Winter Flu Jabs - for or against?

Husband and I started having it when my father was terminally ill, and have continued, as my mother is elderly and we work with young children (both teachers)
No adverse effects and no flu.

The flu has really hit Australia hard, this year, many people have died from it. GD5 had it and DD took her to the hospital in the middle of the night because her coughing was so bad her nose kept bleeding. GS 9 also had it, then I caught it. Meanwhile my other GDs and DD who live in a different state had it too. So many people I know have now had it.

In September I was in Central Queensland helping my niece pack up her house. We heard the influenza was rife further down the East coast of Australia, just where we were heading for a holiday with DN's sons 9 and five years old. We spent four days in Noosa and Byron Bay then travelled through NSW and on to my home where DN and GN's (great nephews) spent a few days. My GD5 and GN5 are the best of friends so they spent a few days playing together and then GD started to become unwell. DS, DIL and my two GSs also arrived from a trip and stayed at my house for a few days . My niece and her DSs, DS, DIL and GSs all didn't catch the flu. You would think one of them, especially the children as they all played together for days would have caught it.

I have never had the flu before, it's very different from a heavy cold and I felt very flat and unwell. Not what I would have imagined at all.

I still wouldn't have a flu vaccine but if you are check if they are covering the Australian Influenza. Apparently the flu vaccine this year in Australia only covered 40% of the current influenzas.

You are right Iam64 lots of people say they have flu when they very likely don’t have it.I have only had flu twice in my life,and it’s ghastly.

Just had the flu jab yesterday, the nurse reminded me that I still hadn’t had the pneumonia one, but said to leave it a week or two, or the double whammy could leave me seriously ‘under the weather’, so hope you will feel ok Phoenix ?

I'm 59 and recently diagnosed with COPD. When I went to my GP to check if the meds I had been prescribed were doing the job, I said "I expect you will want to give me the flu jab?" He had already got the kit ready.

I said "I suppose you will want an arm, then!" He told me that he would actually want 2 arms, as he was going to give me the pneumonia one as well!

One arm is still a tiny bit achy, but as I don't know which vaccine went into which arm, I can't say which is the culprit!

It isn't a live vaccine, so you don't get flu from it. It is a mix of the current viruses around and will afford some protection but not to all. I think it is worth having and have it every year. It won't stop 100% of people getting flu 100% of the time, nothing will, but on balance personally I tink it is worth it!

We always have them. DH is diabetic and has a compromised immune system and I don't want to risk catching it myself and making him ill.

I haven't had flu for many years thank goodness. DD once had to fly to America with flu. She spent the whole flight alternating between nosebleeds and throwing up - not an experience she has ever forgotten.

As a retired health professional I have always promoted flu vaccs for the elderly and vulnerable and always had them myself but honestly think that whether they are very effective is quite complex. I think it is true that some people have an immunity to flu, probably from a previous infection. The concern is, how do you know? The other factor is with age, the immune system is weaker but unfortunately the flu vaccine is also less effective in the elderly, and the virus mutates. On balance I still hedge my bets and have the jab.

Ive had flu once, over the millennium. It was dreadful, people who say they went to work/staggered round the shop with flu, didn't have flu, they had a heavy cold or chest infection. Flu puts you in bed and leaves you weak.
I do have the flu jab because of age and immune issues. I hope I never get flu again and can see why after WW1, so many people died as a result of the flu epidemic.

I am neither for or against, but I have never had flu, neither have my sisters nor did my parents. During the 1957 Asian flu pandemic I was at boarding school and eventually the school closed for a fortnight so many teachers and pupils had succumbed. I returned to the army camp where I lived, and the flue epidemic again was laying every one low - except us.

I have since read that about 40% of the population have a built in protection against flue. I assume my family must be among that group so, while I quite accept my thinking is irrational I do not have the flu jab in case it compromises my probable natural immunity.

Had it 10 days ago. Sore arm, but not a problem. Since then, flu-like symptoms, aches, head cold and chesty cough but I’m sure that’s a separate bug. My GP did warn me that I’m not covered fir the Oz strain, so fingers crossed. Nothing I can do tbh. I had the pneumonia jab and then had pneumonia two years ago, so things don’t always work. I feel, just do what you can.

We had ours yesterday. I do not think my OH would survive flu.

At least if you have had the jab no one can moan should you be unlucky and get flu later! That’s how I have worked for last few years!!

Although they say you can have flu and shingles and flu and pneumonia jabs together, I've chosen not to. No evidence base but I felt better about that and didn't mind the extra trip to the surgery

My husband had a heart attack earlier this year so we thought we should get it done this time. (First time ever.) It was very quick and no after effects so far. They also gave my husband the shingles jab and he is fine. Fingers crossed it does the job.

DH and I always have our flu jabs and have never had flu . We have had shingles and pneumonia jabs too. The only time I felt unwell for a few hours was when I had the flu and pneumonia jabs at the same time.

Thanks everyone.
Food for thought.

We will be having ours, can't risk catching flu.

We've had ours, no adverse reactions. I've had a flu jab for many years as I was NHS staff. The only year I missed I caught flu - coincidence maybe but I suspect not.

I've had it done, I pay for mine as I'm under 65, I've been having it for a few years now and have never had side effects. However I was told by the pharmacist who administered it this year it won't protect against the Australian strain that we are to expect this winter.

We had ours last week, and as an extra for being good, they gave me a shingles jab as well (they used to give you a sweet!). We have never had a reaction to the flu jab, but I do agree that they don't seem to be able to keep up with all these various strains of flu that keep occurring.

No sore arm and no side effects and haven’t had flu since I started having them first as a NHS worker then after I retired for my age

I have also had the pneumonia jab when I hit 70 as a few friends had been very very ill in hospiral with it one was in for five weeks touch and go and one died after a few days in hospital I also had the shingles jab as that’s a nasty old thing when you get older they are both one offs

I had my flu jab two weeks ago- no sore arm and no side effects. I have had the flu jab every year for as long as I can remember and cannot remember having flu since I was a child.

I also have read that there have been deaths in Australia this year from people contracting the flu.

I had mine a few days ago. The nurse told me that this year they're expecting a particularly nasty version so I would recommend you get it done.

I have had flu jabs for the last umpteen years -as frontline NHS staff, as a carer, privately, and now because I'm 'of age'. Couple of times I've apparently had a minor reaction - but it's never certain if that was a bug incubating at the point I had the jab!
The flu jabs can never protect you from every passing virus (some of which may be another strain of influenza, others just nasty bugs!). And of course influenza will evolve quicker than the machinery of manufacturing the vaccine!
However, overall they do a decent job of protecting vulnerable people from most of the worst strains of influenza. Best to think of it as doing a public health job, lessening the effects of flu on the population, rather than protecting every individual against every strain of flu.

One reason we don't have compulsory vaccinations in this country is so that individuals can make their own choices, based on their understanding of the benefits and risks.