Are you willing to protect yourself and everybody around you by getting a flu vaccine this year?
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I work in a hospital and have to, but I would do it anyway. I have every year since I was in my twenties and my company gave them out for free.
Yep. I get it every year.
Yes. It’s the right thing to do.
taking my granddaughter and doing it this afternoon.
I do it faithfully every year and see that my family does too. Flu could be fatal for my husband.
What is this, a commercial?
Probably not. I almost never get them. Last time was about 9 years ago.
@Nevada83 Just a way to shame people who don’t get them.
No. But, I do my best not to transfer my sick germs to other people as well as I can. Not as good as a vaccine, but it’s something. I do it for all illness, not just flu, so for other illnesses I do more than a lot of people who do nothing.
Not a commercial but a gentle reminder or a Public Service Announcement.
I got mine two weeks ago : )
LOL I know. I was just joking but I don’t usually get a flu shot
I have a really strong immune system so that’s why I don’t usually get them. I haven’t gotten majorly sick in over a decade.
Getting it on Thursday and @Caravanfan, a little shaming is not a bad thing in some instances.
Getting it later, got the coupon from HR to go get it for free.
What, no pics of smallpox this time, @Caravanfan?
I may or may not, haven’t decided yet.
Seems a bit silly to try and shame through a medium such as this, where no one will know and we all could lie without repercussions.
@canidmajor No, I’ve done that one. And if you want to lie, I’m not stopping you. But if I can save one person’s life by getting them to think about it, or even if I keep one person from getting sick this year, then I honestly don’t care about being silly.
Usually get mine a few weeks before Holloween.
Got the flu just before I was going to get it! I have to wait now until it’s over so I can get it. Wouldn’t want to go through it again. By the way do any of you worry about the negative publicity the flu shot gets? I have read articles warning people that it could lead to serious medical conditions.
@ZEPHYRA I haven’t seen the articles you are referring to but I can 100% guarantee that they are incorrect.
Yes, only because of my mom’s immune system though, and it’s free with my insurance. I think it’s all a scam tbh. I also heard a local hospital is making them optional this year for employees.
@KNOWITALL What do you think is a scam? Do you think the shots don’t prevent the flu or lessen the severity of the flu?
I don’t care if she thinks it’s a scam. I’m just happy she is protecting her mother.
@KNOWITALL Check the hospital making it optional (I don’t think so) !
I would not want to go to that hospital during high flu season because of reduced employees.
@chyna Seems like every year they say ‘afterwards’ that ‘thiz years flu shot did not affect this strain.’
Seriously, every year. But they still get their money. Seems like a Big Pharma scam. My personal PCP isnt sold either and says its my call. Doesnt encourage it by any means.
When I do get them, it doesnt seem to have any more or less benefit, I’m rarely ill regardless.
A doctor here on fluther explained it as each of us with a flu shot is like a bricm in a wall. If we dont get one we put others at risk. That really is the only reason I do it. (Wish he would come back btw)
If you have insurance @KNOWITALL it should be no charge to you.
If you are on Medicare insurance it should be no charge to you. Having the flu can kill you !
Since having my stroke 28 years ago,I have a defective immune system; so, according to the doctors, it is imperative that I take the Flu shot or I could easily succumb to a bout with the Flu. What I have discovered since I began taking it 28 years ago is that I get less colds & milder cases of the Flu when I’ve taken the shot. In other words, I’m HEALTHIER when I take it!!! Just to cover myself, I also use Four Thieves essential oil during Flu season especially when I need to be out & about with the public. I make my own & I wear a diffuser necklace & bracelet. Whenever I’m faced with someone who is sneezing or coughing a lot, I inhale my Thieves aroma. In the last 28 years, I’ve only had 2 mild cases of the Flu.
In my case, my chances of dying are greater by NOT taking the Flu shot than it is by taking it!!!
80 thousand out of the 325 million population is well within the guidelines of acceptable losses according to those in charge. IF there is a pandemic, those 80,000 could wipe out the entire population of the country by sharing their illness. So, it is our duty to get our shot & NOT spread the bug!!!!!!
About a year ago the flu or a flu like illness pretty well took my sense of smell, it’s just now starting to recover. It’s nothing to mess with.
I will after it becomes available after Oct. 15
A little proud to say I got one this year. Shots have been a whole “thing” for me since childhood (pretty strong fear of them). Over time I’ve gotten a better understanding why that is, and I recently heard a strategy that I tried out and now know works for me—to think of a shot as a bee sting. (I combined it with an earlier strategy of never seeing the needle.) I’ve never had such a quick, easy experience getting a shot before. I didn’t expect it to work so well—sort of expected to just always be a bit ridiculous around shots, so it’s honestly kind of shocking, in a relieving way.
^I was stung by a yellowjacket this summer and the searing pain that lasted for the next four hours made me think a shot would’ve been quite nice instead!
^Ouch!! Yeah, I guess that puts a shot in perspective!
I’ll just add that I was actually very surprised by how much it didn’t hurt this year. Usually it hurts because the shot is intramuscular. This year I literally didn’t feel a thing. Earlier in the day I got allergy shots and they hurt WAY worse than the flu shot.
@caravan The friendly doc from Cali who left after a political argument. Nice guy, worked in free clinics.
More hints required I guess…
Who was that guy? Something unusually ursine, I believe.
He was a beary good jelly.
A certain preference for an obscure progressive rock band perhaps
@canidmajor if you lie I will know and there WILL be repercussions.
@KNOWITALL Yeah, he sounds like he was absolutely awesome. The best. :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD12aw5KYug
And seriously, thank you for getting your flu shot. I;m proud that you did it despite your reservations so you can protect your mother. You are correct in that the flu shot is imperfect in that the CDC and the vaccine makers have to guess the strains. But it does decrease severity and it does prevent illness on a population level. We’ve already had one patient on life support with the flu. She survived but was on a ventilator for 3 days.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm
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@KNOWITALL
I have never taken the Flu shots offered and have seen people get the FLU anyways.
By the way, I have never gotten the Flu since I was a very small child.
My immunity is better due to better healthy eating and NO or very little drinking
( Festive occasions only).
I also have read about UK medical system Doctors that will not take Flu shots as
these are made up of some weird chemicals that will one day affect those that took it.
Yes I agree its the Pharma companies that are scaring people into getting there
chemical Flu Shots.
Don’t believe me?Look into whats IN those Flu Shots!
At one time for years..Formaldehyde was in them for what reason? People will pay a
high price in taking these shots in the future. It gives a false sense of security a
placebo effect as I have seen people get the Flu anyways even after getting the Flu
shot and worse than too!
Alcohol diminishes ones immune system.
Stay healthy, go outdoors and breathe clean air.
When I can I go hiking in nature as I moved to a National Park where it is
a refreshing feeling of freedom of the open spaces.
Its a choice for everyone but make it an informed choice.
Am I willing to protect everyone?
A resounding YES by NOT taking the Flu shot and building up my immune
system through healthy lifestyle.
I’m always surprised by how cocky some people are about their immune system. I too didn’t have the flu for 20 years, until I got it again. My husband had it 3 times and I didn’t catch it. I don’t feel like it’s because I have some sort of super sonic immune system. I think it’s mostly statistics, and I take the risk. I know statistically I’m not likely to get deathly ill if I get the flu, because I’m overall healthy, and I’m age 50, but I don’t feel immune. Why does anyone feel immune? I don’t get those answers.
@Inspired_2write So I guess the answer to my original post is no, you won’t protect yourself and everybody around you?
@JLeslie The person we had on a ventilator was in her 50s and previously healthy. Just saying.
@Caravanfan
Ahh the doubled ended question implying that IF one does not comply by taking this
Flu shot of which doesn’t prevent the Flu at all all the while injecting chemicals that
can do havoc to a healthy individual , is then by your question NOT protecting
everyone around one!
Read my post again until you realize that I AM PROTECTING everyone around me by
opening there eyes!
Read the ingredients of what a Flue Shot is made up of, and read medical Journals overseas about such.
Every individual has a choice, so stop foisting onto others to take this Flu shot!
^What proof do you have that the flu shot doesn’t work at all?
@chyna
Most of the residents and people in town took the required Flu Shot and ONLY them got the Flu!
Also read a lot of medical journals about the chemicals that made up this miracle Flu Shot and it was eye opening!
Also when imminent Doctors in the UK refused to take these shots it is a darn good sign of something is not right with the Shots.
I will not be researching to explain to you, Do that on yourself.
It your choice to be fully informed or not.
@Inspired_2write Which doctors in the UK? I really doubt that only the people who got the shot got sick. My husband got sick last year and he didn’t have the shot.
@Inspired_2write Well, my mom used to be THE person collecting vaccine adverse reaction reports in America for the FDA. Adverse reactions she would agree are underreported, but severe reactions are likely to be reported, and there aren’t many. She doesn’t get the flu vaccine. But, she would never say it doesn’t work. It only works on the strains in the shot, so if other strains happen to come down the pike that year than what they guessed, then you’re not protected. Most years the guess is pretty good. Some years it’s awful. My dad does get a flu shot every year. He’s high risk because of his health.
The fed could be recommending a shot for TB, something given in other countries, but we chose not to here. They don’t shoot us up with everything available out there.
Went in yesterday and got my shot. There were eight kids and three adults ahead of us. First mom with five kids takes her oldest to Station 1 (9,10 maybe) gets hers and his, no problem.
Station 2 calls over the two kids (9 & 11 maybe), no problem, mom took them to the table, they sat got their shots and moved on. Then the shit storm started.
Mom one calls for eldest daughter (8?) she balks and refuses. Mom goes and gets one of her twins (abt 5), he laughs maniacally all the way to the station until she sits with him in her lap, then starts bawling and screaming.
Meanwhile, Station 2 has now finished with the two boys and calls the mom and daughter (8+) over. She, probably set off by the five year old, has to be pulled over by mom and starts crying like they were about to behead her. She keeps it up for a couple of minutes but shuts up when mom goes first.
Back at Station 1 the first twin has had his shot. They had to tell him when it was over and he immediately shuts up. Mom gets up for twin two who, invariably, starts with the hysterics all the way to and through his shot and magically shuts up when told it is all through and look, you got a Bugs Bunny bandaid. Mom goes back for eldest daughter who has, by this time, disappeared so she picks up the youngest, probably 3 years old.
Back at Station 2 they have finally gotten daughter to sit, sobbing, screaming and emotionally frantic.
This sets off Mom 1’s youngest who does her best to imitate the older girl. Amazingly, the young one is finished first while they are still trying to cajole the older girl at Station 2 into actually getting the shot.
Mom 1 goes off in search of her eldest girl who is about 8 and is found hiding behind the door to the corridors. She starts the waterworks and blubbering before mom even gets her from behind the door and is literally carried kicking and screaming to Station 1 for her shot.
Station 2 has finally sweet talked the daughter into getting her shot which goes without incident and she gets up whimpering quietly to herself while mom pats her and tells her it is all over and everything is ok.
The poor Tech and Mom at Station 1 have finally gotten the last child pinned enough to get the needle in which she doesn’t even realize. She continues to scream “NO! NO! NO!” as they apply the bandaid. She looks unconvinced that they actually did anything at all. Mom gathers up her horde and heads off down the hall promising Ice cream and a trip to the park.
All fun and games.
I felt sorry for the medical staff.
I also think they should issue ear plugs at the time they hand you the paperwork to fill out.
After effects? My wife said her arm hurt for a few hours but I didn’t notice any. I guess the joint pain overrode any minor muscle swelling. Only thing was I woke up with a headache about 3 this morning. Not sure if the two are related. Took tylenol and went back to sleep.
I don’t trust doctors & I don’t trust big pharma!!! I take it because I have seen firsthand that I don’t get as sick with it as I do without it!!! I do it for me!!!
I NEVER get my shot before Oct 15 because they admit that the shot only lasts for 6 months & Flu season runs from Nov thru March. This way I’m covered for a month on each side!!! They’ve started giving the shot in August here & it should stop working in February. I can’t see being covered for 3 unnecessary months & risking it for a month on the other end!!!
@Caravanfan TBH, I actually agree with @Inspired_2write, but like I said, protecting my mom and MIL and FIL is much more important than any lingering misgivings about Big Pharma, but that’s just my choice.
That’s one of the reasons I miss our previous doctor here, he’s the only one who explained it to me in a way I understood, to protect others who are not as fortunate in their immunities. You know people like cancer patients, diabetes, HIV, malnutrition, drugs, etc…. That’s a LOT of people that I don’t want to hurt by being flippant.
@KNOWITALL I am the previous doctor here. (Hence my “I am Iron Man” link). Rarebear here. Unless you were thinking of another doctor.
You are correct about the brick in the wall analogy. Exactly because the flu shot has incomplete coverage it’s critically important for people who are healthy to get vaccinated. That way, the people who are at risk (like your mother) are less likely to be affected. Again, thank you for getting vaccinated despite your reservations. The flu vaccine is not an exact science. But I have seen too many healthy people go down not to write a question here on Fluther every year. I do it because I care about the people here.
I write a question like this every year, and every year I get the same response from the anti-science anti-vaxxers. I’m not going to change anybody’s mind about the flu vaccine and those who want to argue with me they can argue. They’re wrong, but nothing I’m going to say is going to convince them.
All I can do is do my small part to raise awareness. So that even if you’re healthy and have a “strong immune system” (whatever that means as it’s not a medical term), even if you get infected and get a subclinical flu (meaning that you don’t get all the symptoms), you’re still infectious, and they can infect the person with the “weak immune system” (again, whatever that means). You might not get sick, but they can die.
So once again, my hat is off to you for protecting those around you. I am proud that I may have had a small part in that.
@ARE_you_kidding_me You are correct, Caravan is very obscure, although they just won the Lifetime Achievement Award from Prog Magazine.
@Caravanfan You are Rarebear?! Woohoo, you came back!!!!!!! See, you were missed!!!!!
You totally had EVERYTHING to do with that actually and I appreciate you explaining in a way that made sense to me. I’m very skeptical of Big Pharma and Vaxxers. :)
Soooo glad you came back!!
Yes. Have to because of work
Update: We just admitted our second patient to the ICU with the flu. Don’t let this be you. Get your flu shot.
^ I’ll be getting mine in 11 days!!!
I will get mine next week. The NHS offer free flu jabs to everyone here over the age of 65. It wouldn’t make sense not to get it done.
@flutherother Free for people only over 65? I don’t understand why they wouldn’t offer it free to everybody. It clearly saves money and lives.
It’s free at hospitals in my area. It’s so easy. There’s a circular drive area and you just stay in your car and stick your arm out for your shot.
Here it’s $40 to the youngsters & free to anyone on Medicare. I can get mine at my local drug store. They start giving them on August 1 & it extends through Flu season. BTW…the pharmacist gives a better shot than a doctor (I’m a wus when it comes to needles)!!! As I said above, I always wait to get mine on October 15 so I’m fully covered during pretty much ALL of the Flu season!!! A week from this coming & I’ll be good to go for the next year!!!
@Caravanfan The elderly are considered more at risk from complications. Others at risk such as under four years olds are also eligible
@flutherother It just seems odd to me to exclude a population. Pregnant women are also at very high risk.
@LadyMarissa Doctors don’t know how to give shots. Nurses give them.
It’s not recommended by doctors over here, unless you’re “at risk”. I feel like the doctor I’ve been seeing would laugh at me. I’m seeing a new one next week, and I want to talk to her about it.
Just got my free voucher!!
@Caravanfan I know that!!! One of my first lessons in life was NEVER allow a doctor to give me a shot as they NEVER learned how!!! Actually my local pharmacist gives shots better than the best nurse I ever had give me one!!! I’m the biggest baby when it comes to shots & she has given me the shot while I’m warning her that I’m a BIG baby & I NEVER felt it!!! 6 more days!!!
My doctor is a professional when it comes to giving shots. I’ve had to have several boosters, and two cortisone shots for bursitis. Not sure why a doctor would not give shots, any more than nurses.
Growing up our family doctor was great at giving shots (I got a lot because of asthma) he paid his way through college working are a Vet Tech at Hollywood Race track in California. He threw the needle at you arm or whatever.
Just got mine.
My brother lives in North Carolina and said there were already 2 flu related deaths there.
We admitted another previously healthy patient with flu to the intensive care unit.
I’m PROUD to say that…YES, I got my Flu shot last week!!! NC lost a child to the Flu about 2 weeks ago. In my uneducated knowledge, it appears to me that the Flu is arriving early this year!!! This is the first time that I’ve heard of cases of the Flu even before I got my shot. It’s normally a little over 2 weeks after my shot!!!
I got mine, too. My doctor administered it herself, and she asked me to cough. That somehow distracted from the sting. I barely felt it.
^ Likewise, if it proves effective.
Husband got his today, had to stay a little longer due to his epilepsy, but all is well.
They have run out of flu shots here. Hope to have more in next week.
The 65 + shot has been in short supply. Got my flu shot five weeks ago. I went in for my annual physical two weeks ago, they were out of 65 + flu shots.
@Tropical_Willie I heard that, too. My MIL only got the four strain and she’s over 65. The girl gave it to her and didn’t even tell her until afterwards. smh.
Had my flu shot on Oct 15th. My arm was swollen for a day or two. Fine now.
Getting mine at 8.40am tomorrow.
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