Single mums should be offered a free flu jab?

To be fair, carers are offered the vaccine. Someone who is the main carer for someone who may be put at risk if the carer becomes ill and is unable to care for them will get the vaccine.

Im not saying I agree with the OP, but it's hard to argue the sole carer of a 6 month old, for example, doesn't meet that definition.

Plentry of people would benefit from a free flu jab. As previous posters have noted, non-means yested benefits mean that there will always be those who don't need a free 'thing', but trying to means-test it would be twice as costly as 'letting' those who can afford it have it free
Then you would have to define a 'single' parent, because that isn't clear

Yep, just about sums it up.

Getting a flu jab only helps protect you from one particular strain of flu each year, it doesn't stop you from getting bad colds, other strains of flu or other viruses.

The jab is given to those at highest risk of hospitalisation to take the strain off the nhs during winter months not for convenience.

Your baby is just 7.5 months old, was the father not around already to assist? Or family member that you can call upon in an emergency.

You can't know you had flu unless you've been swabbed. Lots of viruses can make us feel miserable, and yes it's extra though with little ones because there's no sick days unfortunately.

Older people, pregnant women and vulnerable people get the flu jab on the NHS because they're at much higher risk of serious complications and even death. The flu can be a literal killer. Likewise little kids are vulnerable and kids in general are super spreaders so vaccinating them protects everyone. Carers get it because society depends on their unpaid and underpaid labour.

It's flu vaccine season now, I have mine at the GP next week, so if you can spare the £ you're in perfect time to get it for this year.

As a preventative measure?

Someone referred to the wheels "falling off". People on low incomes often don't have savings to cover unpaid leave, may have limited financial support, work inflexible jobs with poor sick pay and employee benefits, can't afford medicines, extra heating or nutritious food, rely on cold, draughty public transport to take their kids to school and get to the doctor.

Illness hits poor people harder. They're more likely to get sick to begin with and less likely to be able to afford the associated costs.

Cant you just pay for it? it's not expensive and you'll be making a valid contribution towards the cost of the vaccination that way.

If you have lupus, are you not offered a free flu jab? Sympathy though, being ill with an unwell little one is really tough. I’d definitely get one next time even if it’s at a pharmacy, they usually cost about a tenner.

The flu is very dangerous for the unborn baby. NHS website states its known to potentially cause defects and stillbirth. I'd imagine it's free to encourage women to get it and obviously less crowding in hospitals with serious complications

Copied this from NHS

If you have flu while you're pregnant, it could cause your baby to be born prematurely or have a low birthweight, and may even lead to stillbirth or death.

Not comparable imo. There's a second salary/second responsible parent, even if they're not around day-to-day. The family have chosen to organise their lives with the second parent doing this.

My personal view is that single mums should be offered not only a free flu jab, but much better financial support, heavily subsidized breakfast and afterschool club, free occasional weekend babysitting and a yearly spa trip. Together with a medal that says "Well done, you're the one who stuck around".

I suspect if you delved into many relationships though, you'd find a lot of shit fathers and mothers doing more than their fair share, but that doesn't mean single mums shouldn't get more help than they currently do.

I'm a single mum and no I don't think we should be given free flu jabs.

Because people on “decent incomes” can pay if we need to.

(Edit to add to your last point) I don’t know the figures, but what percentage of people on benefits are because they can’t work (due to illness etc) vs because they won’t work? I can’t imagine the number of people choosing to be on benefits is actually as high as most people would think…

Huge waste of money IMO. People don’t receive free flu vaccination because they’ve got dependents or have it harder in life, they receive one because they are medically vulnerable to complications.

What about military Mums, Mums whose husbands work away on oil rigs etc.

If a woman has the flu jab in pregnancy, does the baby not carry some antibodies for about a year?

I had influenza when ds was 2. I caught it from him. DH was in court and could not stay at home so had to hire an emergency nanny. I could not get out of bed for four days, was ill for about 8, and at one stage DH called the GP (when they did home visits) because my temp was 106 and I was delirious. The GP was not too bothered. I could not have looked after ds.

DS is nearly 30. I have had a flu jab every year since. Next year it will be free as I'll be 65.

"Buddy up with other single mums". That's not how it works in real life, we'd be spreading our viruses everywhere. And ploughing on through even a nasty cold is a nice route to prolonging it and a chest infection.
I will say that as a working lone parent the pandemic was easy as I was always looking after myself, washing hands, never touching door handles and used to being alone.

Serious question - how do you know?

Pregnant women are offered it because a high temperature from any infection can occasionally cause premature labor, and preemies are very expensive. Same reason why pregnant women get free dental care. As the OP says it’s not licensed for under 2s, so that’s why the gap.

I know it's annoying when people say this, but you probably didn't have the flu. It sounds like a heavy cold. When I had flu I couldn't get out of bed for 2 weeks.

Flu can be milder. Just because you can lift your head off the pillow doesn't mean it isn't flu.

But I agree that generally people don't know what they have unless they are specifically tested.

Why?

Our GP gave my brother a flu jab for free when his partner died and he was bring up their child, classed him as a carer, which he was, i think he got it for several years too.
He'd been very ill with flu and it had been extremely difficult for him with childcare, as it would be for any parent, full blown flu can be very serious and effect not just the elderly.

But we did joke that had he died, the GP wouldn't have given his wife a free flu jab.

Much sympathy, OP, I get it. It might not be possible (and it's not something I would
like to do myself ) but is there any chance of getting the £10 Superdrug one and sticking the cost on a credit card, just this once?