Shots prior to departure?

[JessNewbs]

Now that I have your attention I don't mean that we are all going out to get plastered before you leave for your Disney adventures

My doctor has suggested that we get a flu type shot before we leave for America, does everybody else have this before they fly or is this unnecessary? The nurse at the surgery seems to believe that if we don't have it that we are all likely to end up with a flu from altitude or something......that's the last thing I want to happen! I do enjoy punishing my children for revenge but don't think taking them in for two shots before we leave would be an enjoyable experience!

 

[alicia1506]

Now that I have your attention I don't mean that we are all going out to get plastered before you leave for your Disney adventures

My doctor has suggested that we get a flu type shot before we leave for America, does everybody else have this before they fly or is this unnecessary? The nurse at the surgery seems to believe that if we don't have it that we are all likely to end up with a flu from altitude or something......that's the last thing I want to happen! I do enjoy punishing my children for revenge but don't think taking them in for two shots before we leave would be an enjoyable experience!

well, way to destroy my hopes and dreams! :rofl:

re: the flu shot - i talked to my doctor about this. he recommended the flu shot before we went as a precaution as you spend a lot of time on planes cooped up with everyone else's germs, and for some people, this can cause their immune system to get overloaded & they end up sick on holiday...

i had the flu shot at work several weeks before we left, and i came down with flu like symptoms for several days after the shot (this always happens, i get a mild dose of flu after the needle for about a week )

my partner and sister didn't get the flu shot, and they were fine.

my immune system tends to be really shoddy at the best of times, so i usually get it several weeks before we go as a bit of a booster, but i don't think it's truly all that necessary.

i guess it depends on you/your kid's natural immune system, whether you normally get sick at the drop of a hat (me) or not (most other people) and whether you feel like paying $$ for a needle you don't truly 'need' per se

 

[jacs1234]

I was so worried about that when the bird flu was huge, we were going over to disneyland in december with four young children and I was freaking a little bit. lol We didn't get the shot though but we did get two packets of tamiflu and a bunch of antibiotics to take with us, they are still in my medicine basket 4 years later lol. We've been over in winter 4 years in a row and never gotten sick and my dh is one of those that tends to get sick when he relaxes and goes on holidays.

 

[Andona]

We've never had shots for the USA or Europe - the only time I had shots was when travelling to SE Asia.

Andona

 

[Sugarglider]

A disney theme park is one the most germ ridden places you can go.

A flu shot may be useful but i am not sure if it can cover you for everything?!

I am not a germ-a-phobe but there is pretty much no escape from the kids sucking the handrails and chewing the tables, and the thousands of hands all over the door, handles, restaurants, TV remotes, phones. Standing in close proximity in queues with people from all around the world.

I get a cold every trip - who knows from where I caught it. I have just resigned myself to it happening.

the chatters on Tripadvisor have a number of germ-a-phobes who will 'educate' you on everything from removing the bedspreads to washing your cutlery.

I'm still carrying the same packet of unopened bacterial wipes from 2 years ago.

I can speak with experience - there is no chemist on Disney property. the resort shops sell mild cold and flu drugs. Pretty average though. the best one was a sachet of powder that you tip in a bottle of water and drink. That worked!

 

[marvel]

IMHO flu shots are no protection, and only really for the elderly or if you are particulary high risk. In fact you are more likely to develop flu symptoms shortly after getting the shots.

just have flu tablets ready or get some in the USA, and hit any cold symptoms as soon as they hit.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Now that I have your attention I don't mean that we are all going out to get plastered before you leave for your Disney adventures

My doctor has suggested that we get a flu type shot before we leave for America, does everybody else have this before they fly or is this unnecessary? The nurse at the surgery seems to believe that if we don't have it that we are all likely to end up with a flu from altitude or something......that's the last thing I want to happen! I do enjoy punishing my children for revenge but don't think taking them in for two shots before we leave would be an enjoyable experience!

I am going to disagree with the others the last 2 years we had flu shots no one was sick this year we decided not to get flu shots and I am very much regretting it

 

[JessNewbs]

Wow a mixed bag of reviews then. Hmmmm we have a lot to think about