Flu Shot

[Kellydelly]

Not true, the vaccination this year is quite affective against this years flu strain....how do you know they got 'the flu'?

How do you know it isn't true? Why are so many people sick this season . If it were effective there would not be such an outbreak . Your comment makes a lot less sense than mine .

 

[SpecialK]

I heard on the news today that over 70% of the flu cases being diagnosed are in people who did not get the vaccine.

We just got ours. My son had an awful case of H1N1 the year it was prevalent. I never want to see him that sick again if there's anything I can do to prevent it.

 

[minkydog]

Influenza is severe here in GA. We all got flu shots. So far, so good. DH has severe lung disease and is quite immunocompromised. A bout of flu OR pneumonia could kill him outright. We don't take chances. we use hand sanitizer, wash hands, avoid public places when we can. This is the first Christmas in 5 yrs that DH has NOT been admitted to the hospital

 

[Patience]

My 5 year old daughter had the flu shot in October and was diagnosed with type A flu the Friday before Christmas. Fortunately, she started the tamiflu quickly enough and she recovered quickly and was able to enjoy Christmas.

 

[WhateverLolaWants]

I gave in today and got my first one.

The media scared me into it! Plus we are leaving for a cruise in 2 weeks and did not want to take any chances if I didn't get one.

Comment twin! I got my first flu shot on Tuesday because I'm leaving for a cruise in two weeks also. I didn't want to risk it and potentially ruin my vacation. I read that even if you end up getting the flu then it's at least a watered down version. If I have to get it, please don't let me catch until I'm my way home! I was also able to convince my mother to get one who is afraid of doctors and anything medical related. Thank you to the sick guy at the CVS Minute Clinic for breathing on her, haha.

 

[alecshawn]

Being a professional firefighter...it is REQUIRED i get a flu shot....as should be.
There is no excuse not to get one...Unless you want a higher chance of the flu....much higher.
Also, our kids MUST get the shot to attend Catholic School...i also agree with that.

 

[alecshawn]

How do you know it isn't true? Why are so many people sick this season . If it were effective there would not be such an outbreak . Your comment makes a lot less sense than mine .

Because most with the flu didnt get the shot....its kinda silly not getting something that can save your life.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

When is the last time you had the Dtap booster? I think they are good for 10yrs or something like that? I had mine 3 yrs ago.

I am going to get the flu shot. I am caring for my dh who is recovering from bypass surgery.

My dd's already had Type A flu here. I am scared of the Type B that is going around.

I think I saw you post before about Type A presenting like a cold, right? What were the symptoms and duration? (if you don't mind sharing) My DH has been really tired and keeps getting recurring cold symptoms, but no fevers or chills. Seems sick for 2-3 days, feels better for 2-3, repeat, repeat. He has been coughing, but he's the type that always gets a cough and it lingers for weeks.

He's the only one of us that hasn't gotten a flu shot yet. Wondering if it's even worth it at this point. And he won't get one until he's feeling 100% anyway.

 

[Ephany]

My DD got her shot today. Her doctor's out of town, so we went to the Health Department. They had huge signs on the door if you were sick/running a fever to not enter the building. Everyone I know who has a confirmed case of the flu got Flumist, not the shot. DD said there's a boy in her class (4th grade) who's currently in the hospital with the flu; I'm not sure if he received a vaccine or not.

 

[Robbi]

We've never had the flu and we've never had a flu shot.
From what I've read, as Christine posted, the bad flu this year is not a strain included in the shot.

 

[bittybabygrower]

You can still get it..two weeks until your immunity is up. People I work with are coming down with the flu despite mandatory vaccines. And it is Influenza A because they were swabbed. You can still get a flu but you won't be as sick or die from it.

 

[dawnhaze]

I got a flu shot and I swear I've been sick with everything BUT the flu this year. Bronchitis, strep throat, several upper respiratory infections, the stomach bug that's floating around...

My immune system stinks so I help it out when I can.

 

[Tiger926]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162...soon-to-predict-severity-of-2012-2013-season/

Excellent article explaining flu types, vaccine effectiveness and the difference between noroviruses (which so many people call stomach flu) and influenza/flu.

Stay healthy! Tiger

 

[Robbi]

You can still get it..two weeks until your immunity is up. People I work with are coming down with the flu despite mandatory vaccines. And it is Influenza A because they were swabbed. You can still get a flu but you won't be as sick or die from it.

The flu vaccine is only about 59% percent effective at preventing the illness from developing so you still have a 41% chance of getting the flu, getting sick and dying.

 

[bdcp]

After having the flu two years in a row when our boys were in elementary school, I said NEVER again. We all 4 had it at the same time both times. I've been getting the flu shot every year (usually in Oct) since I went back to work 16 years ago. I am never sick. I've been one of the few healthy people at work this year so I've been exposed to the flu, the upper respiratory virus going around and the gastrointestinal one. I've always had a great immune system, outside of those two years we had the flu. Couldn't avoid it without the shot with those two little germ factories we had then. DH and I have both been well. Neither of our sons nor our future DIL have had the flu. Stomach "flu" (not the flu) and influenza are two completely different illnesses. When someone says "stomach flu" and thinks they've had the flu it drives me crazy. Most people I know that don't get the shot have never really had influenza. If they did, they'd reconsider and get the shot. You know after you've been achy, feverish, coughing and exhausted for a week, then get a secondary infection such as pink eye or a sinus infection you rethink getting the vaccine.

 

[alecshawn]

We've never had the flu and we've never had a flu shot.
From what I've read, as Christine posted, the bad flu this year is not a strain included in the shot.

100% incorrect. It was on NBC nightly news on Wed. that it WAS/IS included in this years shot. Clearly, it is a bad decision to not get one.
My wife and I get shots..our children..get the mist.
I view the flu shot like getting the polio vaccine....Very very risky to not get it. And again, in our school system...if your child or the parent refuses.....the kid cant goto school. Its mandatory. Same with my and wifes work place. Im a firefighter/Medic she is an RN

 

[jiminyC_fan]

We never use to get the flu shots until our twins came down with the real flu quite a few years ago. They suffered for so long and were out of school way too long. We never wanted to see them like that again and so far we haven't! That was probably 25 years ago.

 

[TwoCortWort]

I don't typically get a flu shot. Never had one in my life and thus far have been lucky (of course, I probably just jinxed myself with that statement). With the flu being so bad this year, I'm wondering if I should get one? Is it too late in the season? Isn't the fall the best time to get one? I'm nervous to get one b/c the one year my DH got it, he stayed sicker that winter than he ever had been. That was his one and only time he got the shot. He swears he will never get one again.

Also, I heard several people t are getting the vaccinne for whooping cough because its so bad this year. Has anyone gotten that?

I began getting the flu shot after getting sick with it and the stomach flu back to back. It's worth the pain of it.

I was vaccinated growing up and it hasn't been brought up to get a booster, which confuses me. My niece's brother contracted whooping cough a few years ago and it was horrible. (Kid isn't related to me at all) But other than as a kid, I haven't had that shot.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

The flu vaccine is only about 59% percent effective at preventing the illness from developing so you still have a 41% chance of getting the flu, getting sick and dying.

Overall effectiveness varies from year to year. I've seen years with a much higher rate of effectiveness than 59%.

Most people who have been vaccinated but still get the flu will have reduced symptoms and duration and be less likely to develop complications.

Obviously, if you get a particular strain of flu that was not included in the vaccine, this is not the case.

Not everyone gets swabbed, and not all swabs are sent for typing. Of those that have been, they are seeing only one strain that was not included in this years vaccine and it is not the strain sending the majority of the people to the hospital. It is the H3N2 that is particularyly nasty and it is included in the vaccine this year.

We don't get a flu shot every year. I try and wait to see if the vaccine is a good match and make a decision based on that as early in the flu season as possible. Flu typically peaks in Jan/Feb. Since it hit early I was kicking myself for not getting it sooner! We always get a flu shot if we are travelling during flu season. The kids and I got our shot right after Christmas and just hit the 2 week mark. We are keeping our hands washed and our fingers crossed!

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I began getting the flu shot after getting sick with it and the stomach flu back to back. It's worth the pain of it.

I was vaccinated growing up and it hasn't been brought up to get a booster, which confuses me. My niece's brother contracted whooping cough a few years ago and it was horrible. (Kid isn't related to me at all) But other than as a kid, I haven't had that shot.

If you've had a tetanus booster recently, you likely received a combo shot that included pertussis (whooping cough).