Flu vaccination?

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Wondering what everyone's thoughts are on flu vaccines? I'm in Australia and it's that time of year. I'm considering getting it and my son. He's fully vaccinated btw, im not anti vax or anything. I'm just curious as some people say previously they've felt shit for weeks after it, and it doesn't cover all strains so who knows what protection you actually get? Anyone with more insight than me?

I have had it in pregnancy (all mine are winter born babies) and this year also as I'm on immunosuppresents.

Other than that have never had it.

I've never felt shit, I have to have them as I work in and out of hospitals.

DH has them, through his employer, he's never felt shit either.

Would your vaccines be the same as ours or would there be regional differences.

I have it every year and have never had any side effects other than a sore arm. I've not had flu for over twenty years.

Never had any reaction. Maybe a sore arm. Had one every year for longer than I can remember. You need to find out if the vaccine you get here is covers the right strains for Australia.

I have it every year because I am a nurse. I have never felt unwell after it, just a sore arm. My DC have had the nasal spray vaccine for the past couple of years and have never complained of feeling ill afterwards. Some people do say they feel ill afterwards, but it is probably not as ill as they would be if they got flu. It is true that it won't cover every strain and the effectiveness varies depending on which are the most prevalent strains that year, as the scientists have to predict which strains it will be to know what to put in the vaccine, but I think you are still better off getting vaccinated than not.

Never had a reaction to the flu vaccination. I have had flu before and I'd rather have a few weeks of feeling under the weather from the jab than a week of genuine flu - I've never felt so deathly. Crawling to the bathroom to vomit because I was too weak and dizzy to walk was a particular highlight.

Never had a reaction to the flu vaccine other than a sore arm. My dc are the same. The only time dc were unwell afterwards was when they had the nasal spray rather than the injection. This could just have been a coincidence though and nothing to do with the vaccine.

Interesting thanks everyone. I'm more concerned with how it might effect my son than me as he has a weakened immune system. I can suck it up but I worry about him.

I've been vaccinated for flu (mainly due to the company I work for giving them
For free, to keep people from being off I'll but most recently due to being pregnant) I'd say the last decade I've had the vaccine every year. Never felt ill after. Sometimes I've had a cold around the same time, but I wouldn't say it was because of the vaccine (had the sniffles before having it).
Only ever had a bit of a sore arm from the needle. Will continue to be vaccinated when I'm offered it.

I have it every year, and the DC have theirs through school. The kids get a bit snuffly as theirs is the up the nose live version.

I have the jab and get a sore arm. Occasionally I feel under the weather, but I've not had 'proper' flu since I was 21. Never again hopefully!

Never had a flu vaccine or the flu. No vaccine is 100% guaranteed effective if you read the insert and it doesn't cover all strains but you have to do what's right for you.

My daughter has the nasal one and I pay for me and my husband to have it every year.
All helps to try and keep the bugs at bay and if it helps people who can't be vaccinated then all the bettet

Of course no vaccine is 100% effective in anyone but the opposite of 100% isn’t just 0%. It’s an entire spectrum from 99.9% downward. And flu is a vaccine known not to absolutely accurately predict all circulating strains. Nonetheless, it has benefits even in a “bad” year. For me and my children, these benefits significantly outweigh any downsides. I’ve never had flu myself, even when I wasn’t vaccinated. In the decade or more since I’ve gotten the annual vaccine, I’ve never had side effects beyond a slightly sore arm - and some years not even that. That’s not to deny side effects exist - of course they do, but for me the risk of those is far preferable to the risk of contracting flu.

However you mention your son “has a weakened immune system”. What’s that? Is it a medical diagnosis? If so, you should absolutely discuss the benefits and risks with your son’s lead consultant.

But for average adults and children with no immune-specific concerns, I am robustly pro-vaccine. And for anyone else, I suggest asking for medical advice.

Best wishes

My DD, at the grand old age of 48 got flu last winter. For the first time. B
etween her, her partner and I ( we share a house), we ended up with three lots of antibiotics ( following bacterial infections, not the viral flu), two
Lots of steriods, three chest X-Ray s and one inhaler.
This winter, I won't be the only one getting a flu jab.

A lot of DDs work force went down with it too.

I've had flu injections for 15 years. It's not just about you, it's also about who you come into contact with.

I had a mild reaction in my arm the first time I had one, about 15 years ago. I never bothered getting one again until I was pregnant. No reaction at all that time. Then this year I had a conversation with my friend whose four year old daughter had a liver transplant when she was two, and realized that the flu vaccine is just like all the other vaccines -- healthy people get them so those with suppressed immune systems are protected. I feel pretty ashamed of myself for never figuring that out until I was about to visit someone who I care about.

I'm immunosupressed (through medication) and I've never had a problem with it. Aslong as it's the injection as it's a 'dead'vaccine. The nasal one is live. It's worked for me, no flu, and no side effects.