Flu Vaccination - Yes or No?

[ronandannette]

Flu Season is officially upon us here as of October 1. From now until March, everyone in the province is entitled to a flu shot, free-of-charge, provided at mobile clinics and pharmacies everywhere. There are a million doses available for a population of about 4 million; obviously not everybody gets one. Many larger companies run clinics at their sites for employee convenience. Health care workers and first-responders are required by their terms of employment to be vaccinated and maybe people in other professions too; I'm not sure. There is currently no requirement for children to be vaccinated to go to school or daycare like there is for other things such as MMR and whooping cough.

We're "those people" who have never experienced the flu in our household and don't prioritize getting the shot. We're not directly exposed to any high-risk individuals so the idea of protecting them isn't an issue. I've gotten the shot for the past two years (after having been gently-pressured into it first by my employer and last year by my pharmacist). No ill-effects and I'll probably get one again this season. My DH and DS have never, AFAIK.

Do you have access to free flu shots? Do you take it? Why or why not?

 

[firefly_ris]

Yes, and myself and my kids get them, but my husband has the Guillain-Barre reaction to them so he doesn't get them. We have free access to them but most typically just get them at my OB for myself and the ped for the kids.

I don't have a particular worry over it for ourselves, but we interact with a few immunocompromised people so it's more for them.

 

[tvguy]

Yes, 2 places. We had a flu shot clinic at work 2 weeks ago for free.
And my insurance pays for the vaccine if I don't want to get the shot at work.
Been getting the flu shot for the past 14 years. Haven't had the flu since before then.
Having had the flu was enough to convince me that if there was something that reduced my risk of getting it again, I was going to do it.

 

[DisneyHardin]

A flu shot is free with my insurance. I got mine at the doctors office last week during an appointment for something else. If I don't have a dr. appointment scheduled at the beginning of flu season, I just usually get mine from Walgreens.

 

[starry_solo]

At my doctor's, you can walk in anytime for a month or so and they offer flu shots for free during that time (if you don't already have an appointment). Work also offers it.

I didn't get it for the longest time, then in 2014 had pneumonia (ugh!) and since then, have gotten a flu shot every year.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

My DH gets one for free through his office. This year our school system is giving them for free to students. Yeah!! Our insurance covered them anyway, but I have teenagers so sometimes finding the time to take them is hard. I am excited they are getting them during the school day. My oldest thinks he can get one for free at his college. He will be going over Thanksgiving if he doesn't get one there.

So, it is only me that does not get one through employer or school. It is actually on my to-do list today! I job share at a school, so I am on my DH's insurance. If I was on school insurance, I could get one.

 

[ronandannette]

My DH gets one for free through his office. This year our school system is giving them for free to students. Yeah!! Our insurance covered them anyway, but I have teenagers so sometimes finding the time to take them is hard. I am excited they are getting them during the school day. My oldest thinks he can get one for free at his college. He will be going over Thanksgiving if he doesn't get one there.

So, it is only me that does not get one through employer or school. It is actually on my to-do list today! I job share at a school, so I am on my DH's insurance. If I was on school insurance, I could get one.

Question (and I haven't thought about this for years): Are routine childhood immunizations still offered at schools? I know that's where I got most of mine (in the 70's-80's in a remote, rural location). I honestly don't remember if DS had shots in school (he's 22).

 

[mamamary]

I've always gotten it for my kids. They are both away at college now. My daughter has had a bad cough/cold so she had to postpone. We visited my son over the weekend at school and since we were in a cvs he got his free (with showing our insurance card) while we were there. I only started getting mine last year. My friend had the flu really bad and had to go to the hospital. My dh never gets his but decided he really should this year. On Sunday we both stopped into Target and not only got it free with our insurance we each got a $5 gift card to be used within 3 weeks (I think). So we made money on the deal - lol. My mother tells me her flu story every year of how she got so sick that she has always gotten it every year after that.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Yes. We all get them. I’m a school teacher who works in a school aka a germ factory. My two kids are in college - another germ factory!! So flu shots for all!

 

[jerseygal]

DH, myself, and two adults sons(past history asthma) always get the flu shot, as children/adolescents they had asthma very bad, so certainly not taking any chances of not getting the flu shot... I had the flu, 3 years ago, even though I got the shot. Doc started Tamiflu for me within 24 hours of onset of symptoms and DH preventatively(2 sons were not in household at time)..The duration and severity of the flu was much less than if I hadn't got the flu shot. Deaths from flu complications can be prevented by getting the shot. PS..Takes 2 weeks after flu shot to become effective, so don't wait too long, especially if traveling to WDW , DL, or Universal! LOTS of germs!We got our free through our insurance company at CVS, very easy!

 

[antmaril]

I got my flu shot yesterday. My internist and cardiologist both HIGHLY recommend I get a flu shot.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

Question (and I haven't thought about this for years): Are routine childhood immunizations still offered at schools? I know that's where I got most of mine (in the 70's-80's in a remote, rural location). I honestly don't remember if DS had shots in school (he's 22).

No, at least not in Indiana. My kids are 19, 17, and almost 14, and this is the first time any shot has been offered at school.

 

[Gigi22]

I’ve been getting an annual flu shot for well over 10 years now. When my late mother lived in a retirement residence, you had to have a flu shot to visit any of the residents during flu season. My job involved contact with the public, so I always felt the shot was a good idea for me. I’ve had a free shot from my dr., city-run flu clinics, and most recently at the pharmacy.

 

[smiths02]

Flu shot comes with our insurance (no co-pay and you can just walk in without a scheduled visit). Everyone in my household who is old enough has been getting them yearly for at least the last 13 years. (DH and I have been getting them longer but I'm not sure we did it EVERY year. ) Our insurance has always included flu shots or any other vaccine we needed.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/heal...u-vaccine-get-shots-kids-maybe-go-egg-n906291
Getting a flu shot definitely reduces your chances of dying from the flu.

"Flu is a major killer. This past flu season showed just how bad it can get: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says flu killed 80,000 people in 2017-2018, including 180 children, and put 900,000 into the hospital."

ETA: We have not had the flu in those 13 years (or if we did it was mild enough not to seek medical help).

 

[bdcp]

Absolutely. After having the flu twice (all 4 of us) when my kids were in elementary school I said, never again. I've been getting the shot for 21 years and DH has for prob 30. He was required as a drilling navy reservist (retired in 2011 from reserves) and just kept getting them at work. Our boys are in their early 30's and both get them every year through their employers. We pay nothing for the shots as insurance covers them, but I'd get them even if I had to pay. We're leaving tomorrow for a 2.5 week vacation - cruise and NYC so I got my shot a month ago to make sure I have protection.

The flu isn't what usually kills people. It's secondary infections from your suppressed immune system from the flu and just because you're young or healthy doesn't mean you can't get very sick or die from it. It happens every year. Don't assume because you rarely get sick that you can't get the flu. I never really get sick and I still caught the flu those two times. The only sick leave I've taken from work in the last 21 years was a couple of times for bad colds and this last year for my bad gallbladder which has since been removed. I work in an office and only occasionally come into contact with people I don't work with everyday, but that really doesn't matter as they have contact with others. DH caught type b this past April but because he'd had the vaccine, he had a very mild case and no secondary infection. The two times I had the flu I caught pink eye after one and a sinus infection after the second.

 

[smiths02]

Question (and I haven't thought about this for years): Are routine childhood immunizations still offered at schools? I know that's where I got most of mine (in the 70's-80's in a remote, rural location). I honestly don't remember if DS had shots in school (he's 22).

Not usually from what I have seen. The school will dis-enroll students who do not bring the required documentation after a certain time period (although the documentation can include a waiver for religious exemption, I believe). Many counties in our area have public health departments that will do vaccinations.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

We always get the flu shot. It isn't 100% foolproof, but it's better than nothing.

 

[aprilchem]

Got mine last week. My employer had a vaccine clinic and I was able to get a flu shot, a pneumonia vaccination, and a tDap booster all at once. Very convenient! The only other vaccine they offered was shingles, which I would love to get (I'm in my 40s, but I've had several friends who got shingles and I do not want to get that!) but my insurance doesn't pay for it unless you are over 60.

 

[because]

yes. Daughter has a heart defect. We are all required to get flu shots. I am also the anti-antivaxxer. If a legit vaccine exists, we will take it. I am all for protection. I never want to have to say "what if."

 

[RangerPooh]

We get them every year. Our insurance pays for them so it's a no brainer. A few years ago our employer would have a day designated flu shot day to encourage employees to get them, as we worked for a large university. My whole office would designate it "field trip" time and go as group. Currently a good friend of mine is a Pharmacist at Target so we get them there. Plus we wait until they have the $5 giftcard offer to make it even sweeter.