Flu jabs

[greathat]

Do you normally have a flu jab? Are you high risk? Will you have one this year? Just wondering if the government should be making them free for all to reduce strain on the NHS over something they have more control over...

Yes I usually do get the flu jab. I had the flu two years in a row when my eldest was a toddler/pre-schooler so decided to start getting it. I have to pay for it and I usually go to Tesco/Sainsbury's late Nov/early Dec. Unfortunately a couple of years ago (2017) I caught it before having the jab in late Nov - I was in bed for about 5 days and it took me until the New Year to feel back to normal. I caught it again in Jan this year (there was a shortage in vaccines in Nov and then I forgot) luckily it didn't hit me as hard as 2017 and I recovered quite quickly. I have heard it was quite a week strain this year.

I've heard that Covid is similar to flu for a lot of people therefore I'll definitely be getting the flu jab then if I do come down with something then I know it's more likely to be Covid (although I know the flu jab doesn't always work).

Yes, I get it from the gp. I suffer with bronchitis and had it for six weeks during the summer a few years back. I wouldn't miss it. I am on the 'vulnerable to covid' list as a result.

Yes, not high risk, and yes.

Yes, I get them free and yes I always have one. Everyone at high risk is already offered one, so there is little advantage to offering free to everyone. The ones who aren’t offered one will be unlikely to have flu that requires treatment (you might feel miserable but you can manage at home). You can always pay for it though.

I think more the issue is uptake for high risk groups. Lots of people who need them don’t get them. My mum is 70 with high blood pressure and pre diabetic and recently finished cancer treatment but apparently she’s invincible and doesn’t need a flu jab and is out twice a week getting takeaway during lockdown.

I should say I get one free as I'm asthmatic and always have one. I'm just wondering whether the government should try to up the uptake by making them free to more people

I get it every year as does DH, neither of us is at risk. If I'm honest, I think people who are able to be vaccinated who don't get it are pretty wankerish... especially this year.

I'd had it every year for 15 years, paying £10 until last year when the chemist told me it was free because my child gets DLA (me having a chest condition and PIP doesn't count because it's not on the list of conditions).

Went along this year but the pharmacist was only licensed to give them to people who got the free jab which I no longer qualified for (carers didn't get free ones this year). By the time I chased it up other pharmacies were running out and essentially it got to March. When I got Covid instead. Which wasn't as acute as flu but lasted longer.

Nope, never have. Im also not high risk and a needle phobe, as in sedation needed phobic

I'm not high risk, I pay to have one every year.

carers didn't get free ones this year

Yes they did, I'm a carer and got mine free the same as everyone other year.

*every other year