Flu Shot or Not?

I never get one, but everyone at work is running around as if we will all die of the plague if we don't get them ASAP!!!!

Depends on the odds and stats on it.💉😷

I never get one, but everyone at work is running around as if we will all die of the plague if we don't get them ASAP!!!!

Absolutely . People forget more people died from influenza in 1918 than died in WW1. My grandfather died of flu complications 6 years ago . And as an asthmatic diabetic who runs a daycare you bet your azz.

I always get it..

Better safe than sorry.

I once had a co-worker die from his flu shot!

I once had a co-worker die from his flu shot!

That gives you greater odds that you won't die from Flu shot.

Dying from the flu shot is very rare!

Maybe co-worker was allergic to egg. They have flu shots now that don't have egg protein.

Extremely rare to die but bad for him. MUCH higher death rate from influenza.

The 1918 flu pandemic killed 20-50 million people and infected 500 million.

Influenza kills thousands of people every single year in the US alone. I've had the flu and while I'm young and healthy, older people are much more likely to die if they get it. I get my vaccine so I won't spread it to older people I care for. I work in a hospital. If I don't get the shot, I have to wear a face mask for the entire winter to protect my patients.

I will always, always get the flu shot.

Influenza kills thousands of people every single year in the US alone. I've had the flu and while I'm young and healthy, older people are much more likely to die if they get it. I get my vaccine so I won't spread it to older people I care for. I work in a hospital. If I don't get the shot, I have to wear a face mask for the entire winter to protect my patients.

 

I will always, always get the flu shot.

I never got it before the year my grandfather died. That year the entire immediate and extended family got it. He died from double pneumonia. I got it and thought I was going to die, literally. I ended up with 5 secondary infections. My son got it . My husband had the flu shot and didn’t get it. My husband is military and inoculated for everything.

Hubby is getting his today. My son and I are booked at the dr for Nov 8. Flu vaccine was really delayed by more than a month here this year.

Some years I get it and others I don't. It doesn't really affect me and I don't experience any or many symptoms. I just didn't like the way the last nurse did it. It felt like she held the needle in a way and threw the needle like she was playing darts. It was a bit comical and I'd never seen a nurse do that before.

I have for the last 20 years. Another reason I have since I got pregnant over 10 years ago is for the safety/health of my child . He gets one too. My husband now gets one. I believe I had a mild case of the flu two years ago and I think I had the flu in 1998 or 1999. Not since then. My son and I got ours end of August/beginning of September and my husband got his last week -yes, I nagged him -he's traveling a lot by plane and even though we have protection we don't need him getting sick and neither does he.

Camber. I never had a flu shot either.

Last time I had some kind of flu was in 1990 (yes!) and I didn't die.

Each to his/her own.

Sadly, there are many misconceptions regarding the flu shot. I always get one, but of course it's a personal choice.

Will they offer me immunity if I testify here? 💉😋

They should hand out lolly-pops....

They should hand out lolly-pops....

I always get my son a treat -often a lollipop- after he gets his. I got a gift card from the supermarket!

Nope.

My grandparents were always extremely ill right after or at least 2 weeks, and a few weeks after they were good enough to not be in bed but not good enough to go out to a party. I won't take one. if i were a teacher of little kids or something i might change my mind but everyone i know who got one got sick I think prevention, washing hands, avoiding spending time with relatives who you know are sick, etc, reduces your chances.

When my sons were younger I started getting them. Whatever cootie they brought home, I caught. It was a few very rough years and I always ended up with bronchitis and laryngitis. I had it 3 times one year!

It was true what they said, at least for me. The day after I got the shot, I felt like I was coming down with something. Nothing earth shaking. Just a little tired, scratchy throat, head ache. Blah feeling.

At the time it was worth it.

Now I pass on it. (karma will bite my azz now, watch!) I don't have the luxury of giving up a day to feel lousy. Even if it means I won't catch the flu. Other than that, it's 50/50 for me that I'll get it. I just count on my coworkers taking advantage of the free flu shot program and hope they stay away from me (if I could be so lucky)

In the UK the flu shot is generally just for the elderly and those suffering with underlying conditions that compromise their immune system, or makes the occurrence of flu more dangerous due to complications.

I'm not a healthcare professional but if you are relatively healthy, is it not better to gain immunity organically by fighting off infections, like exercising your immune system, than relying on vaccinations? Or does the UK not provide universal flu shots to save money for the NHS?

I'm not a healthcare professional but if you are relatively healthy, is it not better to gain immunity organically by fighting off infections, like exercising your immune system, than relying on vaccinations? Or does the UK not provide universal flu shots to save money for the NHS?

No, it's not really better. Vaccines contain a dead or weakened version of the virus. Your body still "fights" it like it would a full strength virus. Whether by vaccine or actual flu, your immune system reacts the same and creates its own antibodies. Vaccines don't just give you antibodies passively, they give your body an opportunity to make its own antibodies off a version of the virus that won't actually make you sick. So the work is still being done by your immune system.

I think it's a personal choice but I think if you're elderly or work with high-risk populations (Healthcare worker, daycare worker, etc.) then you really ought to get one. If you live with elderly or immunocompromised people, you really should get one to protect them. If none of this applies to you, oh well.

The 1918 flu pandemic killed 20-50 million people and infected 500 million.

I saw a picture (which I wish I owned), that my grandmother took in 1918 in Colorado of all the thousands of corpses covered in sheets out on the prairie East town (Pueblo?), victims of the Spanish Flu. she was a nurse. There was no more room in the hospitals.

It horrified her!

I get vaccinated every year, and have since the 90s. I used to get the flu every year--until then.

No flu since and no side effects from the shot.

I had the flu twice, once in my thirties and again in my forties.

It was without question the worst eight weeks of my life.

Two in bed, no sleep, hot soaking wet, freezing uncontrollable shaking, constant joint/body pain and can't eat or take medicine.

Week three, slowly walking around the house, trying to eat to regain the twenty five pounds I lost.

Week four, able to go outside, some small trips to store and a little work. Still weak.

There's a lot of folklore myths about the flu.

Don't think it's just a bad cold or you're young and can handle it.

It can kill you.

IMO it is a personal choice. Yes, the 'flu can be life-threatening.

But, (and this is just an example): I have an elderly relative who has been getting the flu vaccination for years. and every year she still gets the 'flu (bad) once or twice. A couple of years back she was so ill that she had to be hospitalised.

I just saw some stats yesterday stating that only 45% of hospital staff are taking the 'flu jab. The health service is in fact considering making the flu vaccination mandatory for hospital staff. Unusual though, don't you think, that such a percentage of hospital staff are turning down the vaccination, while urging the rest of the population to have the jab.

How Many Health Care Workers Got Vaccinated Last Season?

2017–18 flu vaccination coverage among health care personnel (HCP) was 78.4%, similar to coverage during the 2016–17 season (78.6%).

By occupation, flu vaccination coverage was highest among physicians (96.1%), pharmacists (92.2%), nurses (90.5%), and nurse practitioners and physician assistants (87.8%)

Flu vaccination coverage was lowest among other clinical health care personnel (80.9%), assistants and aides (71.1%), and nonclinical health care personnel (72.8%).

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/healthcareworkers.htm