To ask if you’re having a flu vaccine?

[MzGG]

My GP surgery has text me to inform me that I’m duet flu vaccine. I’m going to book myself in.

Will you be having one too?

Already had it probably 2 months ago. I get one every year, but I do mine through the pharmacy (still free NHS one) because I can’t be asked with how hard it is to book through the GP. I did my COVID jab the same way.

Yes it's definitely the same here too, thanks.

I was happy to pay to try and mitigate some of the cost to the NHS. I've paid for years now, because it's so cheap really. Mind you- I intend to have a covid jab (also eligible) and if that's really £100 as someone said upthread then I'm not sure I will donate that amount to the NHS!

At a pharmacy a couple of months ago as we have lots of elderly relatives we see and do stuff for. No real side effects, apparently, it's a bad season this year.

By? No harm to you, reduces risks of harm to you…

I had it a few weeks ago. I had no side effects whatsoever thankfully.

Yes - my parents are in Australia and they have had a shocker of a flu season. This will out me to any friends reading, but my mother spent 5 months out of 7 this year in hospital. She was immuno-compromised, but she's also only 75 and used to swimming a km every morning and walking 6 km daily.

My fore-mentioned pharmacist with the magic ability at giving jabs said to me that here in the UK what is filtering through are concerns about a 'flu bomb' this coming january-February.

Yep, had mine in October. I can take or leave the COVID jabs but I will never miss the flu shot. Flu can be horrific.

I’m not getting it. I could get it free because I have diabetes type 2 (I’m not over weight - just thought I’d chuck that one in there), but I got frozen shoulder from a poorly administered flu vaccination four years ago and I can’t risk it again. Eighteen months of pain and an arm that scarcely moved. I can’t- I just can’t.

oooh ow. That sounds truly awful @Forthelov x

Of course! I see too many (very) ill people at work that usually class themselves as 'fit and well'.

Just to highlight the vaccine will NEVER give you flu. It might give you 'flu like symptoms' as your body is developing the antibodies. Dont go embarass yourself saying you got flu after the vaccine 🤭

Poor you. Sounds as though it was administered too high and breached the joint capsule around your shoulder. No excuse for that at all. I saw that when I was doing COVID vaccines in a patient that had come for her second vaccine and had a very painful shoulder after her first was given too high. That’s actually a reportable incident.

@Forthelov, I don’t blame you for not wanting it.

Last winter when I was in the local pharmacy, a man came in saying he’d had a jab the day before (either flu or Covid, I can’t remember) at a local Asda pharmacy and he now had a painful shoulder and could barely move his arm 😔 Sounds like the same thing that happened to you.

I had mine in September and I'm very pleased I did. There have been so many people around me who have been very ill I have managed to avoid catching anything from them apart from a sore throat and sniffle that only lasted a couple of days

I have a great immune system, which I put down to good genetics, growing up on a farm, and having had a lot of different vaccinations over my lifetime.

This happened to me, too. Within hours of getting the first AZ covid jab my shoulder was incredibly sore, then for several weeks after i stuggled to lift my arm, had to wash my hair one-handed, etc. It was absolute hell because during lockdown i was caring for my dad after kidney removal, so i had to grit my teeth through it.

I mentioned it to various doctors and nurses afterwards when getting other jabs and they all looked at me in confusion, as if they'd never heard of such a thing. I felt like i was being judged weird or wimpy. Now i find out it's actually a known jab injury. Ffs!

Had mine earlier in October in Asda. Paid for the Covid one too.

No reaction to the flu, and only a vague arm ache following the Covid one. DH felt quite unwell though (with Covid jab).

Nope not been offered it this year other years I've had the flu jab.
All 3 of my boys have had theirs.
My daughter won't have it done cause it's an injection.

No, never had it or been offered it. Once had flu about 20 years ago and felt so ill but thankfully never had it since touch wood. I have been exposed to covid last week as my DSIS is living with me and has it yet by stroke of good fortune I’ve not had it yet. Can’t quite believe it. I’m hoping the incubation period has passed

I had mine back in September or October. The flu season usually peaks in January and the jab takes two weeks to be effective so I'd get it ASAP.

I think it’s around two weeks for both flu and Covid jabs to become effective.

Absolutely. I had it in October. I’ve had flu twice in my life, both in my 20s and I was so ill dh had to carry me to the ensuite. I’m asthmatic and work in a hospital so I have it every year. Occasionally I get mild side effects but this year I had nothing. Totally worth it and I’ve no idea why anyone wouldn’t take the offer.

I’m not eligible for a flu or COVID jab on the NHS, but I paid for both in September. So I’ve done all I can this winter.

Yes, you’d probably pay that out in lemsips etc

Do you never go out anywhere though? Shopping? Out for a meal or any activities or see friends or family ?

To start to become effective. Full effectiveness takes longer. I had mine at the end of October and the vaccinator said I’d have full immunity by Christmas, but it would increase from 2 weeks on.