To get flu vax or not?

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I had the flu vaccine a few years ago when pg with DD4. It made me VERY ill, so much so that I haven’t had it since and have refused it for all my three of my DC in previous years. HOWEVER, I’ve just read that we are set to have the biggest outbreak in fifty years and it’s put a seed of doubt in my mind as to whether I’ve made the correct decision this year.

So, AIBU to refuse the vaccination this year? Honest opinions needed please.

The flu vaccine isn't a live vaccine. You may have got ill after having it but it wouldn't be due to the vaccine.
I had mine.

Sigh
The flu vaccine is not live
It cannot give you flu
However it takes 2 weeks to work - at least according to my dr
Sounds like coincidence - you must have already been harbouring a virus when you were vaccinated
The flu vaccine will not protect you from other respiratory illnesses

Have you even been offered it?

Or do you mean for your children? If so, YABVU!

Neverender- yes, I have a disability that would affect my ability to function if I caught the flu. Also, DD is 4 so is eligible.

I've had it.
My DD will have it.
Proper flu is grim.
I have a stinking cold after having the flu vaccine. Completely the fault of my children who bring home nasty colds and viruses from school (thanks DCS) not the vaccine!

Thanks Wolfie. Very helpful reply. I am not anti-vax but I do question things!

The children's vaccine is live so as an adult I'd have my vaccine at least 2 weeks before the children's as the adult vaccine is not live but you could get infected from your children.

Thanks mum2jenny, yes I’d read that the Children’s was live, although attenuated. This was partly why we refused the rotavirus vax for DD, as at the time the risk to the rest of the family was high (have experienced rv with DS1 so was aware of what the other outcome could be). Good tip about getting mine first!

You can't get infected from your child

Yes the nasal spray is live, but you are only at risk of you are severely immunocompressed (along the lines of having chemo or being HIV+ ).

I have researched this as I'm pregnant have had mine and DC are having it at different times as one is school age and the other younger.

I'd not take the chance.

The children's vaccine is live, the adult one is not. Hence the adult needs vaccinated first.

The vaccine given to children is an attenuated vaccine. The chances of shedding occurring in a healthy person are negligible.
The only people at very slight risk would be those who are immuno-compromised.

What Chocolatear says. I just didn't have the medical terms.

What you have read about 'this year being the worst flu outbreak for 50 years' is just tabloid nonsense. They have no idea how bad our flu will be, and the source of that news story was that Australia has had a bad flu season. Australia flu does not have any bearing on ours in the UK.

I did wonder about whether this year was expected to be worse. Not because of tabloids but because I have never known kids to be vaccinated in school. Wondered whether there was concern that meant the NHS has reason to want as many as possible vaccinated.

Then definitely get it! You could end up in hospital otherwise!

I will have it and so will my children as we have done every year for the last 10 years.

A healthy 18 year old friend of mine died of flu. I've had the flu and it was fecking awful.

None of us has ever had an adverse effect from the flu vaccine.

I don't have a clue.

All I know is my DS aged nearly 3 had the nasel flu vaccine.

One day later he has a temp and is fitting in my arms in his sleep. Stops breathing and I have to give him CPR.

He ends up in intensive care, in and near induced coma at a hospital 1 and a half hours away from us.

we are now at our local hospital becaue he is having very mini seizures.. (he's been woken up)

They say the nasel flu vaccine is a red herring...however I don't think I'll be giving it him next year.

ShowerGel that is very scary. I really hope that your DS gets better. Must be a horrific time for you 😕 Have they attributed it to a side effect of the vaccine?

Wolfiefan

The only new thing this year is that children who are 4 are offered the vaccine at school instead of at the GP where it had a low uptake. Schools should have been offering the flu spray in previous years.

We vaccinate children partly because they are more vulnerable but also because they are super spreaders of germs. So they protect older relatives if they receive the vaccine -- that's the theory anyway.

I think around 65-70% of 65+ receive the vaccine usually but the effectiveness varies from year to year. Last year the effectiveness was fairly dire as flu mutated -- only 39.8% effective in all ages!

they are saying the vaccine was a red herring to what hapend and it was a blood infection.

However I do belive them but I don't know if ill ever let him have it again now

ShowerGel if they say it was a blood infection then it was. There are tests for this. I am very glad they have found out the cause.

Please don't be afraid of the flu vaccine because of this - bad coincidences happen.

Speaking for myself, I work in health research. We have vulnerable elderly people coming through our door daily. I couldn't live with myself if I caught flu and passed it on to one of them, so I have been vaccinated.

I have also been unlucky enough to have had real flu three times in my 50 years of life. I don't want it again, thanks.

I personally would not give a vaccine to a young child unless they were immunocompromised,

What no vaccine? To any child? That's why we have a sodding measles outbreak whee we are!

I don’t vaccine. I am healthy, my dc are healthy and we have no vulnerable relatives around us.

My ds(8) was offered it in school but my dd(3) wasn’t, which I don’t understand? If it’s so vital then why aren’t all children offered it?

Anyway, I think it’s a vicious circle of never ending vaccines. Where do we draw the line?