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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be worried about lack of Flu vaccine?

65 replies

OhHolyNightWaking · 25/10/2019 09:41

Our GP practice holds open flu clinics. These have all now passed, without any children receiving the nasal flu vaccine because the surgery has been unable to order it.

I understand there is a shortage, but I am worried about my DS potentially not receiving the vaccine this year. Is anyone else in the same boat? Wondering if the shortage is being felt everywhere, or if my GP surgery has cocked up by ordering too late or something?

It isn't possible to pay for the nasal vaccine for children privately (as far as I can see) otherwise I would look into this. However that probably isn't an option anyway as presumably the shortage will be impacting both public and private sectors.

AIBU to be concerned about this?

OP posts:

Imreallytrying · 25/10/2019 10:57

Boots are allowing people to book for the adult one.

Stressedout10 · 25/10/2019 11:01

If you are in Scotland and have a 5+year old child they get it at school not at the gp. Is it not the same in England?

MoltoAgitato · 25/10/2019 11:02

I work in a hospital and we can’t even get enough stock from front line clinical staff...they’ve cancelled two weeks of flu jab clinic because they can’t get hold of stock!

heather19771210 · 25/10/2019 11:04

Hi, I organise flu clinics for the GP surgery I work in. The first supply of Fluenz vaccines was only delivered on Monday (20 sprays) and we expect to get another 20 on Monday. I have started calling our patients in the last few days.

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 25/10/2019 11:05

I had mine at my GP yesterday.

It was heaving with ppl having them.

Have booked rest of family in at Boots with no problems.

JellyfishAndShells · 25/10/2019 11:09

I had my (private, Boots ) under 65 one delayed from a booked September appointment to last week. When I had it done the pharmacist did say there was only one of the two under 65 types left - there had, coincidentally, been an article in The Times that morning about the variations in culture base.

MitziK · 25/10/2019 11:11

I found that waiting for the GP to contact me was a sure fire way to ensure I didn't get it until after I'd caught the first bout of flu because they had run out. One year, they never had it - and I found out that the 'Oh, it's all mass hysteria, it's nothing really' was utter bollocks, even though I got off lightly with just excruciating pain and not being able to move or breathe fully for over a week, compared to some friends who were super fit, healthy and in hospital on oxygen when they caught it. And one just got over one type and caught the next - he still has breathing problems years later and will never do his triathlon type hobbies again.

I go into the pharmacist in early September and that way, I've already got whatever coverage this year's provides well before colleagues who wait until they're told to make an appointment have heard a thing. DP dutifully goes in once I've had it to do the same.

If I didn't get it for free now due to being immunocompromised, I'd pay. It's worth it to at least reduce the chance of being that ill (or more, now I'm on Biologics) ever again.

YANBU. But you would be to just sit and wait, rather than contacting various pharmacies to see who does have supplies.

JacquesHammer · 25/10/2019 11:12

If you are in Scotland and have a 5+year old child they get it at school not at the gp. Is it not the same in England?

Some children can't have the nasal vaccine - it is the nasal vaccine that children have in schools - DD has never had hers in school.

However I guess OP''s son could be younger than school age?

Babdoc · 25/10/2019 11:22

Antler728, they do the primary children as a priority because they are “super spreaders” - every infected child will go on to infect large numbers of other people.
Also, the vaccine is much more effective in children. We older people often don’t produce much of an immune response to the vaccine - it’s only about 60% effective in us.
I went down with swine flu myself, despite being immunised.

Original poster

OhHolyNightWaking · 25/10/2019 11:25

If you are in Scotland and have a 5+year old child they get it at school not at the gp. Is it not the same in England?

Yes I believe this is true but DS is three, I should have said on my OP.

The vote has spoken and IABU, but glad I posted anyway as it has been interesting reading informative posts. I shall have to contact GP about my jab so will ask if they have any update on the nasal vaccine.

I normally get my jab at work, but currently on maternity leave, so I hadn't thought about needing to book mine, or go to the flu clinic.

OP posts:

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 25/10/2019 11:31

All the children at my primary are being vaccinated. (Apart from the VERY few where parents have opted out). I thought this was a nationwide programme.

hazeyjane · 25/10/2019 11:40

It is a nationwide programme for school age children - but not much good if your child is under 5 or can't have the nasal vaccine.

Cloverfern · 25/10/2019 11:42

I think we got a letter from the GP, but have opted out and will when DC1 is at school next year.

MadisonAvenue · 25/10/2019 11:50

I had mine done at the GPs last week. That was the first under 65s clinic that they ran, the vaccine had only arrived a few days before after the delivery date had been changed several times although they've been holding the over 65s clinics since late September.

I couldn't book my adult sons in at all, they've both in the at risk category. They've been holding the over 65s clinics on weekends and when I called to make appointments for us I was told that the under 65s were being booked on weekdays and neither of them can take the time off.

The practice have since arranged Saturday clinics for the under 65s but we've not had the usual notification letters, when I spoke to a receptionist she said that they're already fully booked up and that they may hold more Saturday clinics but it wasn't certain and if they did it wouldn't be until late November.
Rather than wait and still not get it, both of our sons have been to Tesco's pharmacy and had their vaccinations done there.

I remember there being a delay for the under 65s last year too.

PercythePile · 25/10/2019 12:11

As I understand it the World Health Organisation issues guidance on which strains should be covered by the flu vaccine. This guidance was delayed which has impacted on production and delivery times which has caused the immediate shortage.

This is not your GP or surgeries fault so please be patient with them.

TabbyMumz · 25/10/2019 12:18

No shortages in my area. GP has already held their sessions, and got the kids done at Tescos. They had loads. Even our workplace has loads.

DoloresDingo · 25/10/2019 12:23

They still don’t have the nasal flu vaccine at our surgery (London), not sure if the school kids have been done. All the more reason for adults to get done ASAP to build up herd immunity. Even if the vaccine isn’t that efficient the more people have it the lower the incidence in the community.

soundsystem · 25/10/2019 12:23

Yep, it seems to be having an effect everywhere.

Schools in our area aren't doing it until December due to supply issues! My two-year-old has been invited a couple of times and each time it's been cancelled as they've not received the vaccine. I've no reason to think they didn't order it in good time (as the clinics had been planned in well in advance).

InOtterNews · 25/10/2019 12:28

I have just returned from having mine. Usually, I have it in September but because of the shortage supply has been delayed. Docs sent me a text message last Friday to let me know they have stock for under 65s.

Carparkticket · 25/10/2019 12:28

We are still waiting for the nasal spray. I am in a risk group and got mine already, the jab

Twinkletoenails · 25/10/2019 12:32

My ds was due to have his last Saturday at the drs surgery, but due to a shortage his apt was put back two weeks

Twinkletoenails · 25/10/2019 12:33

I also took ds off the school list as he was offered it through the surgery

yummumto3girls · 25/10/2019 12:42

I had my flu vaccine through work last week and spent the rest of the week in bed with flu! This is the second time I have had the jab and both times I have been unwell. Didn’t have it last year and no problems. Won’t be having it again! DD had the spray at school last week no problems.

theendofsummer · 25/10/2019 12:48

I have had the flu jab some years and not others. Every time I had the flu jab I was very ill with flu, last incidence required hospitalisation. I have no faith in the jab at all now and don't have it done

Sleepyblueocean · 25/10/2019 12:55

We are due to have ours next week - child in at risk group and mine as his carer. I think it is the first week they are doing the nasal spray vaccine. I had to try to book it 3 times.

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