Flu shot - poll

[Kamloops50]

Where we live people who haven't had a flu shot aren't allow to visit people in hospital or old age facilities.

[BecciBoo]

So the flu is getting pretty widespread where I am. People are wearing masks in grocery stores, trains, etc. I've only gotten the flu shot once due to lack of insurance. I have insurance now and am thinking this would be a great idea. I almost ALWAYS get sick after taking a plane and even though I wash my hands and use the hand sanitizer I still would hate to get sick on or before my vacay. I took microbiology in college so I know that you don't get the flu from the flu shot (killed virus, not live, impossible to transmit from shot) so I'm not worried about that aspect lol. But I also realize when they create the vaccine they can only make an educated guess at which strains will be in the population so they aren't always effective. How many others will be getting their flu shot this year before cruising?

 

Flu shots are free here in Texas at any Wal-Mart.

[BecciBoo]

Got this years "High Dose" shot, but saw a TV piece that said it may not even have a 15% efficicy for this years strain.

 

Not taking any chances on Friday's cruise. Have Clorox, will travel!

[sail7seas]

Flu shots are free here in Texas at any Wal-Mart.

 

 

They are free in my area in Wal Mart ,C VS, Walgreens, Rite Aid,,,,,,,, all over the place, No appointment needed, no wait

[sail7seas]

I am not a medical professional sodo not know but I have read that getting a flu shot every year makes immunity become somewhat cumulative and even if a g iven year the vaccine is the wrong flu strain, a person could have residual immunity from pastt flu vaccines tthey got in previous years. I don' think it can hurt anyone who does not have an allergy or other medical reason to not get a flu shot..

[dpostman]

I am not a medical professional sodo not know but I have read that getting a flu shot every year makes immunity become somewhat cumulative and even if a g iven year the vaccine is the wrong flu strain, a person could have residual immunity from pastt flu vaccines tthey got in previous years. I don' think ti can hurt anyone who does not have an allergy or other medical reason to not get a flu shot..

Yes. You say you are not a medical professional but you understand this better than some of my co-workers at my hospital.

(y)

 

dp

Edited January 23, 2018 by dpostman

[XBGuy]

There is no downside to getting the shot.

 

If you get the shot, and you get the flu, you're just unlucky. It happens. Nothing is guaranteed.

 

I'm 69 years old. I am not positive that I've ever had the flu. I've had my share of sore throats, congested nasal passages, coughs, low grade fevers, but I've always bounced back in a few days. I don't think I've ever been as sick as I have heard flu described.

 

Finally, though, I thought that maybe I better stop pushing my luck. So, once I went on Medicare I started getting the flu shot every autumn.

[ReneeFLL]

I've never had a flu shot. Haven't had the flu in almost 40 years. 😁

You have been lucky, but I wouldn't push my luck. We get 1 every year.

 

I've never been in a car accident but I still wear my seat belt ;p

dp

 

So funny and true.

 

 

We would usually get ours at the doctors office or at Costco. This year I saw a commercial for Target saying you would get a $5.00 coupon. I don't remember what the cost was or if it was free because we have insurance. So we each got 5.00 worth of free merchandise/groceries. Didn't even have to buy extra stuff if you didn't want to. :D

[XBGuy]

Target saying you would get a $5.00 coupon. I don't remember what the cost was or if it was free because we have insurance. So we each got 5.00 worth of free merchandise/groceries. Didn't even have to buy extra stuff if you didn't want to. :D

 

Well, I guess I messed up. I went to CVS and didn't get no stinkin' coupon from them. Target is my go-to stop for things like shaving cream, shampoo, deodorant,

[Ladysilver]

I've never been in a car accident but I still wear my seat belt ;p

 

dp

Me too. 😝

[SRF]

This year, the flu shot does not provide a lot of protection against the flu going around.

 

They pick 3 flu strains to include in the vaccine each year. Sometimes, they don't get the right ones. Sometimes, they reformulate the vaccine and put out a new one.

 

But I get all vaccines I can (do a lot of international travel). I want all the protection I can get.

 

For getting the flu shop, Target has a deal, get the flu shot for free, and get a $5 Target gift card. Yes, they will PAY you to get your flu shot.

[clackey]

I get a flu shot every October, have for many years now. Even if I were to get the flu I would still know that I did what I could to try and prevent it. Our insurance pays 100% so I see no reason not to get it.

We are with Yvonne. We get one every year in October and we usually cruise in November or December. When you get semi-over-the-hill you need to take every precaution.

[whogo]

It's dangerous paying attention to scientific facts about flu. The next thing you know you'll start believing that the earth is round and more than 6,000 years old.

[capriccio]

I haven't had the flu for over 40 years. I get the flu shop every year. I don't want to get it as a senior. It can be very serious.

The last time I had the flu was 29 years ago. One minute I was feeling fine, the next I was falling (luckily from a seated position) over passed out and banged my face on a tile floor. I was sick for the next week with a fever and body aches plus a black eye that lasted weeks. I haven't missed a flu shot since.

[Hlitner]

I got the flu shot and still got the flu. Was sick for about 3 weeks--this year it has not been very effective. Tried to ride it out, but thank God for antibiotics. I'm thinking of investing in latex gloves for my upcoming cruise.:p

 

Oh my! Why would you even want antibiotics...if you had influenza. Antibiotics are 100% useless against the flu (or other viruses). So if antibiotics helped you...you did not have the flue.

 

And what good would latex gloves do against airborne spread bugs like the flu?

 

Hank

[mom says]

 

And what good would latex gloves do against airborne spread bugs like the flu?

 

Hank

 

No good whatsoever. Although they might save your hands if you are Cloroxing everything in sight. Lol.

[DrHfuhruhurr]

There is no downside to getting the shot.

 

Not universally true. My mother-in-law has a really hard time with flu shots. Every time she gets the shot, she ends up with chills and vomiting for approximately the next 12 hours. I don't know how deactivated virus can cause that, but it's like clockwork.

[Underwatr]

An 85-year old tablemate got the flu a few days into our Christmas cruise, verified by the shipboard medical center. Since he had had the flu shot he was only down for a few days. We always get a flu shot and make sure to have had it at least 2-3 weeks before going in a cruise.

[squick64]

I got the flu shot a while ago--I get it through work because I work in the healthcare industry (although not with patients).

 

I don't know if I've ever had the flu in my life (even without shots). I usually get a cold or two.

[Keith1010]

Got the flu shot in September.

 

Takes a couple of weeks to take full effect.

 

Flu season began in October.

 

Keith

[Krazy Kruizers]

We got our Flu shots in September.

We get them every year.

[buggins0402]

Well, I guess I messed up. I went to CVS and didn't get no stinkin' coupon from them. Target is my go-to stop for things like shaving cream, shampoo, deodorant,

 

I got a $5 coupon from CVS for getting the flu shot there.

[MalteseMama2]

I always get a flu shot. It wasn’t very effective during the Swine Flu epidemic several years ago, but I didn’t come down with that strain. I was teaching elementary school that year and fully expected to get sick even with the flu shot. Guess I was lucky.

My dr told me to take cleaning wipes on the plane & wipe off the overhead air nozzle as well as the tray. Good advice I plan to follow.

 

 

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[Got2Cruise]

If you’ve ever had a full blown case of the flu. Coughing, high temp, can’t even lift your head off the pillow — you will get the flu shot because you never want to experience that again.

[Canadianmama3]

If you’ve ever had a full blown case of the flu. Coughing, high temp, can’t even lift your head off the pillow — you will get the flu shot because you never want to experience that again.

 

 

 

Exactly. I remember crawling back to my bedroom from the bathroom because I didn’t have enough strength to walk. And I remember being so cold from the fever I was wrapped in multiple blankets and still shivering.

 

I don’t ever want to go through that again.

 

 

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