Flu vaccine

[Chippy_Tea]

I am at the age where I should get one but have never bothered before, I am now giving it serious consideration due to covid are members thinking the same or will you again give it a miss

 

[terrym]

I have had an annual flu jab every year for quite some time since I was told I had asthma. It costs me nowt and takes about 10 minutes out of my life every year to sort out but I work on the basis that if it prevents me from getting even one virus infection its worth it, although I have no idea whether it works or not.
This year I have had mine done at the local pharmacy who seem to have had no trouble getting supplies whereas my GP surgery, where I usually go, had no allocation until early Nov
However not everyone qualifies for the free NHS flu vaccine.
From the NHS site.......

Who can have the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccine is given to people who:

• are 65 and over (including those who'll be 65 by 31 March 2021)
• have certain health conditions
• are pregnant
• are in a long-stay residential care
• receive a carer's allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick
• live with someone who's at high risk from coronavirus (on the NHS shielded patient list)
• frontline health or social care workers

Advice for people aged 50 to 64
If you're aged 50 to 64 and have a health condition that means you're more at risk from flu, you should get your flu vaccine as soon as possible.
Other 50- to 64-year-olds should be contacted about a flu vaccine later in the year.

Flu vaccine for people with long-term health conditions
The flu vaccine is offered free on the NHS to anyone with a serious long-term health condition, including:

• respiratory conditions, such as asthma (needing steroid inhaler or tablets), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and bronchitis
• diabetes
• heart conditions, such as coronary heart disease or heart failure
• being very overweight – a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above
• chronic kidney disease
• liver disease, such as hepatitis
• neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), or cerebral palsy
• a learning disability
• problems with your spleen, for example, sickle cell disease, or if you have had your spleen removed
• a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or taking medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy

Finally this year the NHS are encouraging those with a higher risk of getting Covid 19 to get a flu jab because if you contract the two simultaneously you are more likely to be 'seriously ill'.

 

[obscure]

I get one every year (had mine last week). While of course due to all the different strains and how flu can mutate it’s effectiveness can differ from year to year at less than £15 for a jab at a pharmacy (and work reimburses so basically zero) I am of the view that it’s worth while.

Side effects for me this year where pretty minimal so a hit of a sore arm for a couple of days a slight headache which could have being completely unrelated. Ultimately getting jabbed in the arm with a needle is never fun but flu is even less fun so I will take the reduced odds on getting it that a vaccine gives.

 

[Rodcx500z]

I had one last year mainly because of my age and mild copd, i have had flu once when i was 19 and it laid me low for a full month it is not pleasant, so yeah i will get one this year

 

[terrym]

I had one last year mainly because of my age and mild copd, i have had flu once when i was 19 and it laid me low for a full month it is not pleasant, so yeah i will get one this year

My experience too. And those who thinks flu and other serious virus infections are just like a bad cold are wrong. For some they can be very serious and even knock you out for weeks at a time with post viral fatigue, and in the worse case scenario kill you, usually through respiratory failure which is not a nice way to go.

 

[Gerryjo]

I'm only 50 and have never had one though my wife is a severe Asthmatic and gets one every year.
Now my employer recently took the opportunity of asking if people were interested and is now going to give those interested a vaccine jab which will be voluntary of course but again of substantial cost as there is 1400 people employed and not all shall take it as they are either not interested or shall available of the GP or chemist. I for one will certainly be availing of this.

 

[ChilledGecko]

I'm on the "Has certain health conditions" camp.
I've been taking the offer up now for the last few years, yeah you get a 'punched in the arm' thing for a few days but nothing worse than barking a shin or stubbing a toe.

I too had the flu some years back (in my twenties) and it's no joke!

I'd say 'go for it'

 

[obscure]

I'm only 50 and have never had one though my wife is a severe Asthmatic and gets one every year.
Now my employer recently took the opportunity of asking if people were interested and is now going to give those interested a vaccine jab which will be voluntary of course but again of substantial cost as there is 1400 people employed and not all shall take it as they are either not interested or shall available of the GP or chemist. I for one will certainly be availing of this.

I remember looking into the voucher scheme for work it’s actually not that bad (even if you are getting on site vaccination), you don’t need many employees avoiding contracting the flu to make a vaccine scheme pay for itself.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks for posting Terry i didn't know you had to have "a condition that means you're more at risk from flu" that kind of rules me out although i used to have asthma years ago, i could of course lie but they had a doctor on BBC News this morning who said they order the vaccines in advance so if everyone decided to get one because of Covid they will quickly run out, do i deprive someone who has a genuine health issue or give it a miss again and keep my fingers crossed that i don't get it..

.
Advice for people aged 50 to 64
If you're aged 50 to 64 and have a health condition that means you're more at risk from flu, you should get your flu vaccine as soon as possible.
Other 50- to 64-year-olds should be contacted about a flu vaccine later in the year

 

[ChilledGecko]

@Chippy_Tea Don't assume they won't have enough, I was chatting with our Practice Manager at a patient/management type meeting and she was lamenting the fact that they had planned for a rush last year (pre Covid) and the uptake was so low they were running out of storage space as the stock was coming in.
As Covid was well on the radar they have probably factored in the increased uptake.

You can always flash some cash (£15?) and get a jab at the local chemist.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

You can always flash some cash (£15?) and get a jab at the local chemist.

I didn't know that, thanks.

 

[ChilledGecko]

Just had a quick look, Boots are doing for £13.99. (Most stores - I'm guessing the smaller ones can't offer it).

 

[Druss]

I'm something of a medical marvel/sideshow freak in that I don't really get ill.

I have had the flu twice in my 39 years, once in my late teens which rendered me out of action for three or four days and again a couple of years ago but I managed to still get on with stuff the last time, including going to work (I'm a part timer, so it wasn't too bad), by being doped up to the eyeballs on over the counter flu remedies.

Perhaps a couple of very minor colds every year that last less than 24 hours, but that's it, so I've never had a flu jab and never will (partially down to my apparently impervious immune system, partially down to my crippling phobia of needles).

 

[An Ankoù]

Got my letter from CPAM (NHS-like body) this morning. The letter counts as the prescription, which I take to the chemist, pick up the vaccine, bung it in the fridge and make an appointment with the nurse to get it squirted in. If I'd been a bit looser and let my hair grow longer in my youth, I'd probably have the skills and knowledge to do the job myself, but there you are- another wasted youth!

 

[obscure]

Got my letter from CPAM (NHS-like body) this morning. The letter counts as the prescription, which I take to the chemist, pick up the vaccine, bung it in the fridge and make an appointment with the nurse to get it squirted in. If I'd been a bit looser and let my hair grow longer in my youth, I'd probably have the skills and knowledge to do the job myself, but there you are- another wasted youth!

I must admit this seems an odd way of doing it, I assume France doesn’t allow pharmacists to administer vaccines?

 

[MmmBeer]

I used to get the flu vaccine through work, but that was 10-15 years ago. I am now over 50 and (touch wood) in good health, so if I am invited to have the jab as mentioned by terrym in post 2, I will gladly take them up in it.

 

[An Ankoù]

I must admit this seems an odd way of doing it, I assume France doesn’t allow pharmacists to administer vaccines?

I'd never thought of that. You're right. Pharmacists have a great deal of clout over here, they'll even alter a prescription if they think they should. people talk of "my pharmacist" like "my doctor" and trying to get out of the place before you've been given a wealth of advice can be purgatory. But, no, they don't administer the jab. Do they in the UK or is it a nurse associated with the pharmacy?
In any case. I've only just come of age for the jab (65) and it's only my second one.

 

[soupdragon]

I've never bothered getting the jab. However, after the flu that both myself and the Mrs had around Xmas last year, I decided to get it this year. That was before this covid cr@p started going the rounds.
And before anyone comments, I know there have been rumours floating around that it was but what we caught last Xmas wasn't covid as the Mrs was in for some routine blood tests and they offered to check for the antibodies. Came back negative.

Cheers. Tom

 

[samale]

I'm only 50 and have never had one though my wife is a severe Asthmatic and gets one every year.
Now my employer recently took the opportunity of asking if people were interested and is now going to give those interested a vaccine jab which will be voluntary of course but again of substantial cost as there is 1400 people employed and not all shall take it as they are either not interested or shall available of the GP or chemist. I for one will certainly be availing of this.

This will be my first flu jab.

 

[obscure]

I'd never thought of that. You're right. Pharmacists have a great deal of clout over here, they'll even alter a prescription if they think they should. people talk of "my pharmacist" like "my doctor" and trying to get out of the place before you've been given a wealth of advice can be purgatory. But, no, they don't administer the jab. Do they in the UK or is it a nurse associated with the pharmacy?
In any case. I've only just come of age for the jab (65) and it's only my second one.

Here in the UK pharmacists can administer vaccines which makes it incredibly easy to get a flu jab. I booked mine this year but in previous years I have had it done as a walk in.