Anyone else considering a paid for flu vaccine this year?

[PurpleCalm]

I don't usually have the flu vaccine as i'm "young and healthy" but I am considering it this year. I have SEN children who rely on me for pretty much everything.

Any opinions welcome!

As an NHS nurse I should get one at work. But as I don’t work in a hospital our Trust seems to forget us. In the 7 years I’ve worked there only twice did I receive it. They arrange a time/date for someone to come and jab us then it gets cancelled / no one bothers to turns up. So I end up paying for one in boots as I think it’s important as I work with very vulnerable patients. I hope this year they get their act together.
I wonder if they’ll be a shortage due to increase in demand?

My work usually pay for it

If my employer doesn't pay then I will as I am teacher and don't want to have to self/isolate unnecessarily because of confusion with CV symptoms. (I don't get it free because despite my username I am 41...😀)

@PurpleCalm

I wasn't sure if I could get a NHS one - I don't mind paying anyway. Probably more suited to me to pop to a Boots at a convenient time.

I've had flu once - around 5 years ago and it floored me for over a week. Never had leg pains like it.

That's what I do. Just pop to the chemist. They do try and give it for free as I'm a carer but I don't mind paying.

Maybe use a smaller independent chemist though rather than a chain. I think they get more benefit from more people somehow in the back of my head.

I always do and I'm very healthy and young ish (early 30's). I have an asthmatic child so I try to set an example. Asda pharmacy have been the cheapest in recent years at about £5. Prices range from £5-30.

You are a carer. Let your surgery know and you will be entitled to a free one.

Given the expansion in the nhs programme, and increased global demand, I don’t think, initially anyway, it’ll be as simple as just going to a pharmacy and paying £12. I think there’ll be a significant shortage, outside the nhs programme.

If I can get one, I pay for one every year as have figured whilst it can't protect against all strains it might be effective if a particular flu sweeps the land.

I always pay for one every year as I'm I'm not eligible for a free one. After having flu 20 years ago, I would do anything that reduced my chances of getting it again! It was horrendous and took me weeks if not months to fully recover. My children get it too - DS2 has had it at school for the last few years and I've paid for DS1 to have it.

I normally pay for one but as a previous poster said I think there will be a shortage this year. I've registered my interest with Boots in case it ends up being a waiting list. In fact, it even said I had been added to the waiting list after I added my details.

Why would anyone ever NOT consider getting a flu vaccine every year?

Yes I will be having my first ever flu vaccine this year. I qualify for it free twice, as a 60 year old carer, but I might pay for it myself if it's more convenient.

Given the expansion in the nhs programme, and increased global demand, I don’t think, initially anyway, it’ll be as simple as just going to a pharmacy and paying £12. I think there’ll be a significant shortage, outside the nhs programme

Yeah it was a pain in the arse last year as well.

I get one every year and pay for it. Flu is horrid so I want to reduce my chances of getting it. Plus this year we'll all be wondering if its flu or covid.

and if you get both and the same time, your chances are not great.

I will definitely get it. I got it last year because my baby had just come out of hospital with a respiratory infection and I wanted to minimise the risk of me catching it and passing it on to him. I’m young and healthy but had flu once during the swine flu epidemic and that experience isn’t something I’d like to repeat, especially now that I have young children to look after.

@TimeWastingButFun

The trouble with those flu vaccines is they're only an educated guess as they only cover the strain considered most likely to be prevalent in that year. But you might not get that strain. It's not like it will just blanket cover you for 'flu' in general. But that said I would probably have one if I was high risk.

I do think it is accumulative though. The more years you get the available vaccine, the more strains of flu you will be protected against

I've been told that as they are expanding the vaccine to cover over 50s, there is likely to be a shortage so there might not be any left over to pay for after they've given out the free ones.

I'm wondering how on earth GP practices are going to administer the increased number of flu vaccines. Our surgery and it's sister practice in the next town usually put on flu jab clinics at weekends and everyone is booked in at 2 min intervals but that won't work this year if social distancing is still in place due to the space available and the volume of people they'll need to get through.

If you are entitled to a free jab you can get it at a pharmacy, you sign why you are eligible and that gets sent to your GP.

Our surgery and it's sister practice in the next town usually put on flu jab clinics at weekends and everyone is booked in at 2 min intervals

Could you do it n the car park? So people don't get out of their car, they just offer you an arm?

I realise not everyone drives but it might work for at least some people.

The trouble with those flu vaccines is they're only an educated guess as they only cover the strain considered most likely to be prevalent in that year.

It normally covers 3 strains, but it does also give you limited immunity from other strains so if you have immunity to one strain you will have some immunity to similar strains.

I have a free nhs vaccine yearly due to my health condition and medication. We have paid for 18y Dd to have one for the last 3-4 years. She has a bad bout of flu one year just before mock exams and she decided she wanted one from then on to reduce her chances of a repeat during an exam year.

Dh can get one through work but doesn't normally. I'm trying to persuade him to have one this year.

I’ve never been called for one by my dr.

I've never been called up for one as such but know I'm eligible. I just go to the local pharmacy and tell them I'm eligible. They then do it with no fee.