Really terrified about this flu going around

@Caramelbarrel I say this kindly but you are catastrophising. Take steps to get yourself a flu jab, do your upmost to maintain your hand hygiene, and stay off social media platforms that feed into your fears.

I am immune compromised and maintaining good hand hygiene, opening windows to air out the house, and having the flu jab annually has stood me in good stead. Even when I was regularly commuting on packed trains and tubes.

Taking positive steps will reduce your anxiety; worrying will just grind you down.

I have it, it’s rubbish :/ been sick over a week now.

Heard on news they had to close a school in Caerphilly, 250 students and teachers fallen ill. The mutated strain is a right evil shite basically.

That’s rude. Flu vaccination is a personal choice and there are several factors that influence it.

Have you ever had flu yourself?

OP, if it helps at all, that's not been my personal experience of the jab. I had flu A the week before last (I know it was A because I took one of those new flu/covid tests) and the actual 'flu-ey' phase of feeling ill was over in a few days, and didn't hit nearly as hard as flu normally does. I was more or less functional throughout, and I'm normally someone for whom respiratory illnesses land hard. I do have a lingering annoying cough 10 days on, but feel fine in myself and I think the jab is definitely worth getting.

You’re looking at this stuff so your algorithms are showing you more. I don’t see anything about flu. Step away!

@Namechangerage it has been in the news rather than just social media. I have seen it and I’m not one for that sort of thing in social media, but you are totally correct about the algorithms.

People who work in schools and hospitals, and don’t have underlying health conditions, generally have fantastic immune systems. If you have had it, you don’t need to worry about him not having it. Also, take vitamins C, D3 and zinc. And stop reading horror stories on the internet. It’s bad for your health.

Crake1792 · Today 06:51

Get a grip, it’s the flu. This is part of life.
Reminds me of a quote from Herodotus:
”Far better it is to have a stout heart always and suffer one’s share of evils, than to be ever fearing what may happen,”

This is excellent quote - going straight into my notebook!

Only 30-40% effective in adults as per the report. Far higher for children at 70-75%. Both in preventing hospital attendance.

Just pay for it. I have 2 years running and haven't got it despite people at work and family members getting it.

I'm deemed high risk due to lung/breathing issues so get the flu jab but for many years didn't (Ive always been high risk but they have only been pushing it since Covid). There are people far more immuno-compromised than me like for example cancer/chemo patients etc... who are the people we need to worry more about the safety of.

Despite my health issues I have only had notable Flu once when I was even more compromised than usual. I get all sorts of other 'chest' things every year, from common cold, winter bugs, get several Covid a year and its actually bacterial pneumonia that was the one that near killed me, that I have had several times and that comes with the biggest risks.

Major strain Flu over all is actually not that huge a risk to the general 'healthy' population. Flu is weird in that it has thousands of variants as it constantly rapidly evolves. Usually only a couple are 'dominant' new varieties each year that pose a risk. The rest will be quite week as people have immunity to the past strains we have been exposed to and show up as nothing more than a runny nose or mild cough often mistaken for 'cold' rather than 'Flu'.

That's the top theory on why Spanish Flu only really killed the young, the older and frailer generation who would normally be higher risk where believed have had exposure in childhood to a earlier weaker version and devolved immunity (like a natural vaccine) that the younger generations hadn't ever been exposed too as the Flu went dormant for a few generations leaving them completely unprotected.

An event like that where a virus appears with little to no herd immunity is however really quite rare and in this modern age of travel would create a pandemic situation quickly (nothing like that currently happening). Usually a once in a life time event on a large scale and we just had that with Covid, the risk of a dormant Flu coming back and posing huge threat to the healthy young non compromised people like yourself is pretty low.

I would guess you have just got yourself trapped on an online algorithm that is showing you lots of the same and its created a bubble where it seems to be 'everywhere you look'.

Well, you can tell your DH from me that he's selfish, ignorant and arrogant. If that's his attitude towards vaccination he shouldn't be working in a school.

All these posters who say they’ve never had flu, or have only ever had it once in their lives. Are you sure? Do you ever get colds? Are you confusing the two? Flu is pretty common.

A lot of the ones people are talking about may not be flu. Our eldest had a "flu like" illness 2 weeks back, very high fever for 5 days, dry cough, exhausted, no appetite. DC2 and DH didn't catch it at all, me and DC3 had 12-24 hours of mild fever and feeling a bit washed out then felt ok again.
Sometimes regular bugs just hit some people harder than others and flu is often used to describe it.

Definitely get the jab if you’re concerned but I’d also think longer term about trying to manage your health anxiety if it’s become quite bad. As others have said if you’re not vulnerable you’d likely make a fairly swift recovery.

If this unfortunately happened over Christmas would it be helpful to think of a plan B? Maybe you won’t be able to travel and could have more cosy Christmas at home. Maybe your husband could travel with your son if you feel he’d be missing out. Maybe you could do Christmas in a couple of weeks/ have an extra special new years or something if you were unwell on Christmas Day. It’s one year and one Christmas. But more than likely you’ll be fine and able to go ahead with your plans as expected.

I have asthma and respiratory conditions can really knock me for 6. Get your flu jab - I promise you it will make so much difference if you do catch anything! One year I missed my jab, think I moved house and fell out of doc’s radar, anyway I caught the flu, then developed bronchitis and was ill for about 2 months then took a while to fully recover from the lingering symptoms. Years when I have had the jab and caught a flu type bug I have been far less unwell.

from my own personal experience of managing respiratory illness as someone who is vulnerable, I would also recommend:
take your vitamins, full multivit and iron.
as soon as you feel any sort of bug, REST. I know it is hard in our modern busy lives, but if you can catch it earlier and not try to push through it is generally far easier to recover.
drink lots of water, eat healthy and take care of yourself.

I’m sorry you’re feeling scared op, I think you will feel much better if you take action to feel more in control here, so go get that jab 😊

Just to say OP I understand why you don't want flu. I don't have health anxieties - I have 'protecting my time off work' anxiety, and I'll be FURIOUS if I spend Christmas flued up.

I'll be wearing a mask in crowded places this month. I can't stand the idea of this being the busiest time of year for me at work, then my precious few days off being ruined. I don't care if it won't kill me - I don't want 2 weeks laid up!

Tbf I’ve been going from bug to bug for the last 7 weeks. Caught the flu, then norovirus, then COVID. has taken a while but am starting to come out of the other side.

In fairness to the OP, while 'terrified' is an overreaction, here in Scotland NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are asking staff and visitors to wear masks on wards and the health secretary is encouraging people to get a private flu vaccination if they can because it looks like it could be a bad season. So being aware and taking reasonable precautions seems sensible. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn9827zqjego

Everyone and anyone can get the flu jab. 20 odd quid at most pharmacies. Surprised you don’t know this since you have health anxiety about getting the flu. I get it every year without fail.

You can't catch flu over the internet.
Go to Boots - get the jab - pick up some hand sanitiser...

I've had the jab but I wonder just how effective it is. Really hope it is.

the other thing is that it takes a bit to kick in, so you're not protected straightaway.

I always pay for the jab. You can't moan when there's a viable solution!

I've had the flu jab for years and never get a reaction. If you do get ill afterwards it means the virus is already in your system and your body uses the jab to fight it.