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 didn’t have the flu vaccine for years (well tbh it hasn’t been around for most of my life) until the penny dropped that although I’ve always been in good health, working in a hospital meant that I might pass it on to patients, so I started to have it. Then I forgot to have it last year! - doubt I’ll ever return to that degree of carefreeness about my health ever again, which is one of the things I find most upsetting about the current situation.

I’m also old enough to have the pneumonia vaccine so will be having that as well, unless anyone wants to come on here and tell me how it will make my nose drop off or similar.

Had the pneumonia vaccine in my 30s as per my GP, and have the flu jab every year. Dh and I are booked in for or flu jabs in just over a fortnight, and adult ds a week later.

I’ve had it, kids won’t get it now on NHS so trying to get it for them privately

I really don’t understand why people who usually get all vaccines for their kids aren’t getting them this one.

Our surgery has run out of vaccines

@MadameBlobby

I really don’t understand why people who usually get all vaccines for their kids aren’t getting them this one.

Huge massive lack of joined up thinking combined with a life where they genuinely don’t know anyone who nearly died with whooping cough as a baby, anyone with a built up shoe due to polio or anyone who went deaf from measles.

Living isn’t the constant battle it once was.

Also, people aren’t that intelligent. Their just not & you have to lower your expectations when your living in a world where people think it’s desirable to let a dog lick a wound because dog saliva is sterile according to them or that wounds should be dipped in hot tar. Those are both things I’ve heard off patients in the last few years.

Now I am wondering whether it might be more responsible of me NOT to get it for me and my teen, so as to leave it for others who need it more. We are both technically eligible due to health conditions but not actually at particularly high risk.

So the NHS has ordered 30M doses, which is enough for about half the population. Due to Covid-19 we aren't mixing much, far less than the average person. I figure we have a low chance of being exposed to flu compared to other people. So maybe it is a poor use of a scarce resource if we have the vaccine?

YANBU, I’ve had it every year since 2006 due to being clinically vulnerable and only once had a reaction (rash and raised lump at the site). I had flu prior to getting the jab (the December I started university) and once again two years ago (a different strain to the jab that year, contracted at work on a busy university campus). I will get it every year without fail, to protect myself and to protect others. It’s the least I can do.

Saracen on the other hand If you don't catch it, you don't pass it on to more vulnerable people who can't be vaccinated die to being immunosuppressed. Are your teens attending school?

@Roowig2020

I'm not anti vac either but I won't be giving it to my dc, and haven't in previous years. They are young, no health problems etc. I work for nhs and won't be having it either. I'm also relatively young, healthy and have never had flu. Even if we got it the chances are we'd be fine plus it won't do anything to protect against Corona.

None of that makes any sense.

Young children are very vulnerable to the flu. It’s why they’re offered the vaccine.

It’s also not about protected you against CV. It’s to try to protect you from getting both at the same time, or getting a bad case of the flu and needing hospital treatment.

How can you work in the NHS if you don’t know this?!!!!

Kids are classed as super spreaders for flu.

Children under five are one of the groups most likely to be hospitalised with the flu.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme no, my teen is home educated. pre-Covid we used to go see friends, take the bus, and do many activities but have stopped all that. Just see a few people from 2m away outdoors, and maybe once a week go to a shop or pharmacy. Husband is a builder who has to work closely with one person. He doesn't go out either anymore except to the allotment.

So if there's only enough doses for half the population then I guess it's better targeted at someone else instead of us.

I work for the NHS on a weekly basis and in a million years I wouldn't dream of putting patients and colleagues at risk by not having the vaccine.

My DD has all of her vaccinations but I do not consent to the annual flu “jab”.

I don’t think it’s necessary but I have the brains not to judge/pass comment on parents who choose to let their children have it because I simply mind my own business.

Had my DH and myself done in Tesco's earlier this week. £9.00 each. In and out in less than 2 minutes, arm a tiny bit sore the following day.

DD will have the nasal spray at school, and if that doesn't happen shortly, I'll pay for hers as well.

Anyone know why the under 2s are not eligible for a flu vaccine? You can't book them privately either yet in the US the cut off is 6 months.

Absolutely not. Never had flu, neither have any of my family. Father in law got it fir the first time this year and is now I’ll in bed. He never leaves his flat so why he got it I’ve no idea. Flu mist is even worse. It’s a live vaccine and can shed for two weeks.

Frosties your second sentence contradicts your first.
It’s a ‘dead‘ vaccine that is put in your arm. That’s what you would have as an adult. No shedding.

Fluffy I agree with you.

Oops Frosties ...Actually didn’t see the first full stop. Your third sentence contradicts the second!

Why do people keep saying the vaccine made them come down with flu? I have heard so many people say this, not just on here. I didn’t think it was a live vaccine?

Anyway, I had it yesterday. Slightly sore arm today.

I won't be having it because it won't protect me from covid anyway, and I tend to have a bad reaction to it. Had it a few times and each time I'm ill for months almost constantly. I've got a fairly bad immune system despite being healthy (been checked by doctors and they have no explanation). But I haven't had any illness in months because I'm staying away from people more so I've not had any issues. I once went almost a whole year with either a cold or flu every month, and colds tend to effect me worse than others so it ends up feeling like flu anyway. Going to keep doing the same, stay away from people.

I won’t have it; didn’t for all the years I worked for the NHS. Also, being that I’m staying home all the time as a result of covid and because it has closed down the only groups where I socialised with other people, I’m not exactly coming into contact with anyone likely to pass flu on to me.

Another reason is my late DM did have it every year, and she had the pneumococcal vaccine - neither stopped her ending up in hospital, firstly with sepsis that (later) was diagnosed as being caused by pneumococcal pneumonia; and, 2 months after being discharged from hospital following that, she ended up in hospital again and died of influenza A!!

You can, I’m sure, forgive me for being sceptical of the benefits of taking up the offer of being vaccinated when you can end up dying of the thing you’ve been vaccinated against!!

My husband and I normally don’t bother (young, healthy, never get flu) but this year we both are. I’m pregnant so get it free but would have anyway. Just seems sensible to do what we can to reduce possible strain on the NHS.

I have done my research, as usual I find antivax arguments to be baffling, unscientific, ill-researched and ignorant.