Had Your Flu Shot Yet? Time To Quit Procrastinating

[DanieRains]

You just have to do it.

Even if you usually don't get one.

May the odds be always in your favor. We may soon have Hunger Games to see who gets the last ICU bed in your state....

Not a good time to get flu / pneumonia.

[DanieRains]

1. Had Mine BTW

And I didn't last year.

[mr_lebowski]

2. I would but I don't want to come down with the adult autism

[BGBD]

3. I haven't had mine yet....

but getting it soon. I usually end up waiting until late November each season.

On that note, does anybody want to bet that flu season is especially light this year? Flu is not nearly as transmissible as COVID has proven to be. With all of the social distancing, masks, and extra precautions in place I don't think flu is going to end up being able to break through as easily, especially with the shot.

We'll know for sure come the end of February how it went, but that's my theory.

[Tanuki]

16. The most recent flu season was unusually light in Japan, Hong Kong,

and Australia, presumably due to the precautions people were taking against covid. I think we will see the same here. Moreover, people are traveling much less, so it would seem to cut down on introduction of new infections from one region to another.

I hope you will go ahead and have your flu shot sooner rather than later. As my pharmacist mentioned to me, some years they run out of their supply of vaccine before flu season is over.

[BGBD]

30. I live

in a pretty rural place. I've never not been able to get one before, but I suppose it could happen.

The same things that help slow COVID also slow flu. We also have some level of normal immunity to flu based on previous exposures, and the shot is widely available and used. All of those things lead me to believe that we are in for the lightest flu season in decades while also being in for something much worse in COVID.

And don't worry, I'll get my shot in the next few days. I always mean to get it at Halloween but end up not making it over to do it for a few weeks after.

[Skittles]

4. I got one, and I paid for an unemployed friend to get one

yes INDEED

[womanofthehills]

5. Our NM gov wants us to stay in our homes for 2 weeks

[secondwind]

6. This is the first year I don't get a flu shot.

They don’t have flu shots in the Caribbean. That I know of.

[LittleGirl]

7. I can't find one made without eggs!

I am allergic to eggs and we searched high and low in Switzerland and Germany and France and can’t find one! My husband got his shot last month to protect me.

[NurseJackie]

15. CDC: Flu Vaccine and People with Egg Allergies

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/egg-allergies.htm

Summary:

CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have not changed their recommendations regarding egg allergy and receipt of influenza (flu) vaccines. The recommendations remain the same as those recommended for the 2018-2019 season. Based on those recommendations, people with egg allergies no longer need to be observed for an allergic reaction for 30 minutes after receiving a flu vaccine. People with a history of egg allergy of any severity should receive any licensed, recommended, and age-appropriate influenza vaccine. Those who have a history of severe allergic reaction to egg (i.e., any symptom other than hives) should be vaccinated in an inpatient or outpatient medical setting (including but not necessarily limited to hospitals, clinics, health departments, and physician offices), under the supervision of a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic conditions.

Most flu shots and the nasal spray flu vaccine are manufactured using egg-based technology. Because of this, they contain a small amount of egg proteins, such as ovalbumin. However, studies that have examined the use of both the nasal spray vaccine and flu shots in egg-allergic and non-egg-allergic patients indicate that severe allergic reactions in people with egg allergies are unlikely. A recent CDC study found the rate of anaphylaxis after all vaccines is 1.31 per one million vaccine doses given.

For the 2020-2021 flu season, there are two vaccines licensed for use that are manufactured without the use of eggs and are considered egg-free:

Flublok Quadrivalent (licensed for use in adults 18 years and older)
Flucelvax Quadrivalent (licensed for use in people 4 years and older)

[LittleGirl]

21. Except that my doctor recommended

that I not get them any more. The last I got back in the early 2000s made me sick as a dog. I missed 3 days of work. No thanks.

[NurseJackie]

22. Good luck!

[LittleGirl]

23. Well, I have been self isolating since March

I should be okay.

[NurseJackie]

24. Same here... except for MD visits, grocery shopping and Rx pickups, we've been isolated too.

I'm feeling better about things (in general) but I'm so ready to return to normal... or something closer to normal.

Stay safe!


(And as usual, I blame Sarandon and her ilk for this. Things would have been different if Hillary had been president.)

[LittleGirl]

25. Thanks!

Hubby gets the groceries now. He’s had months of practice! Lol
We walk our neighborhood every day, but we’re next to farm land, so rare contact with people. We moved into this house 18 months ago so I’ve been DIYing since.

You’re so right about Hillary! And they thought a woman wouldn’t control her emotions, bastards all. Just read 45s Twitter feed, ugh.

Stay safe, be well.

[LittleGirl]

28. Also thanks for those two

I knew there was some products made without eggs, but didn’t know the name.
Saved and Stored !

[Sherman A1]

8. Yup,

Mid October just like every year.

[Throck]

9. Months ago.

[GulfCoast66]

10. Last month. I'm betting the flu season will be minor this year.

Not because of the flu, but because the precautions we are taking against Covid will also prevent the flu.

Or perhaps I should say the parts of the country taking precautions against Covid will have less flu.

[Best_man23]

11. We got ours in September

Mrs. Best also got a tetanus booster. Person who gave us the shots said it was a good idea to get vaccines updated now as they may shift production to manufacturing Covid vaccine once its available.

[womanofthehills]

33. Many think our childhood tetanus shots protect us for life - CDC says tetanus very uncommon in US

Supposedly no cases of tetanus in US in past 2 yrs and about 30 cases a yr in previous yrs. Some third world countries still get tetanus cases.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

12. No. I don't do flu shots. I've been vaccinated for everything else,

though. I will get vaccinated for Covid.

I've never had the flu, and I haven't had a cold in the past 20 years.

I'm old. I learned long ago to never try to fix what ain't broke.

[USALiberal]

17. Really silly logic!! nt

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

18. It's my body, and you have no control over it,

and I don't care what you think about what I should do with my body, because you are not me. I know what is best for me, and you may think you know what's best for me, but you really don't have a clue about what is best for me.

Thanks so much for your concern.

[USALiberal]

19. Lol, I never said you had to do anything.....

I said your logic makes no sense. But your free to make bad decisions!

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

20. Again, thanks for your concern about what I do with my body,

and my decisions about what I do with my body. I have long protected myself from illness through diet, exercise, and a program for maximum strengthening of my immune system, and it has worked.

Your omniscience is noted.

[womanofthehills]

38. A very small percentage of people have serious reactions to adjuvants in flu vaccines

That's why there is a National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program under Health and Human Services. Many people with sensitivities and allergies choose not to get flu shots because of the adjuvants. Since 1988, when the program started, over $4,484,709,478.09 has been paid out for vaccine injury settlements. Stuff is not always black and white.

[marie999]

13. VA makes sure that my husband and I stay current on all our shots.

[smirkymonkey]

14. Yes, had both the flu and pneumonia shot at the same time.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

26. Publix gives out $10 gift cards with theirs

The inoculation should be incentive enough but I don’t mind the perks.

[MineralMan]

27. I got mine on October 6.

[bullwinkle428]

29. When I see so much resistance to getting a flu shot around here, I get

a feeling of hopelessness when it comes to the eventual Covid vaccine. BTW, I got mine back in early September.

[USALiberal]

32. I agree, even anti-vaxxers here!! nt

[leftstreet]

41. "so much resistance" ?? there are only 3 or 4 posts

members stating they can't or won't or whatever

[LisaL]

31. I got a flu shot this year.

I don't get it normally, but covid freaks the hell out of me.

[Wounded Bear]

34. Several weeks ago...nt

[Initech]

35. I've never needed a flu shot in my entire life.

Do I have to get one this year? I've searched everywhere and can't find out if I should or not.

[womanofthehills]

39. With everyone wearing masks, I doubt there will be a big flu season

[LisaL]

40. First of all, not everyone is wearing masks.

Second of all, using your logic, covid shouldn't be skyrocketing but it is.

[LisaL]

42. I found it for you.

"Getting a flu shot this year is particularly important because, like SARS-CoV-2, influenza is a respiratory virus and we want to do everything we can to minimize having two respiratory outbreaks circulating simultaneously in our populations. We don’t know what co-infection or sequential infections for these two viruses looks like, but we worry that infection with one could increase the severity of the other. It’s also possible that infection with one could weaken the immune system and increase susceptibility to the other. A small study from China indicates co-infection may increase the infectious period for COVID-19 and prolong hospital stays (2). Last year in the US, before COVID, the CDC estimated that influenza infections sent around 500,000 people to the hospital (1). If flu vaccine coverage this year is only about the same as last year, the compound effects of influenza and COVID could quickly overwhelm local health care systems. The more people who get their flu shot this year, the more cases of influenza we can prevent."


https://www.huck.psu.edu/institutes-and-centers/center-for-infectious-disease-dynamics/covid-19-faq-askcidd

[OriginalGeek]

36. about a month ago

it was my first time and was far less stressful than the actual stress I had over deciding whether or not to get it.

Moral of the story: It was easy - get one!

[11 Bravo]

37. My wife and I both received the flu and pneumonia vaccines a couple of weeks ago.

She just turned 65, and I'm damned near 70, so it was a priority for us.

Also, if you're over 65, make sure to get the high dose shot!

[MurrayDelph]

43. Oh, Goodie. Another

"one-size fits all" guilt trip thread about flu shots.

As I said three weeks ago in another DU thread:

I can't. I react. Badly *

Fortunately for me, the only person I typically hang out with is my wife, and she gets her shot, so I won't get it from her.

I'm up-to date on most of my other vaccines. When I see my doctor next month, I'm going to ask about the pneumonia vaccine.

* Please don't suggest alternative vaccines. It's akin to when decades ago some friends suggested trying to find out which types of alcohol I'm allergic to (it turns out I can't tolerate any; I once spent the night in an emergency room because a restaurant's barbecue sauce). The concept of "Here, try this one and maybe it won't make you so sick you'd think you're going to die" doesn't have a big attraction factor.