Flu jab - yes or no?

[BetterCallSaul99]

My parents are in their 70's. Never had it. They are great for their age, fit and healthy.
Me and my husband are pretty much the same. But wondering if it would be for the best. I hear so many stories about people who have been ill after that immunisation I genuinely don't know what to do myself or advise my parents. Me and my husband did have flu a couple of years ago and it was the worst illness we have ever experienced. Would not want to experience it again however isn't it certain strains so having the jab is no guarantee anyway? Thoughts please.

Every year. Sometimes get a sore arm and one year felt really wiped out the next day but it was only for a day.

I've had the flu before and felt absolutely appalling, I couldn't even stand on my own. I'd happily have a vaccination every day of the year if it meant never getting flu again.

@Marmunia1975

SimonJT

He’s not spreading the information- it’s his own personal stance. You’d be surprised how many in the medical field shun vaccines.

He is spreading incorrect medical information.

You are clearly unable to read and understand basic scientific research if you believe the flu vaccine can give anyone flu.

We're booked in on Tuesday for ours - DH will get his free and I will pay for mine. We have done this for years, and other than maybe having a little bit of soreness in your arm, within 24 hrs you won't notice you've had it.

Ignore the scaremongering and frankly incorrect post that "it gives you flu" - that's just bollocks.

I'm getting it for the first time this year.

You’d be surprised how many in the medical field shun vaccines

I've worked with many doctors and nurses when I was a consultant's secretary and then when I was PA in the medical school at the university. I have never met a doctor who was anti-vaxx, quite the opposite actually and I remember when I was pregnant I had several remind me in passing of the importance of vaccination.

WE WERE TDLD THALIDOMIDE WAS SAFE.

The flu vaccine has been around since the 1940s, that's almost 80sl years of evidence that it is safe.

@Marmunia1975

YOU CANNOT CATCH THE FLU FROM THE VACCINE.

YES YOU CAN. WE WERE TDLD THALIDOMIDE WAS SAFE.

How? How can you possibly catch flu from the flu vaccine (injection)? It isn’t live.

And thalidomide... for goodness sake. Pretty much all of our medicines licensing regulations stem from learning from the thalidomide disaster, which was more than 50 years ago.

Refuse vaccinations and wear your tinfoil hat if you like, but stay the fuck away from anyone who is vulnerable this winter, and don’t be taking up NHS resources if you get sick.

The flu injection isn't live so cannot give you flu. It is complete co incidence if you become ill after having it. If people do become ill this is often because they are already harbouring some bug or other [ and many people say they have flu when in fact they just have a bad cold ]

I have the flu jab every year as well as well as my elderly parents and apart from a sore arm for a few days we are never ill. I am having mine done in Boots this year as GP's are overwhelmed enough as it is. I get mine free due to living with someone with a compromised immune system.

The flu spray [ mist ] is live, so can give mild flu symptoms.

I had quite a nasty reaction to last years flu jab and felt really quite unwell - for maybe 2 days. Made me glad I hadnt encountered "the real deal".

Had mine yesterday. The injection site is a bit sore. That’s it.
I’ve had flu. Twice.
It’s awful.
I’d rather have a sore arm for a bit!

My DF had thalidomide for his cancer treatment. It isn’t safe when you are pregnant but is safe for other treatments.

Definitely yes. Am NHS, but will probably have to pay for it this year as frontline staff are taking absolute priority. I'm still having it - I've had real flu three times in my life and no way am I making it four.

Both myself (asthmatic) and my elderly mum have been having the flu jab for years with no ill affects (not even a sore arm) whatsoever.

I have it every year, my 97 year old mother in law has it every year no problems. My wife has an allergy to eggs, and as the vaccine is developed in eggs, she has to request one that hasn't been near egg protein. So far no problems.

[quote eaglejulesk]@Marmunia1975 - you seem spectacularly ignorant. However, you have made your point - please give it a rest now. There is no need to respond to everyone who disagrees with you.[/quote]
People can post as many times as they wish. It's not your place to tell anyone how often they may post on a thread.

I disagree with her opinion, but I back her right to state it, as many times as she wishes.

She might want to stop for her own sake though because she's embarrassing herself.

My dh will get it for the first time this year as its offered to over 50s, I would too if I was offered it.

I normally have it every year as a family member in her 40’s passed away from complications of the flu a few years back.

However, I’ve recently been diagnosed with a rare illness and have been advised not to have the vaccination this year so I need to rely on others having had it. All my family will be vaccinated.

I’ve known people blame catching a cold on the flu jab and it always really bugs me as a cold is not a mini flu...

I've had it twice and been very unwell both times.

Had it for years as an NHS worker. Never had an issue. Why wouldn't you?

The jab is tailored to the main strains that are active this year

I'm sorry if this appears pedantic, but feel it's important for people to realise that yes the flu 'jab' is tailored each year but that the tailoring is to the strains that are expected to be active this year.

It's obvious when you think about it.

The material is created way ahead of the emergence of the actual active strains. There is no opportunity to 'update' it as the actual strains become known.

Some years they get lucky, and the predictions turn out to be true, other years not so much.

@Igotthemheavyboobs

Well my dog walker's boyfriend's aunt thinks that vaccines are just a way for the government to track us and they are really putting little chips into our arms. These make us sick, which they want because of reasons.

Persoanlly I just don't think it's worth the risk.

You missed out Bill Gates, Big Pharma and the Illuminati. Also, the vaccine isn't intended to make us sick: it's to control us via the microchips. And it contains Hydrogen Monoxide, a toxic chemical that's present in acid rain and injectable addictive drugs.

Anyway, it's usually cheapest at Asda so that's where I get mine. £8 this year. Call for an appointment; they're booking now for the start of October.

Had mine yesterday. Been having one for years. I feel a bit 'off' in the evening but am prepared now.

we have it every year - in Aus so had in early May. sore arms at sight of injection for a week.

always bemused/frustrated by ppl claiming "of good health" - you are until your not - then its too late to do anything proactive...Flu kills "healthy" adults and children every year. my own parents usually try this line but this year they were quick to book in - who would want a double banger of flu+covid? (which could be a reality if hospitalized with influenza).

The reason vaccines are given, especially freely for the medically vulnerable, is because any potential side effects are massively outweighed by the potential danger of the illness itself.

The UK has one of the most stringent medical and science sectors in the world, vaccines are not given because some bigwig wants to make billions. The UK is not the States, the pharmaceutical industry is different and the NHS is driven by the need to deliver medically effective & cost-effective treatment.

Severe flu - especially for the medically vulnerable - can be incredibly serious and for those with underlying conditions, fatal.

It's easy - and understandable - to underestimate the danger when you and your peers have never experienced serious illness and it's consequences.

There's another perspective that's particularly pertinent this year - flu places a massive strain on the NHS every year, it's struggled so far - wait until this winter.

I have the flu jab every year...but ever since I've ended up on steroids for my asthma. I missed one year for the jab and never had to have the steroids. It's not enough to say a coincidence but I'm very unsure about having it again. (One year I did have an allergic reaction too but carried on the following year)