Would you pay a tenner for a flu jab?

[LunasSpectreSpecs]

I don't qualify for a flu jab on the NHS - no underlying medical conditions apart from mild asthma, which I have been told isn't bad enough for me to have one as I only have a blue inhaler, not the brown one too.

I'm self-employed and really can't be taking to my bed for a week to get over flu - I'd lose clients and it would be a logistical nightmare. Local chemists are offering a flu jab for a tenner. Worth it?

Mine was £11 something at Boots. Have had one every year for years.

Are you really dithering over £10 for something? It's hardly a lot of money.

Luna the report said that LAST year's wasn't that effective- only around 30 %- but that this year they are aiming for 60-70%. Boots offered one that covered all 4 likely strains, as opposed to 3 which other places are offering.

My DH was ill for 2 years after flu one year and in the end had to see a consultant neurologist for a year including CTs scans to see if he'd got brain damage, or PVFD, or what. REAL flu is very serious at times even in young fit people.

I had my 4-in-1 fly jab this year and it cost AU$25. Was well worth it. DD2 didn’t have hers and she ended up off school for 4 weeks with the flu and still isn’t right, almost 4 months later.

We’re both having the jab next year.

It's not the cash - the tenner is neither here nor there. It's going to take time out of my day though, and with reports that the flu vaccine isn't always that effective...

The thing with the flu jab, is that it’s only designed to protect you against the predicted 3 or 4 flu strains that PHE, WHO etc have determined are most likely to be at large this year based on statistical analysis. It is effective against those strains, provided they’ve not mutated... unfortunately that can’t be predicted. But you can at least take the small step of being vaccinated to protect not only yourself, but those in the community who physically cannot be vaccinated.

I know herd immunity and vaccine in general are a controversial topic in MN, but until you’ve looked after someone who has become severely unwell, or even died from a vaccine preventable illness then I suppose you cannot quite grasp the importance of them. Having to go to the inquest on the death of a 5 week old baby who died from whooping cough after her mother had not had the vaccine was one of the worst moments of my life... I’d do anything in my power to prevent that again.

I personally think it’s worth it, and would happily pay if I didn’t happen to get mine for free.

In terms of the afformentioned discussion re: mortality rates. Depends on the flu strain actually... H1N1 which caused the Spanish Flu pandemic is particularly virulent and hits young fit and healthy just as dramatically as those in “at risk groups”. It took out 3-5% of the worlds popultion at that time... it last reared it’s ugly head in 2009-10 and claimed 17,000 lives world wide despite the declaration of a pandemic, crack down on infection control procedures and vaccinations to the hilt.

I find that spending a week in bed or bravely making it to the sofa and then lying there for a week (if you are unlucky enough to get a serious dose of the flu) or at best just a few days of feeling a bit rubbish , takes considerably more time out of my day than getting a quick jab does.
One time I was unlucky enough to get a bad dose of flu (gastric version) I was a LP and my mum had to take my toddler DS to her house for three days, cause I was basically living in my bathroom sorry tmi , god knows what I would have done otherwise.

But it's an individual decision and you may be lucky and never catch it. After "bad" flu three years ago I choose to pay for the jab and get better odds on making it through the winter "flu-less".

Boots is not the cheapest option but with them you book online and pick a time slot and location that suits you, which I found easier to fit in with work and might help you?

Absolutely!

I would, and if you are self employed could you possible put it under expenses? I get mine free from my other employer but even if i was just self employed its a no-brainer and little cost

The only time I had the flu jab I had a very unpleasant reaction. Not risking that again.

Iv paid for it in the past. I'm not asthmatic and have no underlying problem but did work in a higher risk job.

Most people probably waist £10 on rubbish a week. Why not spend it on trying to protect your self

I did and always would. If I go down with it, we've had it. I didn't realise there were different types though and will look into that more closely next year.

Yes def worth it imo

In currently getting over the flu. I'm self employed like you and it's been an absolute nightmare as this is my busiest time of year. Im young, fit and healthy and still managed to get it. I'll be paying for the jab next year to prevent ever being this unwell again.

Where did you get it booked, OP? Me getting the jab would involve driving somewhere i never drive, at least an hour, other hassle.

Not realistically considered it for me (I'm a tough old goat), but would probably get the annual flu jab for sometimes-wheezy DS... if it was a lot more convenient.

I hate getting jabs, though, not feeling convinced enough to try to talk DS into it.

Lloyd's chemists - not all do it, but there's one about 15 minutes drive away. Not sure if they'd do kids though. I found this website:

www.dontforgetaboutflu.co.uk/

You stick in your postcode and it tells you where you can go close by.