Fed up of hearing about the flu

[SpoonBaloon]

I know I’m being unreasonable but am I the only one who’s getting wound up by the constant coverage of the flu on every national news outlet?

It is December. Of course the flu is going around! Every winter we hear about the NHS being overwhelmed.

I can accept minor coverage but it’s been the main story for days on end and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to stop! And I know the flu kills and people need to be aware to take precautions but surely people don’t need it to be pointed out to them that they have an increased chance of catching the cold or flu in the run up to Christmas?

I was deathly ill with it last year but luckily have managed to avoid it up to now.

There is no national shortage. You can get it at Boots, Tesco, Asda.

The media do like to scare people, so those who have health anxiety must be really feeling it. Do we all still believe everything we read or hear? Turn it off, be mindful of your health and carry on.

Yet its children who are worst affected and are down on vaccination numbers. It is affective but there are concerned about a sub mutation. Seems its till better to vaccinated to me

It’s a particularly nasty variant

its arrived early

this means many thousands more than usual are going to get very sick and die

people need to be informed of the seriousness of it so that they can chose to get vaccinated

Tescos are saying there is shortage on their site unfortunately. Pharmacies seem to be better prepared

I think you're really showing yourself up to be honest. Flu is a known killer and it's been reported on that this is an unexpected mutation. This coupled with the doctors' strike is serious.

Our local news site is full of people jeering about Big Pharma, sniffles etc. You sound like them.

I've just looked to see if I can get a private vaccine and there are none to be had anywhere.

Have you tried getting hold of it this week??

I am in London and had to try 5 places before I got hold of it.

I mean why would people dying of flu be newsworthy. Surely it's more important we hear about Davinas wedding.

All Boots around here are out and here in NI we don’t have pharmacies in Tesco or Asda. I rang a pharmacy earlier to try and get one and they are only doing them for those eligible on NHS

Same here

Yes, some of it is for vaccine awareness but YANBU in some ways.
I am being pushed headlines from absolute rags like The Express that say things like "Mask plea as mutant virus hospitalises thousands". Technically true but they're playing on the pandemic for clicks.

It mutates every year. They develop the vaccine based on a best guess of what it will be (I think they use Australia as a base for this as they get their flu season earlier). Sometimes the mutation is different to predicted and the vaccine isn't as effective. It still works, just not as well as if it was a better match.

I have had proper flu once and seriously thought I was going to die.

I had had the jab the same as every year, it was just bad luck I copped a strain which wasn't covered.

No, I asked my GP surgery for it 7 weeks ago. It doesn’t matter how many places you try as long as you get it - obviously this rush wasn’t expected but I’m sure the manufacturers are getting it to supermarkets as soon as they can.

Yes, one of the flu strains this year has mutated since this year's vaccines were created. It mutated over the Summer. HOWEVER, it is still absolutely worth getting the flu vaccine. It will still offer some protection: it still reduces the likelihood of very serious illness, and it reduces the chances of added complications and the need for hospitalisation should you come into contact with it. The flu strains from year to year are different.

This year's flu vaccine was made early in 2025. The World Health Organisation has the tricky task of trying to figure out which variations of the flu the populations need protection from, and then the vaccine has to be created, tested, and all before it's distributed in time for Winter.

Flu vaccines NEVER guarantee that any recipient will have 100% protection. The goal is to reduce the severity of illness, reduce the duration of illness, and in doing so, this in turn also helps reduce the spread.

Flu can also be asymptomatic in some people, and also present to varying degrees of mildness in others, leading folks to think that they actually just have a cold virus.

Although a flu virus can be mild in one person, the next person whom they pass it on to could end up in a catastrophic situation, particularly if they have a compromised immune system, or unfortunately, in some cases, otherwise healthy people are just very, very unlucky.

It takes up to 14 days for the flu vaccine to become as effective as it ever will be in the human body. If you get a vaccine and feel ill shortly after, it is likely you had already contracted the flu virus before the vaccine.

In short, it is absolutely worth getting the flu vaccine to give yourself and everyone you come into contact with the best chance of being as well as you could possibly be, should you come into contact with one of the flu strains.

I agree. It’s v worrying. Friend was laid up with it last week and she’s a trooper who doesn’t make a fuss.

I currently have the flu and it’s horrible, all I did was get washed and dressed earlier and then I slept for 4hours. I had my flu jab a week ago but obviously not soon enough. My 8year old is terrified that I am dying because he saw some news coverage a few days ago.

They are very clearly pushing the vaccine. Make of that what you will.Interesting that most kids have the spray to protect others yet cases are soaring.
im personally just avoiding the news and getting on with my life.

Good.

The bigger the uptake in the vaccine, the fewer deaths and hospitalisations there will be. The hospitals are under enormous strain. Our precious healthcare workers are under enormous strain.

This really is everything anyone needs to read.

I'm 68 and lucky to have been given a free flu jab in September. I'm a bit scared by the new 'strain'.

I am meeting my son and his pregnant girlfriend in town next week and offered to cancel as I am worried for his girlfriend. I live on my own and don't mix with many people and last time I met them in town I got Covid and still have exhaustion and breathlessness.

It takes an hour and a half on the bus to get there but I've reassured my son I'll be wearing a mask and using hand sanitiser. I'll be taking a clean mask for the journey back. I've also bought us all the Boots Dual Defence to use in the event of us getting the signs of a sore throat etc.

I work in the attendance office of a large secondary school 🙈 I’ll be very glad for the end of term

And you think all this why?

Not as fed up as I am of having it 🤒 Have spent better part of 3 days in bed drugging myself up. After a mega sweat sesh last night I felt a bit more human this morning and have been managing to actually do stuff but the amount of stuff that is still emitting itself from my body is exhausting 🫩

The media made Covid out to be much worse than it actually was. Now they are doing the same with the current strain of flu.
Let's not fall for it again!
Some of us will get it & some of us won't. Then we'll all move on. That's it - no need for drama.