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Flu shot or not?


Liz CA
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Flu shot or not?  

117 members have voted

  1. 1. Flu shot or not?

    • Will definitely get one because I have gotten flu shots in the past and think it's helpful
      67
    • Will get one this year because of CV19
      13
    • Have never gotten one and will not this year either
      22
    • Anything in between / Obligatory other
      15


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I voted for the first option, but we've already had ours. 

For several years I believed I had an egg allergy, so I didn't get flu shots (I described symptoms to my doctor and he said "sounds like you're allergic, probably shouldn't get flu shots"). When DS was six months old, DH, DD#2, and I all got the flu, and I ended up with an infection afterward. (DS decided to start crawling the week both adults were sick, of course - that's how I remember exactly when it was, lol.) So I went to an allergist and learned that I do NOT have an egg allergy, just an intolerance. I've gotten my flu shot every year since.

The kids have always gotten them. DH usually does, but I have to remind him to do it. 

Edited by purpleowl
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1 hour ago, ScoutTN said:

We get ours at Publix because they give a free $10 gift card for each shot. Me + 2 kids = dinner from the Publix deli. Double win!

We love getting ours at Publix. The first year my dd was really reluctant and didn’t want the shot. The family behind us was telling her that she would then get $10 and could get whatever she wanted to with it. It was clearly how that family handled it but I really wasn’t planning on giving my kids their cards. LOL. I’m sure at that point I was planning on using them for needed groceries. But it would ease the pain of taking kids for shots to then give them the gift card to spend. 🙂 

Ita a good deal!

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I was always hit or miss with the flu shot. If I remembered and had time I would get it, if not I didn't. In 2002 all three of us got a horrible case of the flu. Ds got it first, then me, then dh. Ds was 5 and as yet undiagnosed with ADHD, so all we knew is that he was a very active child. While he was sick he was pretty calm. About the time dh and I were at our worst, he was getting better and nearly impossible to keep up with. That was one reason we started getting vaccinated every year. 

In 2005 my high school friend's husband died from complications of the flu. He was in his late 40s and though he was a smoker, he was otherwise healthy. It home that anyone can succumb to the flu virus. That just cemented our decision to not be blase about the getting the vaccine. 

I believe there was one year when the vaccine was in short supply and we didn't get it then. Otherwise we haven't missed since that 2002 flu season. 

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When COVID finishes going through my house and we are done with quarantine.

I had considered already getting it but had heard flu season might be later this year and it would be prudent to wait as the vaccine is only effective so long. Ds and I had the flu last year and it was not fun.

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19 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Fwiw, they make egg free flu shots. Not everyone carries them, but it’s something your doctor’s office can order.

Likewise, most reactions can be dealt with by premedicating with antihistamines or steroids. 
 

Not every primary care dr is super knowledgeable in this area, so I wanted to toss that out there.

We got the egg free shots this year and none of us even got a sore arm. That was a nice surprise!

Flucelvax is the brand.

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Generally, I don't but my work is planning to open back up to the public soon. I work in a large, urban setting, so I figured if ever there was a year to do it, it's this one. I wasn't too happy when I was given one 3 years ago during an ER visit that I don't recall being asked about first and only noticed upon reading my discharge papers a day or two later (I probably would have skipped it because it was March and I don't live in a cold climate.) 

Dh will probably skip it. Youngest ds will be getting one next week.

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I haven't gotten a flu shot in years but this year I'm considering.   I was just coming here to see if anyone had been discussing whether or not this year's vaccine has a good chance of being a match for the strains of flu.

I hadn't heard of places offering an incentive to get the shot at their store.  I'll have to see if anyone is offering that in my area.  🙂

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I got one and always get one.  I was tempted not to this year because, with Covid, I'm not really in contact with many people, but will be during the holiday season.  I've had the flu twice in my life and it was so awful.  Thinking about how awful the flu was for me always motivates me to get the shot.  I've never had the flu when I've had the shot.  

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12 minutes ago, Kassia said:

I got one and always get one.  I was tempted not to this year because, with Covid, I'm not really in contact with many people, but will be during the holiday season.  I've had the flu twice in my life and it was so awful.  Thinking about how awful the flu was for me always motivates me to get the shot.  I've never had the flu when I've had the shot.  

My dad got H1N1 over the holidays last year, visiting with his wife's kids. He was in the hospital for a few days. Our flu season in our college town tends to begin right after the holidays as everyone comes back from their travels, some with flu (last year was an early flu year though--it was already here in November).

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Just got my flu shot.  The university was running an outdoor flu shot clinic.  It is lovely weather and they had everything extremely organized and well-thought-out including giving each person a pen to sign the paperwork to minimize any touching of common surfaces.  I was leery of a nursing student giving me a shot--but I didn't feel it at all.

I have only had a flu shot twice before--last year and one about a decade ago.

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1 hour ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

I am so happy that my college son just got a flu shot.  🙂 

 

I am trying to get my college daughter to get one.  She does have adverse reactions to vaccines, so she has to be careful of the timing and wants to wait until the semester is over.  I'm not crazy about that, but can't really do anything about it.  

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DH usually gets one so he doesn't accidently spread anything at work. The kids and I are home a lot so we usually don't.

I would be happy to get us all a flu shot this year except I'm wondering if I should wait a month or so to give higher risk and more publicly exposed people a chance to get it first. DH is currently working at home and none of my kids are  having in person school so I feel others should get first dibs but I don't know if that will be an issue. 

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Undecided.  I don't usually bother, but I am strongly considering it this year because of the pandemic. 

My quandary is that I have a teen who is deathly afraid of needles and it would literally be a kicking and screaming fight to get them a flu shot(also entirely likely that they'd be uncooperative about the nasal mist too).   So I feel guilty going to get one knowing that I have a kid who likely won't get one.  

Edited by Forget-Me-Not
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23 minutes ago, Forget-Me-Not said:

Undecided.  I don't usually bother, but I am strongly considering it this year because of the pandemic. 

My quandary is that I have a teen who is deathly afraid of needles and it would literally be a kicking and screaming fight to get them a flu shot(also entirely likely that they'd be uncooperative about the nasal mist too).   So I feel guilty going to get one knowing that I have a kid who likely won't get one.  

Don’t feel guilty. When I was unable to get fly shots my family helped to protect me by getting them. It cut down on bringing it into my house. 

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I never actually thought about the purchasing of the flu shots until NZ had to scramble back in April to get more Southern Hemisphere versions. Because Covid was still a new thing, there was not a big push to have made more than normal (and they take months to make). They were able to get an additional 500k from South America (beyond the 1+ million NZ had pre-ordered) -- I'm not sure how there were any extra at all, like who didn't want them? Then they had to source more from the Northern Hemisphere version that had just been released, and got an extra 750K.  So about 50% of the public must have gotten a flu vaccine.  The Northern Hemisphere version overlapped with the Southern Hemisphere version by 2 of the 4 strains, so you were kind of half protected. All new to me.  Quite fascinating.

Edited by lewelma
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4 hours ago, Forget-Me-Not said:

My quandary is that I have a teen who is deathly afraid of needles and it would literally be a kicking and screaming fight to get them a flu shot(also entirely likely that they'd be uncooperative about the nasal mist too).   So I feel guilty going to get one knowing that I have a kid who likely won't get one.  

It will help protect them if you don't get it, so don't feel bad. Also, if your doctor is aware of the phobia, they might be willing to give anxiety medicine for just this purpose. I had a phobia after dental trauma, and my dentist used to give me 2 Valium before a procedure - take one the night before, one 45 minutes before the appointment. 

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I probably won't. We're not seeing anyone indoors, and getting grocery delivery. Not sure if that's the best idea though. I'm more scared to be near other humans than the minuscule risk of the flu since we're not going out.

 

Just learned that's how you spell "minuscule." Looks weird!

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I got mine and my dad’s done on Tuesday.  Dh and his 94 year old parents are getting theirs today.  I found a CVS Pharmacy that will come to the car and do theirs.  Boys will get theirs next Friday at their well-check.  They need another vaccine too so just gonna get it done and over with.  They tend to only go to the doctor for their well checks so hopefully they won’t be back in that office until next October.

I got the shot last year and still got the flu, but that isn’t the norm for me.

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