Do you get a flu shot? why or why not?

I am an Audiologist, and have gotten the flu shot nearly every year of the past 15 years. It is optional here in NJ, but I recently heard that some states are requiring health care workers to get the vaccine.

Pharmacies and other such facilities usually have qualified nurses or other certified clinicians come in to administer the shots for a few days each fall.

I never have. Seriously, it’s because I’m too cheap. I’ll take the gamble of having to pay my co-pay down the road. I also just don’t feel comfortable with the shot. Really no reason, just don’t want it.

Just got mine this week. I try to get a flu shot every year. It may not totally protect me from all strains, but it beats getting sick.

Did you know that the flu vaccine now comes in the form of a nasal spray? No more shots (unless you like that sort of thing). And to answer your question, yes I get my flu shot every year along with the rest of my family. As a mother of two young children the last thing I need is to be getting sick. Although even with the flu shot we seem to pick up our fair share of unwanted germs through these lovely winter months.

I always do. Immunizations have been the single biggest advance in modern medicine, and for people to ignore that is absurd.

I get one every year because I’m a pharmacy tech and I’m constantly exposed to sick people. That and I get ‘em for free ;)
I don’t know how other companies work (as far as outsourcing staff to administer the shots), but the Pharmacists (who are certified immunizers) give the shots and I (or another tech) draw them up.
We just had a clinic yesterday and gave over 100 flu shots from 9 am to 1 pm.

Thanks for the answers, especially those with regard to the qualifications of the immunizers! I think I may try & seek out the mist as opposed to the shot, only because I have a completely irrational fear of shots.

FYI, there was a useful discussion of the pros and cons of influenza vaccination here, including the benefits of the FluMist vaccine.

I got one, then the next day I was sick….irony!!! Actually not really irony because they inject the influenza in you and I don’t have to strongest immune system…but it’s still kinda funny

No. The last time i got it I got sick. And that’s wasn’t fun at all.

Thanks for posting this question…you reminded me that I’ve forgotten to get mine this year! I get one every year (usually in October, sigh) because I have kidney disease. I have also had the pneumonia(sp?) shot.

@augustian: Glad to be of service ;) Take good care of you!

FYI flumist is a live virus whereas the regular injection is a dead virus. I’d pick the shot any day! Besides, it really doesn’t hurt…it all depends on the experience of the immunizer.
Also, flumist has been on manufacturer backorder. We haven’t gotten any in even though we order it just about every day so it might be a little hard to find depending where you are!

I got one, partly because I got it for free from work. Just a note: they told me that it takes about 2 weeks for the immunization to take effect.

I’ve never had a flu shot, and I’ve never had the flu.
I rarely get sick and I trust that my immune system will do it’s job. If I get the flu, I get it. It would suck, but it’s not the end of the world.

Sure do. I’m one of those at-risk people. Flu can be serious for me. So I am very faithful about getting the shots even though half the time I don’t think they make much difference.

To correct some misinformation stated above, the influenza vaccine shot is heat killed virus, and thus cannot cause influenza (sorry comedian). Likewise, while Flumist is technically alive, it is a cold-adapted and weakened strain (it causes a mild form of influenza in your nose, but since it is cold adapted, it cannot cause systemic influenza).

Last time I had one I got an a strange allergic reaction to it. So no more for me.

Here in Canada they’re offered free, and there are many clinics available. I have gotten the flu shot in the past, most likely due to my school offering it. This year I have decided to not get it. First off, I am not a member of the at-risk groups, nor do I have regular contact with any such member. Second, I am very healthy, and I have been able to limit my exposure to the outside world. However, each year I evaluate the conditions and make an appropriate choice, I will never always or always-not get the flu shot.

I never get them, but I’m young and can work through the flu. I recently had a friend get Gaullian Barre Disease after getting one, but he’ll make a full recovery it seems, still scared the crap out of me.

Mostly, I think it’s a waste of money.

No, I hate shots so much I’d rather get the flu. :(

People don’t seem to realize that vaccination isn’t solely effective as personal protection, but also due to reduction of the viral reservoir as a whole. Thus, even healthy people can protect themselves, and their parents, their kids, their friends with cancer or autoimmune disease, their elderly grandparents, etc. It is rather selfish to turn it down (if it is readily available) based on simplistic rationalizations. Finally, as I have mentioned above, there is an alternative to the shot that doesn’t use needles (i.e. FluMist). Worth checking out.

Ooooh, thanks Shilolo! I will definitely look into that, I hate needles, despite the fact I have my ears pierced three times, lol.

@shilolo: I didn’t think about that when I answered honestly. I’ll consider getting one from now on, thanks for the info. :)

I’m never sick, NEVER. Maybe I should be studied ?

No. Not worried about it.

I usually don’t, but I did this year because I was pregnant.

No, I’ve never had the flu so I dont want to put a small dose in my body at all. And Im young and healthy.

Also, a good friend of mine had a perfectly health baby that received a bad batch of a vaccination….a life full of seizures and deterioration followed.

Id rather get the flu and fight it off naturally.

I have gotten the vaccines the last 3 years after 2 years in a row of a horrible flu.

I have been illness free the past 2 years, not even a cold. :-)

I got the H1N1 last month before traveling to southeast Asia, I would not have gotten it had I not been traveling to an area that was high risk.

My philosophy..can’t hurt, might help. So far it seems to have helped as no flus for 3 years now.

@Coloma If I may, how old are you, and what exactly do you consider a “flu”? Just askin’.

@Val123

I just turned 50 last Dec. :-)

I was traveling in the Southwest in 06 and got nailed in New Mexico by some killer flu.
The usual bad body aches, fever, chest congestion…baaaad….especially in a hotel for 4 days! lol

Then again in 07 back here in Ca. Another real kicker.
Sooo….decided to go for the flu shot…so far so good

No reactions of any kind.

. I got the H1N1 2 weeks before I left for Taiwan in mid-Feb. as there was a warning of a potential outbreak in Feb. many had not been vaccinated yet…6 million people in Taipei city.

Aced it! Lots of people in the city were wearing masks on the metro and around the city. I was actually suprised that I havn;t had ANYTHING this year or last considering I have had a lot of ‘burn the candle at both ends’ experiences. hahaha

@Coloma Outstanding decision making. Don’t listen to the naysayers. Vaccination is one of the best and most important preventative medical techniques, for you, your family and your community. Thanks for looking out for yourself, AND, everyone else.

@Coloma Just wondered. Kids are far more prone to getting the flu and colds and stuff one right after the other!

Yes. Works for me.