Has any teacher / ta had the flu vaccine?

[Stillwaitingforsummer]

I got a bad chest infection two years ago and my gp recommended I have the flu vaccine. I couldn't then because I needed to recover. Forgot last year.
Is it worthwhile having - does of prevent catching children's colds?!

I had it two years ago and was ill for about ten days, constantly shivering and feeling shit.

Oh! So not worth it? That's my fear tbh.

I've been teaching 6 years now and I've not had the flu vaccine once. I'm touching wood typing this but I've found anti bac regularly has kept me relatively illness free apart from the standard colds, also colleagues have had colds following the vaccine anyway. If GP recommends it for you then it probably isn't a bad idea. I like living dangerously, clearly!!

Also flu vaccine will prevent flu, not common cold - that's my understanding anyway!

Our county allows us to have it for free. Had it for the past 2 years with no ill effects.

What county is that?

Yes but I'm asthmatic so that's how I meet the criteria. I have it every year.

The flu vaccine doesn't protect against the common cold. I am asthmatic but haven't had the vaccine in years, I seem to catch less colds the older I get.

West Sussex

I didn't catch a cold after having the vaccine, it was illness from the vaccine. A mild dose of flu like symptoms. That made me feel dreadful for almost two weeks. Literally just shivery and achey, no cold symptoms like cough or phlegm.

I won't be having it again.

Stupid question but do you need to get it at a certain time of year? I'm asthmatic but rarely go to the doctors and not sure how to go about getting one!

I have asthma too, and get it most years (when I don't forget!). This time of year is when they have identified the strain coming out of China (where flu strains move from each year) which is likely to be the main strain this year. Then they produce the vaccine and I get a text from the doctor to come in.

You can also get it done in a lot of chemists.

It will not protect you against colds because they are not the flu, or strains of flu not included in the vaccine. But if you have asthma (or anyone actually) you can die from the flu, so I get it. And you getting the vaccine also contributes to herd immunity, protecting those around you with reduced immune systems.

The kids in my class this year are all getting it via nasal spray, I'm jealous!

I have it every year, no problems. This year I went to boots, my arm hurts from my neck to my wrist and I feel generally shite.

I had it last year with no problems. Having it this year too.

does of prevent catching children's colds?!

No, because it's the flu vaccine

I do get it every year though. Real flu is bloody awful and the looks I'd get from the cover person even worse.

I have it because I had a very bad chest infection a few years ago. Never had any problems with it. Got my letter a few days ago, with a list of dates when our gp is operating a walk-in clinic.

I had it when pregnant. Still caught bloody 'flu as it doesn't protect against every strain.

I have it every year, occasionally feel a bit rough for a few days afterwards but nothing serious. I have stayed well when colleagues and children have had flu so personally think it's worth it

I'm asthmatic and have it every year - usually without fail!

There was one year I didn't and I ended up with flu and I was absent from school for 3 weeks. It gets on my tits when people say they have/had flu and missed 2 days of work when actually they simply had a very bad cold that made them feel a bit hot, cold, shivery grotty. TRUE flu will have you felled for a couple of weeks, unable to literally get out of bed and you will LITERALLY hurt everywhere. When I had it as a child I still recollect hallucinating!

But the flu vaccine will NOT stop you getting chest infections so do not consider it for simply that. A flu vaccine is brand new every year and helps prevent infection from the flu strains for that particular season. However it is simply guess work and predictions. You CAN still get some strains of flu if the vaccine wasn't produced for a particular flu bug!

If you get a lot of chest infections, talk to your GP. There is a pneumococcal vaccine you 'can' get that lasts for about 10 years but this is usually given to those with compromised health (like me - asthmatic).

Cold and flu - Completely and utterly different viruses. Flu vaccine DOES NOT protect against colds. You'll still get those I'm afraid. But as I'm getting older, I suffer less from them. Maybe being a teacher has exposed me to them all!!!