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?

@AlrightTreacle
I am not in a clinical role and I don't come into contact with medically vulnerable patients. There's no obligation to take it. Several in my team don't have it. The ones that did have it last year 2 were off for a week with flu 🤷‍♀️.

Never had it before but work (education) offering free flu jabs in Boots this year so think I will.

It might turn out to be a mild flu season, but this is a risk you can manage. Get the jab.

When’s the best time to get one?

@Viv0321

I read an article the other day that said anytime between now and late October.

It takes two weeks to develop immunity after the jab. Get it now and you'll be covered through next spring. There's no benefit to waiting.

I had mine yesterday

Dd (16) had it yesterday. Not the live nasal version because she had a severe reaction to an unknown virus which attacked her brain last year. She has seizures each week. She had the ‘dead’ version - an injection. She did have seizures yesterday after it but probably due to tiredness/anxiety. The epilepsy society were told the government would offer it free to epileptics this year but they backtracked. We will be getting the jab as well but there has been a shortage in the under 65s one. We were cancelled then rebooked but the local Boots aren’t taking any new bookings for under 65s yet.
If you want the vaccination and you are under 65 I would get it if you can.
Dh nor I can afford to be in hospital as we have to look after our daughter.
I had flu in my 20s and they was a big outbreak at the time so the local hospital was closed. I ‘lost’ a Wednesday and a Thursday - it was pretty scary. If the hospitals are at full capacity, I don’t want a Covid/Flu double whammy at home.

I don't have it every year, but have booked this year.
Appointment is a couple of weeks away - amusingly at a very precise 10.26.
I was impressed when I had a blood test last week - they are giving ten minute time slots, but rather than the usual wait around for up to an hour, I was in and out within a few minutes, tons more efficient. I hope they stick with precise appointments rather than turn up and take a ticket for the queue.

Any advice on whether the flu jab is ok for an 8 year old instead of the nasal spray?

@Viv0321

Any advice on whether the flu jab is ok for an 8 year old instead of the nasal spray?

The injected vaccine is fine from 6 months on. More info here:

www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/diseases/flu.html

Miss- thankyou

I had a letter yesterday to say I'm in a vulnerable group and should have one... I always do as I have asthma... Just been diagnosed with Vit D defiency so maybe that's why?
I work for the Co op and we've all been offered a free flu jab by them as well!

I’ve never known anyone be offered it, apart from my elderly parents and NHS staff. I had no idea you could just ask for it. I’m in my mid 50s and have never had flu.

My son has had the nasal spray every year since he was 2 and I’ve sent the form in for him to have it again this time round. He’s never had any side effects and more importantly He’s not had flu since the first winter he had the vaccine.

I agree you OP this this year more than ever it’s important those who can have the vaccine do so.

@daisypond

I’ve never known anyone be offered it, apart from my elderly parents and NHS staff. I had no idea you could just ask for it. I’m in my mid 50s and have never had flu.

Lots of people are 'offered' it annually - people with asthma, diabetes, heart issues,on certain medications etc.

@ellieboulou33

I get offered it every year (diabetic) but I've always turned the offer down. This year it came with a (standard)email to ask anyone who doesn't normally have it, to reconsider this year, in order to help the NHS not have beds full of people with the flu (basically) and to help others who can't have it.

So that's mainly why I'm getting it this year.

I'm worried about getting it because I don't react well to a lot of things (antibiotics/blood pressure medication and had a dreadful time with post surgery medication).

I'd be interested to know why those, who are usually pro vax, aren't getting the flu jab? I'm not sure if there's more I need to consider before getting it.

I normally have it, but I'm considering not getting it this year - I'm not sure how comfortable I feel trekking into town and sitting in a shop for the required time (you have to stay after the jab in case you have a reaction).

I'm coming into contact with almost nobody this year, for the forseeable future, due to Covid. It feels like I've got more chance of catching the flu on the way to get the flu jab than I have of catching it while sitting home alone...

It should be like some EU countries - no vaccines, no state school.

I've never had it and never had flu, but what with Covid and my mum being on the shielding list, I decided I may as well and booked for October (earliest I could)
My son has it through school so that'll stay the same, I am pro vaccinations just never had the flu one myself before

Splodgetastic I don't think that's ever included the flu vaccines to be fair, because it's an annual vaccine and you'd have to kick children out!

In Germany home schooling (outside pandemic emergency measures) is illegal and 9 years of school is a human right, do it's a tricky enough tightrope to walk just upon entry. You have to show immunisation records and explain yourself If they're incomplete. My eldest had had chicken pox in England before we moved to Germany and my verbal explanation of why she hasn't been vaccinated against that one thing after the fact was fine.

I've asked my GP for it before as I'm self employed but I'm not eligible so pay for it myself at a local pharmacy.

I had flu in my 20s and ended up in hospital. I was off work for a month and was very ill. I don't want to take any chances.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme I know it doesn't include flu, but I just find the anti-vax lobby incomprehensible. You could make it no school without vaccinations without a reasonable excuse, e.g., already had disease or likely reaction to vaccine. Other children have a human right not to die or be seriously injured which trumps the right to education.

Splodgetastic oh I agree that there's no excuse not to vaccinate without good reason - it's parasitic to piggy back in herd immunity when you've no reason not to vaccinate. I was just pointing out that extending any bar to school attendance to annual flu vaccines is unworkable.

The sad fact is of course that it's very old testament to punish children for the sin/ stupidity of their parents... It's a tricky one to get around, because barring the children from school doubles down on the influence their conspiracy theorist, selfish parents have without the balance of other influences from school, and risks creating an ongoing problem for society as those children grow up.

I’m entitled to it every year as I care for someone. I never have it and I won’t this year.

My kids have never had it and won’t have it this year either.

[quote Splodgetastic]@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme I know it doesn't include flu, but I just find the anti-vax lobby incomprehensible. You could make it no school without vaccinations without a reasonable excuse, e.g., already had disease or likely reaction to vaccine. Other children have a human right not to die or be seriously injured which trumps the right to education.[/quote]
The US Supreme Court used exactly the same logic when it allowed mandatory vaccinations in 1905.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacobson_v._Massachusetts