Flu shot

[anniemae]

Is it worth us getting the flu shot before we come over? I missed out on having it this year as was sick when I was suppose to get it, then forgot about it afterwards. How germy is the States at the moment?

I have travel insurance that is pretty extensive but having to find a GP and possibly a chemist when away from home will irritate me no end.

My GP has left it up to me to decide, which isn't a good thing this week - I can barely decide what shoes to wear daily.

Yeah, breaking my own rule here

Thanks.

Personally, I would get it. Why not stack the deck in your favor? We are in cold and flu season, so lots of viruses are going around, tons of wonderful things like stomach bugs, hand foot mouth, the flu, and general icky colds. Also take precautions like lots of hand washing and don't touch your face. I also bring hand wipes and antibacterial gel.

 

[anniemae]

They may still use the attenuated version in Canada?

That could be. I know here the mist is live, the shot is not.

 

[kimblebee]

That could be. I know here the mist is live, the shot is not.

We don't use a nasal spray here..at least no one I know has been offered it.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Only you can decide if you should get it.

I get mine every year.
I got it a couple weeks ago.

I go into it knowing more than I used to though.

You may not be able to get the flu from the flu shot but you can have flu like symptoms for a couple days after it which are a side effect.
Luckily I only felt sick for a few hours the next day this time however my mom felt sick for 3 days. She is a senior and apparently they are giving seniors a dose with a few other strains in it as well so it can give you worse side effects.

I've also learn that the flu shot may not be effective at all if they predicted the wrong strains that year.

And it does not always prevent the flu but more just minimizes how sick you get.

It also does not take full effect for 2 weeks. (Not sure when you're going)

 

[anniemae]

We don't use a nasal spray here..at least no one I know has been offered it.

Yeah, I was talking to my dr. and she said the mist (for kids) was only like 3% effective last year! I don't even think they manufactured it this year. Is the flu shot live in Canada? I cannot have live vaccines either but in the U.S. the flu shot is not a live virus vaccine.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

That could be. I know here the mist is live, the shot is not.

Yep.

I can't get a live virus vaccine. But I get my flu shot every year.

 

[kimblebee]

Yeah, I was talking to my dr. and she said the mist (for kids) was only like 3% effective last year! I don't even think they manufactured it this year. Is the flu shot live in Canada? I cannot have live vaccines either but in the U.S. the flu shot is not a live virus vaccine.

I did a little more looking and apparently the mist is available in Manitoba, so I apologize. We have the option of the mist (live) and a live and not live shot.

I will still choose not to get the shot. Enough people do that I should be ok. Plus, I'm pretty much a homebody right now and everyone knows to Purcell before they come around me.

 

[MinnieMouse84]

It's definitely worth it, and I say that as someone with a needle phobia. Rum helps if you need to ease the fear before the shot.

 

[blackpearl77]

I would get it - just because the airplane air is the germiest! I think it takes like 2 weeks for the shot to work so get it early!

 

[undertheradar]

DL at NYE? Yes, get the shot. Never know if it will be warm and sunny or cold and rainy that time of year.

 

[rotlex]

Nope. Never. 25 years ago I stopped getting them. Haven't had the flu since.

 

[nkereina]

Unless you are allergic to eggs, you shouldn't have any issues with the shot.

Not really true - it's totally individual as to whether you'll have a reaction or not. DH has had a reaction nearly every time he's gotten the shot, and he does not have any allergies.

That being said, for OP, if you've gotten the shot in the past with no reaction then you'd probably be fine. I'd get it just to be safe.

 

[Tasha228]

I work at a hospital. I do the coding for the hospital and the surrounding clinics. I code every case of flu that comes in. Yesterday I coded the 1st positive flu of the season. In years past, I have seen more by now BUT in years past we weren't still having temps in the upper 80s to low 90s in Nov. either. I am a big advocate of the flu shot for many reasons. I won't start a debate. All I will say is there is a lot of misinformation about the flu shot out there. I, personally, would get it. One thing to know though is that it takes 2 weeks after getting the shot for it to take effect. So the sooner you get it, the better.

 

[loves to dive]

I'm on the drink plenty of rum and wash your hands and you'll be o.k. band wagon. If you get a flu shot every year at home, get one, if you don't normally I wouldn't but then I'm knocking on the door of 60 and have never had one. I've never had the shingles shot either, I actually got shingles on one spot on my thigh, no rash just a good bit of pain for about a week. It happened to be right in the spot I had my one chicken pock when I had them as a child. I don't do well with medicines, way back in the 70s when you had to get shots of just about everything to travel overseas, the shots almost killed me (literally) so I roll the dice and take my chances.

 

[BLAZEY]

The nasal spray is offered for children 2+ here in BC, we also have 2 versions of the shot as well available this year. We got ours done.

 

[cvjw]

I just returned from voting, and the gymnasium was full with people waiting to vote. We were all in line after line waiting for our turn to vote.

I could not believe the number of people who were coughing in the line. It sounded like they were coughing up lungs. If this is any indication of the number of people in the general public that is sick, I would get the flu shot.

I will be getting mine very shortly. Of course it is too late for all the germs I was just exposed to

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I just returned from voting, and the gymnasium was full with people waiting to vote. We were all in line after line waiting for our turn to vote.

I could not believe the number of people who were coughing in the line. It sounded like they were coughing up lungs. If this is any indication of the number of people in the general public that is sick, I would get the flu shot.

I will be getting mine very shortly. Of course it is too late for all the germs I was just exposed to

I'm a big advocate of the flu shot, but it's not a magic bullet against sickness. Chances are that everybody you encountered had something other than the flu. The average adult gets 2-4 colds per year (that number triples with kids under twelve) which is a much higher rate than the flu (not to mention asthma, allergies, or a whole host of non-contagions that make people cough).

Now even though you're less likely to pickup the flu than a cold-the flu can be deadly and cause complications. It's a potentially nasty virus with some more virulent strains have killed millions.

TL;DR flu is bad, flu shots are good, but lots of things make people sick that aren't the flu.

 

[jevs]

Thanks everyone

My clinic still has some vaccine left over from our flu season so I've made an appt for Monday to get jabbed - 2 and a half weeks before leaving.

 

[JPPT1974]

I did get mine. And really need to get it at this time. As it takes two weeks to get into the system.

 

[Kitty 34]

I got my flu shot, Jo, but I also have daily "shots" of rum!!!!! Both work for me!!!