Can anyone shed light on this year’s flu vaccine?

I am not a fan of vaccines but had one when I was at work because if I didn't and was off for a week or more with flu I think my employers wouldn't have been too pleased.

Since retiring I haven't bothered but because my husband has been very poorly after an operation I know I can't afford to risk getting flu so decided to have the vaccine. My arm was very sore for two days.

You would certainly know if you had flu rather than a cold. I had a very bad bout of flu in about 1965 and honestly felt I was dying. I was ill for two weeks, lost quite a bit of weight and felt really weak and dizzy when I eventually got out of bed.

On a slightly different matter, Simon Calder wrote that research has found that the airport is the place where you are most likely to pick up germs. The trays into which people put their belongings going through security are apparently riddled with bacteria. SC said that as soon as he has been through security he goes straight to the toilets and washes his hands thoroughly. He also said to either pay by cash or use contactless on the card machine in the airport chemists as they have also been found to harbour huge amounts of bacteria.

oh, lovely!
Thanks for sharing that Eloethan!

But I will remember that and wash my hands. However, by the time your main luggage has been through the system, gone into the hold, retrieved at the other end and put on the reclaim belt it must be riddled with germs.

Even after hand washing you still have to touch stuff that’s been in trays. How can you sterilise that and money is always contaminated with bacteria & drug residue ie cocaine? Interesting that it’s worse at airports.

How does Simon Calder know that he is not contributing to the bacteria with his own items? Does he keep sterilising them?

I wonder if he is one of those people who wear face masks?

From my recollection, he based his comments on research that had been done. I'm sure he is well aware that he, like everyone else, contributes to the bacteria. Of course, washing hands would not eliminate germs left on the contents put into trays but I suppose it would help a bit.

I can't say I'm overly concerned about germs but I did think it was a useful piece of information.

I had my flu jab this morning, my arm is a little sore but so far nothing else. I have been attempting to get the jab for over a month and I actually contacted my MP about the shortage of vaccine and he in turn contacted the relevant department. Their reply was that

"......the NHS has ordered enough doses but it is arriving in waves as there is only one supplier for Europe. The first waves have been delivered to GPs and pharmacists with more arriving over the coming weeks ahead of the flu season"

I don't this is a very satisfactory answer and I wonder if in fact those in charge of ordering underestimated the take up.

Or the suppliers can't keep up.

DD is organising nasal flu 'vaccinations' for the pupils in her school and can't get it done until 18 December . Sounds a bit late to me .....

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/

sorry if this link was posted before. I skimmed the thread b4 posting.

I had my first flu appointment cancelled Barberdice, and eventually rebooked and successfully had it thursday last.
Its a good job that I have one of those large Calenders, I have got an E C G booked for Friday next.
It gets busy before Xmas

My husband was in bed for almost a week after having his vaccine this year with muscle pains and flu like symptoms. Anyone else have this reaction?

DH was ill for a week after his but I have been ridiculed for suggesting there is a connection, he was so ill I thought he was going to die. It also happened to me when I had my first injection at 65 but not since.

Harrigran I'm still debating whether to have my first at 69. So far I have avoided it because I'm one of those people who catastrophises every time. I don't have any particular health concerns such as heart or lungs or other conditions so feel I'm not particularly vulnerable but I might be wrong. [

I had one last week. I had to have the one for under 65’s which protects against 4 strains of flu virus, rather than the over 65’s which only protects against 3, according to the pharmacist. Apparently NHS England have told practices and pharmacies they can now do this, because of the shortages of over-65’s vaccines.
Having had flu a few years ago there’s no way I want to go through that again if I can avoid it.
I’ve had no ill-effects from the vaccine at all.

Annep no one in this household has had at reactions to the flu vaccines but there are various reasons for being ill afterwards.

One is that your dh was already incubating a virus at the time he had the jab so it's just coincidence.

Another is that his immune system produced a strong response to the vaccine, the symptoms of which resemble flu itself but it's not infectious, it's the body's own response.

I had flu last winter, for the first time since about 1968 and was ill for three weeks so I paid for a jab this year and am hoping it works.

Thanks Suedonim and everyone else. I have M.E. so I might ask for the under 65 one as I react very easily.

I had mine just over a week ago. No after effects and arm less sore than previous years. This vaccine is supposed to be the " super " one for the over 75's as the one last year didn't work. We'll see !