Thinking this year is more important than ever to have flu vaccine?

[ellieboulou33]

Big debate on our class what's app about the annual school flu vaccine, I've kept quiet with my opinion as prefer to remain neutral on these group chats but have replied saying my children would be having it.

On here I'm anonymous so can give my view which is, I think it's so important this year more than ever to vaccinate!

With everything going on I think any additional protection is a bonus.

A few mums are ranting that they don't trust it and for those that ARE vaccinating our kids, we had better take time to look up what goes into it.

AIBU to be pro flu vaccine?

I'm not an anti vaxxer but am really on the fence about getting the flu vaccine. Every time I've had it I get ill and basically feel like I've been run over by a bus - not sure flu would feel any worse tbh.

Flu jab is only a good idea for elderly and vulnerable. I have never had one and don’t intend to for many years. I have also never had flu, I think people often call a bad cold flu.

@FairfaxAikman

I'm not an anti vaxxer but am really on the fence about getting the flu vaccine. Every time I've had it I get ill and basically feel like I've been run over by a bus - not sure flu would feel any worse tbh.

Same but everyone insists it was a coincidence. I’ve declined mine anyway.

@PhilCornwall1 thanks for reply. I'm going to chat to pharmacist today about it.

[quote Walkley18]@PhilCornwall1 thanks for reply. I'm going to chat to pharmacist today about it.[/quote]
It's not a live vaccine, so you should be fine. I've had it loads of times now and have had no problems at all.

If it was a live vaccine, there would be no way I could have it.

I have such a phobia of needles. Does anyone know if there is a way to get the nasal vaccine as an adult? I've been googling it but it looks like they only offer it to kids.

I won't be getting a flu jab. I've only ever had one, 15 years ago, and ended up with a rare side effect, reactive arthritis. It took over a year to recover.
I've never had flu.

I never had flu either until I was 42 and ended up in hospital with severe flu and pneumonia, no underlying health conditions, active and healthy lifestyle. Don't kid yourselves that you're not at risk just because you're not considered vulnerable, we are all vulnerable. I can assure you if you had ever experienced flu you wouldn't think twice about having your vaccine. I never used to get either until I got flu. Mine is booked for next week.

A few mums are ranting that they don't trust it and for those that ARE vaccinating our kids, we had better take time to look up what goes into it.

There are always a few idiots in any group. Just ignore them and vaccinate.

My whole family is booked in to have it as one of our DC is a transplant patient so it’s highly recommended for her protection.

Mind you, I’m happy to have it as I had flu in my early 30s one winter and have never been so ill in my life. I was a fit and healthy slim person with no underlying health problems and I couldn’t even get out of bed for a week. I struggled to even walk a few metres to the bathroom. I can see how it would put a person in hospital and how it kills so many every winter. Shudder.

Getting Mine at work for free next week (die to occupation). Will take the kids for theirs too (in the country I live in you can claim the cost back). I had influenza when I was a primary school child (otherwise completely healthy) and it was so horrendous I still remember it.

Sorry about typos - my autocorrect will not stick to English!

Its interesting that the people saying they wouldnt get the vaccine are all people who have never had flu. If you've experienced how awful it is taking a few minutes out of your day to prevent it is a complete no brainer. I've had Covid and flu was far far worse.

@XiCi

Its interesting that the people saying they wouldnt get the vaccine are all people who have never had flu. If you've experienced how awful it is taking a few minutes out of your day to prevent it is a complete no brainer. I've had Covid and flu was far far worse.

I disagree. I’ve had flu. I still declined the vaccine.

@HunterHearstHelmsley

I've never had the flu vaccine. I've never had the flu.

There won't be enough vaccines to go around everyone (as usual). Its pretty selfish to have the vacinnation just in case. More so this year than ever. The vulnerable must be the priority.

And they will, doctors surgeries prioritise based on need

We were going to get it but cancelled.... we're in a high covid area, we're taking pretty thorough precautions to avoid getting that (and no kids, wfh anyway) so we are unlikely to get flu as it's less transmissible than CV. Going to get vacc'd would be the riskiest activity we'd have done, from the POV of exposure to viruses, since the start of the crisis! If we had to be out and about interacting with other people and especially if we had kids we'd have got the vacc, no question. Our student DD is thinking doing so - despite being quite needle-phobic.

I agree. I never get it because I never get flu and I’m low risk for complications but this year my whole family has decided to get it. I’m pregnant so would get it anyway, but my husband and parents etc are doing the same. It just makes sense to do what we can to minimise as much as possible the other diseases which put a strain on the NHS when they’re already dealing with Covid.

I don’t normally take it up through work because I’ve found the side effects so debilitating in the past that the risks and benefits aren’t worth it, but I’ll probably give it a go this year and resign my self to a couple of days in bed afterwards.

There is no such thing as natural immunity to the flu
There is if you’ve had the flu in the past. That’s literally how immunity works.

Australia saw a huge decrease in flu cases this year so perhaps will be the same in the UK if people stick to the coronavirus restrictions.

I'm not opposed to it but am only in my 50s – not knocking at the Door of Death just yet – and consider myself very low risk for flu, so I don't see the need to have the vaccine.

Good point Dillo, And flus tend to come here from the South each year so that effect is very likely to continue in the Northern Hemisphere, cross fingers.

I'm not getting it myself. I've never had it, only when I was pregnant. DS will have it at school.

DH and I are both offered a voucher to have the jab through our work, and we always get it. I used to get it via NHS for asthma, but since work will pay, I'll do it that way, one less for the NHS to deal with. I've never had any side effects (occasionally a slightly sore arm), and have had flu a couple of times in my life. Deeply unpleasant, requiring time off work, and a long recovery.

My children are 13 & 15, and I've found it virtually impossible to find anywhere that will vaccinate them, but this thread has reminded me, so I'll try again this year. Luckily, neither of them has ever had flu, but I'd rather have them protected where possible (especially this year for GCSEs, after missing 4 months of school).

@Ranunculi

There is no such thing as natural immunity to the flu There is if you’ve had the flu in the past. That’s literally how immunity works.

Up to a point, if the flu you had is similar enough to the one(s) going around in subsequent years. Flu viruses mutate /cross with ones from other species.