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?

In a year where we are in the middle of a pandemic, where the NHS is in serious danger of being completely overwhelmed, to say that you are INTENTIONALLY deciding not to have a vaccination against the most common flu virus , when it is safe for you to do so. Is bordering on criminally irresponsible.

Every single one of us needs to do everything in our power to keep ourselves away from a hospital. A flu jab will NOT make you more likely to need the hospital but less. That's what's needed.

I actually just booked ours. There were no appointments available till Oct 6th because so many people are booking them. I'm hopeful that this will help keep more vulnerable people safe by minimising the amount of flu circulating.

The email from my doctor's practice said this...

"The vaccine is more important this year than in the last 100 years. Please make your appointment today."

I have it every year. I usually hope for a couple of days looking pale on the sofa & getting hot drinks bought to me but it never happens.

@Smallereveryday I'd feel much happier if I didn't have to sit in a small enclosed space with another human! I'm normally keen as mustard to get it every year.

To be fair, the two mile walk there and back (I'm avoiding public transport, so that people who can't do that walk can socially distance...) isn't improving my enthusiasm.

I’m having mine done in Lloyds at 7:30am so I’ll be first in & both wearing masks

@Fluffycloudland77

I’m having mine done in Lloyds at 7:30am so I’ll be first in & both wearing masks

That's a good idea! I didn't know they did appointments that early. Thanks.

Neither did I until I booked it.

I have one each year and am having mine on Friday.

I had 6 weeks off work when I was a fit and healthy 21 year old with flu.
I don't remember the first two weeks at all and was delerious, lost nearly 2 stone in weight (I was slim beforehand) and exhausted for much longer than the six weeks I was off. It was really scary.

I don't want that AND to have to try to look after my DC.

DC will have theirs at school as usual.

Had mine yesterday. No side effects apart from a bit of a stiff arm but not bad at all.

I will feel so annoyed at people who avoid the flu jab then go OTT being scared of Covid. I'm not saying they're the same, but I am saying that thousands and thousands of people die every year from flu, those who get it are ill for weeks, and there is a really easy way to protect yourself from it.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/22/flu-and-covid-19-at-same-time-significantly-increases-risk-of-death

Not good news if you get flu and COVID-19 at the same time.

Reporting in to say that yesterday, for the first time ever I had a flu jab. At Tesco's. It cost £9. It took about 2 seconds and no side affects whatsoever.

Thanks for posting zandathepanda. This was the reason I booked mine in August. The fatal combination of flu and covid has been known about for some time.

Do you have to book at Tesco? I have just received my Boots flu voucher from work but none of the Boots in my area - and beyond - have any slots left.

I’ve never had the flu. I’m not worried about catching it so I won’t be getting the vaccine. I’m not worried about Covid either.

Norovirus, on the other hand! If someone can come up with a vaccine for that little bastard then I’ll take ten!

My mother is 85 and got a letter asking her to book a slot. I phoned on her behalf and couldnt get through on the phone so tried emailing. Got a standard repy saying they were busy and would get back to me. This was 3 days ago. Fife NHS have put out a public apology admitting they were unprepared for demand!
Really???

I’m paying to have it and got a slot in Boots. I know I’m not protected against all strains but after getting proper flu two years ago and it ending up with me getting pneumonia and then sepsis and rushed to hospital, anything I can do to help avoid it is a no brainer for me.

I have a vague memory of being told if the immune system has something similar in its antibodies to what you catch it’s quicker to respond & make the correct antibodies.

I wonder if that’s where Sarah Gilbert got the idea for her vaccine vector?.

Of course I could be wrong.

@WinchesForFinches I find your viewpoint interesting, are you a very upbeat person?.

Do you have to book at Tesco? I have just received my Boots flu voucher from work but none of the Boots in my area - and beyond - have any slots left.

I had mine done in Boots yesterday, she said they’d be releasing more slots next week, that the first run of slots booked up really quickly so they closed the diary to make sure they didn’t overbook.

Thanks jelly perhaps I'll give it til next week then although I think voucher runs out end of September.

Are you from the government trying to push flue vaccine?
Mumsnet seems to be full of government propaganda these days.

Its the flu vaccine. Flue is what you find on a chimney.

And the flu vaccine saves lives, that's science not propaganda .

YANBU OP, I will be having mine on Saturday morning and kids will definitely be having it at school. I've had the flu once in my life and had the vaccine every year since... full on proper flu is absolutely horrendous, I don't ever want to have it again

I had mine last week. I am eligible for a free one due to medication I take and I always have one. I work in an infant school so already exposed to so many bugs.

Dd is 18y and she had one this week. We pay for hers. She's had one for the past 3 years - after getting a nasty dose of flu in year 10 and being ill over revision week and still recovering during mock exam weeks. She decided she wanted a flu jab thereafter as she was worried about being ill during exam years.

I need to look into wether I ought to have the pneumonia injection. I was properly poorly with that a few years back, following a really nasty cold bug. This year I'm wondering if it would be a possibility as again it's about eliminating anything else I could be ill with as covid alone could be bad enough.

Frolicacid - neither me or Dd have ever had a temperature following the vaccine. Worst I had was last year when my arm swelled quite a lot. My arm was red hit to touch but no high temperature for me.

I work in an infant school and I can't think of any child who's been poorly following it

Yep.
Had mine yesterday and up until that point had administered over 50 flu jabs to my colleagues at work.
Had them queuing out the door.
Good job done I think.