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.

This flu strain is a mutant so the vaccine is not much use.

But, it’s like anything - if you get it, it’s awful.

If you don’t, it’s irrelevant.

I have it. It's horrible.
Despite having the jab 3 weeks ago it has had me in bed for the last few days. Felt like an elephant sat on my chest and I considered going to a&e yesterday..
If you can get a jab just go and get it done.

After just watching my DD with the flu ( k strand thing going around ) in hospital for 5 days with it I would say they are not over doing it. Most of thr children’s wards were flu.

This is incorrect.

It will still help reduce the severity of infection and help reduce additional complications and the need for hospitalisation.

This year's flu vaccine gives protection against several different strains of flu.

One of the strains mutated in the Summer, but the vaccine is not completely redundant against that strain.

Please see my earlier post.

That’s correct - they use the other hemisphere and then base it on that. Some of the vaccines cover three strains, some four (I think that depends on age).

Our local independent pharmacy are still doing vaccines for those who need to pay, and one of the customers I met worked in London and struggled to get one there. No problem here though (south east England).

Peak flu season is often Jan onwards so yes, much earlier, which is a concern with bed capacity etc.

Thank you for sharing this. I’m staying home and not accepting visitors because I don’t want them to get ill.

Hope your DD is recovering ❤️‍🩹

Isn’t this years vaccine only 30% effective due to the strain? I thought that’s why numbers were high. Ido know it provides some protection but odds are you’ll still get ill.

No one is 'falling' for anything. What a ridiculous, uninformed post.

I wondered about this too. Interesting that it's the year the covid vaccine age has been increased for the vaccine too...so less will be vaccinated against it

Maybe they don't want to scare people about it, but they never worried about that in the past did they

It's awful, isn't it and it can leave you low for weeks.

I'm sure a lot of the vaccine refusers have never had proper flu themselves, or have a relative who's died. Utter selfishness.

Tbh I’m just done with winter bugs in general they have ruined my life now for 5 years. I’ve lost track of the number of occasions we have had to cancel because one of the kids has been ill. Things are slightly improved now the oldest is 6, but for a while I would sob every night at how exhausted I was and how I would be sacked for the time I was taking off. Think 3 week hacking coughs where I was up multiple times every night, multiple hospital trips for breathing difficulties, thousands of GP appts and just relentless long dark nights with a sick child. It’s actually been the main factor in why I’m not having any more children, I swear I have some kind of very mild PTSD reaction now whenever one of them gets sick as I know I’m in for yet more nights of no sleep, worry etc

Many of my mum friends report the same

I think there needs to be calmer messaging, there’s a difference between:

a) the winter flu season has started earlier than usual, hospitals are showing signs of an earlier influx of patients with flu, and we’d encourage all who are eligible to have their flu jab (or pay for it privately if possible)

&

b) SUPERFLU is causing CARNAGE in hospitals with several A&Es turning away ambulances

Health anxiety is real, and can cause many people to feel they need an ambulance for their minor sniffle instead of usual self-care and common sense (not very common).

Had my vaccine got an awful dose in oct. Took ages to shake it off. Hard as we on school bus they always coughing!!

Just be glad you didn’t live in Ireland during Covid.

Anyone with DC at university needs to get the vaccine, because it is ripping through the student population.

Absolute sympathy! I only have one who is now 7 but from age 2 to 5 it was constant. He wasn't generally susceptible to vomiting bugs but he does have asthma so every sniffle became a cold, then viral wheeze, then an ear infection that the Dr would never give me antibiotics for until it got really bad (with more wheeze). 2 years ago DH caught a cold from DS which became tonsillitis on Christmas Eve and then we all got COVID for the third time at New Year.

I'm not fed up hearing about it.

Schools attendance policies (imposed by government to a degree) and their impact have contributed, I think. The one that is more easily avoidable are those companies insisting on five day a week office attendance when the job can be productively done (or even better) with two or three.

You’re not alone. They’re really warming up for a return of masks and lockdown.

I avoid the news as it makes me anxious (hate hearing about Ukraine, Gaza etc). So I’m aware of the flu but it’s by no means annoying me. You could easily avoid hearing about it. Obviously it’s more important that people are informed to avoid deaths. A few people being mildly annoyed is such a non issue.

I'm not a vaccine sceptic - got mine ages ago and have finally convinced my husband to let me take our son.

But I do think that unfortunately, the "the Nhs is on it's knees" line has been played one too many times to work in public messaging.

I've only had flu a few times, so wouldn't normally bother, but I'm on immune suppressant meds atm, so will see if I can get one.

Mind you, I've no idea if being immuno-suppressed will make the vaccine less effective.

England hospital beds 1980 approx 356,000, population approx 47 million
England hospital beds 2025 approx 148,000, population approx 59 million

And we wonder why hospitals are overwhelmed in flu season. Where is all the money going?

I agree that it’s newsworthy to an extent but surely everyone now knows that it is a particularly nasty strain and is hitting earlier than usual. I know lots of people who have said how worried they are ablut catching flu, but who haven’t bothered to get vaccinated. I realise the vaccine won’t give complete protection against flu, but don’t really have any sympathy for anyone who catches it this year who hasn’t had the jab.

So many dirty bastards coughing and not covering their mouths, it’s a shame they need reminding.

I had a woman literally cough her phlegm onto me my face last week.

I used to be very lax about things like this until ds2 came along. He has recurrent infections and has ended up in hospital on nebulisers and iv antibiotics on multiple occasions. He’s currently having immunology blood tests done. I’m very worried either ds will catch this flu.