers just as much as your kids need you.

Although you don't strictly qualify for the vaccine on the NHS if you are not currently on therapy, people who are likely to need high dose steroids in the next few months do and you may be included in this group. Clinicians can also use clinical judgement and I personally, would take you being a single parent of a child at nursery into consideration.

You may find going for an NHS vaccine via a local pharmacy a better option than your GP surgery. Something else to consider for next year is that typically private vaccines are available from mid September whilst the NHS programme starts a few weeks later. Depending on your circumstances it might make sense to go privately if it means being done sooner.

Obviously get your DC done asap too, including this year.

I hope you recover and have a better season next year.

It's like that with life, nothing is a problem until it is one then you realise and wonder how you coped! I've done it before!

Hope you're both feeling better