Flu jab

[ChrisEdu]

It's that time of year, again!

So, who has had their flu jab yet? Any ills effects?

I'm having mine this evening, as a high risk patient, although my wife has already had her's, as they were doing them in a pharmacy and she gets it for being a carer, related to someone on the shielding list, etc..

 

[W1ghty]

Paid for it at a chemist last week . No effects or any kind . Forgot I’d had it within 10 mins

 

[ChrisEdu]

I'm still recovering from a cold bug from about 4 weeks ago. Trouble is, my bloods are a bit weird, and I'm on immunosuppressant medication.

 

[Mr. B]

Chemists in my area have no stock and are taking no bookings but I managed to find a back street chemist. No colds so far but all my hair has fallen out

 

[artyman]

I've never bothered with the annual flu jab ( I don't like needles, could never be a druggy) but this year I'm not so sure as to whether to have it or not.

 

[Mr. B]

I've never bothered with the annual flu jab ( I don't like needles, could never be a druggy) but this year I'm not so sure as to whether to have it or not.

I’ve never bothered with the flu jab as I don’t usually suffer with colds and flu‘s but will all the hysteria re Covid I had a change of heart this year.

 

[ChrisEdu]

I've never bothered with the annual flu jab ( I don't like needles, could never be a druggy) but this year I'm not so sure as to whether to have it or not.

It's just a little pr!ck!

 

[190]

Had mine 2 hours ago so early days yet but nothing so far other than slight discomfort at the point of injection.

Our letters for over 65's came through from the doctors on Monday and we booked a slot quite quickly at the surgery, It was done outside in the open air so good thing it wasn't raining.

Boots chemists in town still has a 2 week back log.

 

[clk320x]

What do you mean by ‘ill effects’...?

It varies person to person, some complain of a sore arm, fatigue etc for a day or so, some have nothing apart from the standard sharp ‘scratch’ like pain at the point of injection.

Don’t forget your mask.

 

[ChrisEdu]

What do you mean by ‘ill effects’...?

It varies person to person, some complain of a sore arm, fatigue etc for a day or so, some have nothing apart from the standard sharp ‘scratch’ like pain at the point of injection.

Don’t forget your mask.

Lucky, I live next door to my GP surgery, so, if I forgot a face covering, I wouldn't have far to go.

 

[andy27168]

Hi
As a type 2 diabetic I have had the jab for the last 3 - 4 years, I had mine last friday, always have slight side effects, but never the same, this year I felt slightly shivery and cold, though that has for the most part now passed.
My 85 year old mum never has any side effects just a slightly sore arm.

 

[PXW]

Yep, we were done this week at the drive through at Blackbushe Airport. All very efficient. Boots etc have no availability around here but I am in a vulnerable group so we all get a jab.

 

[baxlin]

Had our (free) jabs at our GP surgery last week, we were very impressed with the set-up, in and out in a couple of minutes. No ill effects for either of us.

 

[rf065]

What do you mean by ‘ill effects’...?

I had a flu vaccine every year up to about 6 years ago, and never had one since.
Within an hour of the injection, my upper harm felt very hot and swollen. I could feel the heat radiating from it if I held the palm of my other hand 2" away from it.
Every day I thought after a good nights sleep it will be fine the next morning. Only problem was it took three weeks before it returned to normality.
Never had one since, but given the current situation I'll need to decide if the risk of not having one is greater than contracting flu & covid together.

 

[clk320x]

I had a flu vaccine every year up to about 6 years ago, and never had one since.
Within an hour of the injection, my upper harm felt very hot and swollen. I could feel the heat radiating from it if I held the palm of my other hand 2" away from it.
Every day I thought after a good nights sleep it will be fine the next morning. Only problem was it took three weeks before it returned to normality.
Never had one since, but given the current situation I'll need to decide if the risk of not having one is greater than contracting flu & covid together.

Interesting.

Unfortunately reactions at the injection site can happen, yours sounds extremely severe in comparison to most (normally just something minor like slight swelling which passes in a day or two etc.)

 

[ioweddie]

I understand there are many strains of flu...how do you know the jab will be effective against the next strain...I'm dubious and not a lover of injections...so will give it a miss

 

[whitenemesis]

I had a flu vaccine every year up to about 6 years ago, and never had one since.
Within an hour of the injection, my upper harm felt very hot and swollen. I could feel the heat radiating from it if I held the palm of my other hand 2" away from it.
Every day I thought after a good nights sleep it will be fine the next morning. Only problem was it took three weeks before it returned to normality.
Never had one since, but given the current situation I'll need to decide if the risk of not having one is greater than contracting flu & covid together.

Most likely a reaction to one of the adjuvants or excipients rather than the flu virus itself.

 

[ChipChop]

I understand there are many strains of flu...how do you know the jab will be effective against the next strain...I'm dubious and not a lover of injections...so will give it a miss

The Southern Hemisphere countries such as Australia have already had their winter season (ending in August) and have experienced the seasonal pathogens that are active this year. This knowledge is used to formulate vaccines in advance for the Northern Hemisphere countries.

However from what i have read the Southern Hemisphere had little or no seasonal pathogens this year which must complicate things.

 

[whitenemesis]

I understand there are many strains of flu...how do you know the jab will be effective against the next strain...I'm dubious and not a lover of injections...so will give it a miss

Because the WHO advise on the prevailing strains (normally 3/4 different ones) coming up from the southern hemisphere this year. Vaccine manufactures get the info in the early spring (Feb/March) and develop the vaccine over the next few months, then safety test, then go into mass production, ready for the vaccination program early autumn.

 

[rayaans]

The flu vaccine reduces risk of flu by 40-60% give or take so its not a case of have it and you won't get flu as it doesn't cover all the strains. Dont take it if you're on antibiotics, steroids or allergic to eggs.

And yes, its possible to get flu from the vaccine!