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Original poster

Why are all children being immunised against flu?

383 replies

MiniChedda · 13/10/2016 21:29

I am curious about this, my y1 DC is due to get it at school next week.

DD had flu but it was no worse than a sickness bug.

Wouldn't it be better to give the meningitis vaccine instead as it's so much more serious?

OP posts:
TheSnorkMaidenReturns · 13/10/2016 23:51

Verbena37
Your 'body did its thing and ... got better'
Not everyone is as fortunate as you. And it's nothing too do whether they are a vegetarian or eat GMO. Please think of people more vulnerable than you.

bellie710 · 13/10/2016 23:52

I don't need to read anything, I have done my research and spoken to doctors who agree that only vaccinating 1 child in a family is a waste of time, in our school lots of kids were really ill after the vaccine and were off school for 3-5 days then got ill all through the year, my children have not been ill and will never have this vaccine!

bostonkremekrazy · 13/10/2016 23:52

Verbena37
NHS info says healthy children under the age of five are more likely to have to be admitted to hospital with flu than any other age group.
Its not all about herd immunity - its about protecting a high risk group.

hollinhurst84 · 13/10/2016 23:52

See the thing is you don't know everything about your body
I was fine and fairly healthy. If I caught something it went away but it seemed to take a bit longer than normal
Anyway it turns out for the last eight years I've been neutropenic and so immunosuppressed. I can't fight infections
I didn't know this, and if you had it, you probably wouldn't know
Luckily I do now so can avoid ill people and inject myself with bone marrow stimulant and try and keep healthy
But say you had this and didn't know, refused the flu jab and got flu - it's life threatening

Verbena37 · 13/10/2016 23:53

lerelei it wasn't me who said I was worried about herd immunity.

redspottydress · 13/10/2016 23:54

Stratters - what are you disagreeing with? It's all true.

Jigglypuffsinging · 13/10/2016 23:55

Sorry not read the whole thread, but very confused about why the vulnerable can't have the jab - they are eligible.

Lynnm63 · 13/10/2016 23:57

Maybe it was a mean comment but you know what's meaner? The flu virus that actively wants to kill you. I wouldn't have been eligible for the flu virus the year I caught it. Tbh I didn't think flu was that bad until I had it, if I could have been vaccinated BEFORE I caught it it would have saved the NHS probably £250k and I'd not have permanent damage. I'd hate anyone to suffer when they can be protected. I'm always first in the queue now as are all of us.

ShatnersBassoon · 13/10/2016 23:58

Bellie710, your children have been healthy and they didn't get the flu jab. Not your children are healthy because they didn't get the flu jab. You can't take the credit for that, I'm afraid; your decision hasn't kept them well.

I had my jab last week, for selfish and selfless reasons. It's not a big decision to make really.

TheSnorkMaidenReturns · 13/10/2016 23:59

Jigglypuffsinging
Some people are not able to have the vaccines as they are ill and/or immuno-suppressed, such as having chemotherapy.
The most vulnerable society. The very people we should all look out for.

redspottydress · 13/10/2016 23:59

The adult flu vaccine is extremely ineffective (Cochrane Collaboration) and some research suggests the live nasal spray is more effective but not suitable for adults. So the plan is to vaccinate children to protect adults as their vaccine doesn't actually work very well at all.

madamginger · 13/10/2016 23:59

My council/ccg is buying a dose of fluenz for every school child from reception to year 8.

anotherdayanothersquabble · 13/10/2016 23:59

This year's vaccine share 3 out of 4 strains with last year's vaccine and we have no way of knowing yet what will be the dominant strain in circulation. Source WHO

Many more people test positive for flu than show symptoms so while flu can be very serious and can kill, it can also be very mild and even symptomless. Source University of Massachusetts website.

The vaccine does not guarantee that you will not get flu. A Eurosurveillance report studied patients presenting with flu and respiratory symptoms to the GP 7% of the vaccinated group had strains of flu contained in the vaccine and 13% of unvaccinated group did. The rest either had no influenza detected or the strains were different.

Lynnm63 · 13/10/2016 23:59

Jiggly some people are too immuno compromised to be able to cope with the vaccine, they need the rest of us to step up to protect them.

AgathaP · 14/10/2016 00:00

I have only had flu once - my lungs failed and I was placed in an induced coma on a ventilator. I was unconscious for 14 days. I am extremely fortunate to be alive. Don't underestimate flu.

SuramarMom · 14/10/2016 00:00

Can I just ask is it worth getting my dd the nasal spray?

She is three but we haven't had a letter.

I'm a bit worried though, if it's a 'live' vaccine dies that mean she could make her six month old brother sick?

Sorry for my ignorance I have always vaccinated for everything but don't know much about this flu one.

hildredmubble · 14/10/2016 00:01

Verbena37 I was replying to someone who had had the injected, dead, version.

Jigglypuffsinging · 14/10/2016 00:03

StStrattersOfMN _ It is simply untrue to state that the flu vaccine doesn't contain the live virus - the nasal spray does.

Sofia - if you let one of your children have the nasal spray, then he is increasing the risk of your ill child catching it from him, immediately afterwards. Children shed the (live) flu virus after being sprayed, and although the risk is negligible to healthy individuals, those with weak immunity are at risk. You ill child could get the flu jab, that doesn't contain the live virus, so should protect him.

Lynnm63 · 14/10/2016 00:04

If you're vaccinated you can still get flu, that's true. What the vaccine minimises are the complications from flu and generally it's the complications that kill you, pneumonia, ARDS etc, ventilator squired infections. How sick us that the ventilator that you'd die without can be the source of an infection that can then try to kill you.

IminaPickle · 14/10/2016 00:05

I've just texted my DDs away at University to go and get it.

hildredmubble · 14/10/2016 00:05

Live attenuated www.vaccines.gov/more_info/types/

Jigglypuffsinging · 14/10/2016 00:08

Lynnm63 Why? There is no risk from the jab, it is dead, so there is no risk that they could 'catch' flu from it. Cancer patients on chemo can have the jab, my brother takes strong drugs that kill his immune system it is even more important that he has the jab.

The nasal spray contains the live virus, and if you are too immuno compromised to have the dead jab, then you are at a very high risk from a child who's shedding the live virus from the nasal spray. Even the leaflet that comes with the nasal spray comments on the risk... Sorry I don't buy it. The only people who shouldn't have the jab are those allergic to eggs.

madamginger · 14/10/2016 00:09

Anotherday this years jab only shares one strain the same as last year, The h1n1 strain.

This year is
A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) pdm09 – like strain (A/California/7/2009, NYMC X-181)

A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 (H3N2) – like strain (A/Hong Kong/4801/2014, NYMC X-263B

B/Brisbane/60/2008 – like strain (B/Brisbane/60/2008, wild type)

Last year was

A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)pdm09 - like strain (A/California/7/2009, NYMC X-181) A/Switzerland/9715293/2013 (H3N2) - like strain (A/Switzerland/9715293/2013, NIB-88) B/Brisbane/9/2014 (wild type)

bellie710 · 14/10/2016 00:10

Sorry ShatnersBassoon my children are healthy, they have not had the flu jab for the last 3 years and continue to be healthy unlike their class mates who have had it. If by any chance they do become ill or die like the scaremongering would suggest I will hold my hands up, but at the moment I am very happy with my decision and need no more advice :)

hildredmubble · 14/10/2016 00:11

www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/29109

You only needed to worry about the attenuated live vaccine being shed if you are severely immunosuppressed. So, on chemo etc. They wouldn't be giving it to young kids if they were concerned they then couldn't be around younger siblings. If your six month old it's normal and healthy, I wouldn't worry. Speak top the school nurse or health visitor with any concerns. Don't listen to scaremongering on the internet!