To urge you to get your flu jab…

This is nonsense. 20% to 30% of flu cases are mild or asymptomatic. It's really unhelpful to keep repeating this myth as it leads to people with flu not thinking they have it because they're not ill enough, then going round spreading it. Flu is simply being infected with one of the viruses grouped under that name. It's not the word for being very very ill.

Getting a gamble wrong doesn't mean they made a mistake.
A gamble is chance. A mistake is doing something wrong.

Look up cross-reactive immunity.

I've never been able to find anything that comprehensively explains how being vaccinated for one flu strain offers protection (in the sense of reduced/lesser symptoms) for a strain NOT included in said vaccine? I realise there are a few strains included in the vaccine btw, it's moot though for the purposes of the question because I'm talking specifically about catching a strain not included.
I think it'd be a no brainer for us all to get the vaccine if it was made crystal clear that it provides x level of reduced severity in ALL strains of flu. My deduction though is that most people don't bother because the message is a very ambiguous one that protecting yourself from one type of infection 'may' make your system more resilient to secondary infections.
So when I see threads like this, my curious mind asks how - how is the vaccine making you less symptomatic of something you're not vaccinated against?

Getting the flu jab right has always been a gamble but the year it failed completely due to the virus they thought was dominant being the wrong one an extra 60k died over the year because it’s not just flu it’s the effect it has on the rest of the body. Can’t remember which year but pre covid.

Me too! My surgery texted me the minute they got them in.

Yes, really. Everyone I know.

I'm obviously not including random people I bump into once a year as I don't "know" them. Everyone in my immediate circle of friends, family and coworkers.

I live in a big city though, so it's unsurprising we've all caught it. There's not exactly good ventilation and spacing out on the tube...

It's what I was told by NHS staff. No idea how true it is - I'm not a scientist or healthcare professional. All I know is that it's the only year I've been floored since getting the flu jab.

I know strains evolve, but I also thought they had to pick a strain at the time of designing the flu jab, based on which one they thought was most likely to spread that season - so our absolute protection from the flu is a bit of a gamble. Last year, I was told the gamble was wrong.

Happy to be better informed by someone more in the know!

This. I got the vaccine in October. I still got the flu, in December. But it was relatively mild. It still was the flu, though, & knocked me out for a week.

I had mine in the first week of September.

My friend has had this flu.

She has said she will get the vaccine from now on in.

I get because my ds carer and he has a neurological condition so he gets it for that.

Im so glad I’ve avoided the flu as I’ve heard even with the vaccine this years has been horrendous.

These posts are so helpful to those who don’t quite get it - my friend now does. Sadly she’s learned the hard way with being very ill for 3 weeks.

I thought the seasonal flu jabs were not even released until October. It's not a case of "getting sorted earlier".

There was plenty of availability September / October time.

When the numbers of cases are soaring, demand inevitably peaks causing the shortages we’ve been seeing recently. Get sorted earlier next year would be my advice.

They didn’t make a mistake. The strain they developed the vaccine for evolved.

https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2025/11/11/how-well-will-i-be-protected-from-flu-this-year-with-the-current-uk-influenza-vaccines/

Here are some facts about how effective this year's flu jab is.

Can you explain this?

I thought that the Covid vaccine (well, all vaccines really) prime your immune system to recognise the variant of the virus contained in that vaccine. Of course they mutate, which is why vaccines are adjusted but what do you mean when you say it doesn’t stay in your system?

Everyone you know? Really?

I'm 50 and have never had a jab for flu and have never had flu badly, touch wood etc, DH is 54 and the same. I hardly ever get colds. I was unwell for 24 hours when I had Covid. My kids are older and not relying on me. I don't have elderly parents relying on me and work would just have to cope if I were unwell. I'm not anti vaccine and had all the free Covid jabs but have never felt that I needed to pay for a flu jab. I don't feel I want to introduce a virus into my body that I must have good natural immunity/defences to, and pay for the privilege. I've been out socalising a fair bit, have mixed with huge crowds of people, go to a busy gym several times a week and take public transport to work so I hardly lack exposure.

Crikey - so much ignorance on this thread!

When you have a biomedical science degree - I will listen to what you're saying.

Otherwise - perhaps keep your batshit thoughts to yourself.

I had to try several different pharmacies to get it and had to wait a month but did manage eventually to get jabbed. It wasn’t easy though especially when you need to fit an appointment around work.

I thought the overall effectiveness was around 15 to 25%?

Thats what they say in France anyhow (same vaccine) with some studies, saying it helps reduce symptoms.

I had the jab in October and have been in bed for the last 7 days with flu!

Tried to get it but told ineligible. Happy to pay but nope.