Flu jab yes or no?

[moana35]

Flu jab yes or no??

I am fit and healthy but work in a school. We have loads off with flu and also have friends who work in the NHS who are being told to wear masks as flu is rife at the moment.

Would you pay £25 to have the flu jab?

I have never bothered before and have also never had flu.

Should I get it? Opinions please

I believe the jab is not very effective this time, due to it being a novel strain. If you’re healthy you should fight it off in a week or two anyway.

I also work in a school and I have had the jab. So far so good.

Yes, I would. But then I live in a country where ‘flu jabs are available to everyone.

Even if it’s not that effective this year, you’ll still get a milder case if you do catch the ‘flu.

Yes, but I'm old enough to get it free where I live. Before I qualified for the free one I paid for it every year.

It's £16 in Tesco if there's one near you. I would (have!) take it.

I paid for it, I used to get it free, as an NHS HCP.
It may not stop you getting it, but the evidence exists that it will most probably ameliorate symptoms. For me, its worth it.
Anecdotally, I haven't had 'flu for 36 years, despite working in both primary and secondary care.

I get it for free. I’m generally fit and healthy so some years I get round to having it, some years I don’t. Every year I get some sort of virus but there does seem to be a trend of having lingering symptoms for months on the years I don’t bother. So I make more of an effort to book it when offered now. I had it this year in October. Still got ill in November but it was pretty mild and gone now. Not sure if it was a cold or flu. Didn’t stop me working, etc.

Ive had it for years. I didn't have it in 2023. I got the flu. It was bad. I haven't missed it since.

Ours used to offer it for free but not seen any mention this year. I don’t bother now as the two years I did, my lymph nodes were so swollen and painful afterwards.

I always pay for it

I had it this year as a couple of my friends have had the flu and it knocked them for six. I believe it's a particularly nasty strain this year. I've never had flu, or the vaccine before.

I get the jab every year for the last 10 years, and though I’ve definitely been ill with a virus, I’ve never had ‘the flu’ since. When I say ‘the flu’, I mean that sort of illness where you can’t get out of bed, can’t eat, can’t really drink, fever, in and out of sleep etc. For the sake of £20ish and a slightly sore arm, I’m going to keep having the jab! I get mine earlier in the year though, December seems a bit late.

I paid to have my flu jab for around 20 years until it was available for me on the NHS. I’ve only had proper flu once in my life and I don’t want it again if I can avoid it. I can’t imagine the circumstances when I wouldn’t have the jab. It only costs £16 at tesco pharmacies and I’m sure others are the same. I would also pay to have the covid jab if I’d not been able to get it at my local pharmacy this year.

Yes, definitely. Especially if you work in a school. The strain of flu prevalent this year is apparently a really nasty one - hospital admissions are really high, and it’s early in the season:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74xqn2zg1eo

I had it mid November. Am in Australia now but back next week,proper Flu is hideous 🤦‍♀️

There’s a thread in Active right now about someone who is currently suffering - worth a read!

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5456202-they-werent-lying-about-how-horrific-this-flu-is?reply=149030005

Absolutely. Struggling to get it here, everywhere has run out.

Yes. It’s reduced hospital admissions in those who then go on to catch the flu by 30% for adults and 70% for children (according to an article I read it). My kids have had it, and I’m booked for next week.

I didn’t have it last year and probably a coincidence but I was really ill for a few months with various respiratory problems. This year I’ve had it as soon as I could.

Yes I don't have it every year but this year is worse than usual

I’m a healthy 30 year old. It took me 6 weeks to kick it. Felt like absolute shite.

Hell, yes! Seems cheap vs proper flu. My eldest is at an international sixth form here in the uk and it’s been bad. They had to make an isolation / sick boarding house. My DC had the jab at half term and had 2 days of cold symptoms when lots of students were off their feet for weeks…

I’m in a bit of a pickle - we’re away as a family over the holidays for a few days. DH is getting the flu jab this week due to underlying health condition (he normally doesn’t but he had the flu or a flu-like thing last Jan/Feb and felt awful). Do I pay to get it myself with our days away in mind? (I’m thinking of the cost of this trip) And my 15 year old was absent from school the day they were getting it - they’re at the age where I sign the consent form but they can decide themself to get it or not. Do I try and book them in too? (If they want to.) If we weren’t going away I don’t think I’d be worried - if we’re going to get it we’re going to get it kind of thing.

💯

Why wouldn’t you, though?