No to flu vaccine

[CuriousMummyy]

NOT an anti-vaxxer here.. my kids are vaccinated otherwise.

Buttttt there's just something about the yearly flu vaccine. Anyone else not letting their kids get it?

If so, why not?

Have you had flu op?
I had flu once, real flu, its been 15 years and I'm still terrified of getting it again. I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy.

If a jab/nasal spray can protect myself and my kids from it even slightly i am on board. Thankfully I get free jabs at work and kids obviously get it at school.

If you have a Superdrug loyalty card (free to get), it's under 10.

Ever since it has been offered my DC have had the nasal flu spray.

They caught flu once, years ago, before the nasal vaccine was available and it was awful. They were so ill. Then I caught it when they were starting to get better and had to care for two small children (they were 3.5 and 18 months) whilst ill. The only one in our household who didn’t catch it was DH, he’d had his free flu jab because of his asthma.

This year DH has had his jab, I’ve paid for one, DS2 has had his flu spray at the GP because he’s asthmatic. DS1 will have his at school in a few more weeks.

My 2 year old had flu this summer, it was tested and confirmed as one of the strains. He was utterly exhausted, very sick and feverish for 10 days. He gets the flu vaccines, so maybe they had worn off by summer, but I wouldn't want him to go through that again. The flu vaccine doesn't seem to have the side effects of the covid one so I personally wouldn't hesitate to do it in case.

@CuriousMummyy have you done your research on FB or TikTok? Why wouldn't you let them have it? My two DDs have had it every year since they were eligible. They have had zero side effects, and they've never had flu! My youngest is very prone to croup and things going to her chest, so I'm eternally grateful she is offered extra protection with the spray.

I think you have to weigh up risk and reward but recognise this may not always be possible as we don't know our personal risk.

My DM had a flu vaccine and very quickly suffered an autoimmune response. She may have also suffered a response to flu infection but was less likely to contract flu. This negatively affected the rest of her life. Not least due to the drugs - steroids and methotrexate - used to control triggered RA. 5 years of steroid treatment led to bone density loss and multiple breaks. Hence osteoporosis meds. And so on.

There is a genetic component so I refuse annual flu vaccine. My risk of contracting flu is minimal. So reward is less than risk of triggering known genetic autoimmune disorder.

My GP surgery is not that sophisticated and invites me every year. It's a form letter or text. My refusal is not because I am anti-vax but because I understand personal risk and reward. It's not always black and white.

@PocketSand thank you for explaining so clearly,this is my reason also for not thinking annual jabs appropriate for myself and my kids…my sibling and I also have auto-immune conditions, both had persisting auto-immune reactions to (different ) Covid boosters that took a few months to wear off, hence we no longer have the boosters (neither of us have had bad responses to Covid itself). The cumulative effect of boosters seemed to trigger something in us but I recognise it is a very unknown quantity. I would never dissuade anyone from getting the flu or Covid vaccine but ultimately I think you have to make the decision according to your own situation and risk factors. When I reach older age I may reconsider seeing as flu itself will be much more of a serious risk to me.

Does anyone know why the flu vaccine for
children is from age 2? I always wondered as they say it’s dangerous for children so why not vaccinate at a younger age ?

Ds (11) has had the flu jab annually since I can remember, I used to get it free from work, changed jobs that didn’t offer it, and the one time I missed it I caught it. I will never ever miss a flu jab again (the are less than £20 from most pharmacies).

it was over Christmas, and just after covid, I was testing negative for covid so everyone was like it will be fine come. I had already been in bed for 5 days at this point and was starting to feel a ltttle better.

i managed to go to my in-laws, eat some Christmas dinner and go back home to my pit.

Everyone who was vaccinated didn’t catch it, my 2 year old nephew (from a hot country where they don’t vaccinate, as flu is not as common) caught it, went home on a plane and very nearly died.

I have never felt so guilty in my life.

I really hope nobody he was on the plane with home caught it either.