Is everyone getting a flu jab?

Recieved a text message from my GP surgery giving me a link to enable me to book in for flu jab. However, although I tried it within ten minutes of receiving the text, just got the message saying it was no longer usable.
If I phoned surgery I would be in a waiting queue for about 40 to 50 minutes, so decided to phone local large Boots to book one there. Spent two lots of nearly twenty minutes hanging on - but no-one answered at all. So,, got out scooter and trundled down to it.
Earliest appointment is 9th October, but at least it is all booked now.
Other years I usually have doctors surgeries and different pharmacies virtually falling over each other to give me this jab.

I really don’t know what do ....having had flu twice in the past,I had the jab 3 years ago. Within a few daysI felt absolutely rotten and continued to do so for more than 2 months. I told myself it was coincidence. Next year,exactly the same thing happened. Last year my gp said not to bother with the jab. But what to do this year? I really don’t mind a few off days or a sore arm,but dread feel totally “fluey” for another few months. Any advice?

No.

I have mixed feelings. I have never had flu, despite being in the thick of it during 2 flu epidemics 1958 (boarding school), and 68-9, (hour and a half commute twice a day by train and tube.) Neither my parents nor my sisters ever had flu. I know that some people have a natural immunity, whether I am one, I am not sure, but it certainly looks possible.

As a result I have never had the flu jab, but I do wonder whether this year I ought to have it, in order to save my family feeling uneasy even though flu and COVID are entirely separate diseases.

I have only had flu once, when much younger, and that was bad enough not to want it now I’m older.

My reasoning for having the flu vacc MOnica is that however fit I feel, my immune system is not as robust merely because of age (decline of T cells). If I get flu I will be vulnerable in recovery to other incidental bugs, including Covid. Lastly for unselfish reasons, if get flu I may pass it on to those close to me.

I understand that the new vacc for over 65s can cause a few more reactions, but definitely not life threatening, whereas flu can be.

I will investigate which type of vaccine it is and how much it differs from previous years' vaccines before I decide.

They used it for the first time last year Callistemon.

I think the argument for having the flu jab this year in particular is that if you caught flu and in a weakened state then caught COVID it would be particularly hazardous. Everyone knows that the flu jab gives you no protection against COVID but not suffering from flu might protect you against being more ill from COVID.

They used it for the first time last year Callistemon.

Thanks, Greeneyedgirl

I've never had the flu jab and never will and have never had flu either. I'm against most vaccinations anyway especially when given en masse with others to small children.

I can't help noticing that it is the right wing brexiters who are also inclined to believe avtivax conspiracy theories.

oh varian, you never disappoint do you! Never known to pass up an opportunity to turn any topic of discussion to bloody Brexit! For what it's worth, I'm not a brexiter nor am I right wing and I don't have the annual flu jab.

Well here’s one Right wing brexit supporter who most definitely isn’t anti-vaccines !

There’s always one to spoil a theory, isn’t there varian ? ?

I can kind of understand those who are a bit apprehensive about the speed at which the Covid vaccine may be rolled out, but as far as other vaccines are concerned, I am all for them.

www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/brexit-and-trump-voters-more-likely-to-believe-in-conspiracy-theories-survey-study-shows

Varian it is hardly fair to include anyone who makes a personal decision to not have a flu jab amongst those who believe in the kind of conspiracies discussed in that article.

What is wrong with you?

I have had flu in the past, was very ill. I have had jab every year since the age of 65. I am now 70. Last year, I had an adverse reaction, was ill for a month but did not connect it to the jab until later. This year I shall have it again because of Covid virus. We are having jab at Boots on the 17th of the month. It takes two weeks for immunity to start.

I've just checked our surgery's plans for the flu jab. Apparently its a drive in one. There are set dates and alphabetical times we'd have to adhere to. Not allowed to arrive early or late. With the vagaries of the traffic near the (odd) location selected, there's little or no chance of me getting it right. Also concerned about twisting in drivers seat to allow access to my left arm plus having to disrobe slightly. All in all I'm going to Boots as usual.
I suspect there'll be a big drop in people being vaccinated. Apart from anything else, what if you dont have a car?

There is nothing wrong with me janeainsworth

I do not include everyone who makes a personal decision not to have a jab with conspiracy theorists. We all know that people make decisions for different reasons.

I merely point to research by the University of Cambridge and others which shows that Trump supporters and brexiters are more likely than others to believe in conspiracy theories, making them more likely to reject vaccines. They are also more likely to be climate change deniers and believe in other more outlandish conspiracies.

Fortunately the number of antivaxxers in the UK is significantly fewer than in the US, but it is still important for us to persuade as many as possible who do not have a good medical reason to refuse a vaccine to have it. The flu vaccine is available now and has been proved to be very effective.

The fact that some individuals have not been vaccinated and yet have not had flu proves nothing. Scientific proof is based on properly conducted experiments, clinical trials and the analysis of random samples, not on individual cases.

Even those who claim the flu vaccine has caused illness in the past should still have it this year.

A lot of people’s immune system would struggle to cope with the double whammy of flu and Covid at the same time, to say nothing of the impact on the NHS.

I wouldn't vote for trump.
I didn't vote to leave the EU.
I don't believe in the conspiracy theories.

I sometimes have had the vaccine but more often do not.
I evaluate the risk and the efficacy of that year's particular vaccine. They are not always as useful or effective as claimed and viruses have a tendency to mutate.

Sorry I do not fit the conspiracy theory about anti-vaxxers!

Where do you get the information that allows you to evaluate this year's flu vaccine Callistemon? Are you a virologist?

Our surgery isn't booking yet for the flu jab so when Boots wrote to us offering to do it we've booked with them - easy peasy to get an appointment online. I have an autoimmune problem and DH is 71 so it's important for us. I get a sore arm usually, DH is not affected. I remember having the flu in my twenties, and it was the worst illness I've every experienced.

Varian the OP asked a simple question - what were posters’ views on the flu vaccine.
You then bring in Brexit, antivaxxers and weird conspiracy theories and accuse GNers whom you have identified as Brexiters as being more likely to be anti-vaccination and Climate deniers.?‍♀️
As it happens, I didn’t vote for Brexit. But if I had, I’d be very annoyed that those assumptions were being made about me.

Call tbf we don’t really know the effectiveness of a flu vaccine properly until after the event . It’s a bit suck it (or jab it) and see. It’s never completely ineffective but a few years ago it did hit a new low. Still even a protection of a few % imo is better than none.

And of course the flu virus mutates - that’s why we need it every year and every years vaccine is different from the year before. It’s a ‘best guess’ inevitably based on historic data