Flu shot

I get the flu jab due to my medical conditions, and DH is eligible for one due to living in the same household and potentially being my carer - even though he wouldn't qualify otherwise.  I'm not sure if it's a UK-wide policy, or something that individual trusts decide.

I suspect it's individual trust.  My trust used to do flu shots for the primary caretaker over an infant and no longer do them now.  And my husband gets one due to having a compromised immune system but the rest of the family don't qualify due to that.  The 4 year old gets the spray but the baby gets nothing until next year.

Asda is usually the cheapest.  Definitely less than £10.   

I paid £6 at Asda last year, or was it a fiver?

If you were offered one and want one, I'd certainly go ahead and get it and not wait too long. Apparently the demand for vaccine is up this year globally and supplies may not keep up. https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/news/wholesalers-unable-supply-additional-flu-jabs-stock-shortages

I had a flu shot about a week before we moved over in 2017. Came down the next week with what sure seemed like the flu - was really ill and not completely well for several months. I'd like to think that the jab at least kept it from being worse. The protection offered by the jabs wanes after six months. So, I probably should have another one, so I guess I'll contact the GP.

Apparently the 2017/18 vaccine wasn't as protective as hoped:  "The overall vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the 2017-2018 flu vaccine against both influenza A and B viruses is estimated to be 40%. This means the flu vaccine reduced a person’s overall risk of having to seek medical care at a doctor’s office for flu illness by 40%. Protection by virus type and subtype was: 25% against A(H3N2), 65% against A(H1N1) and 49% against influenza B viruses. These VE estimates were presented to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on June 20, 2018."  https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season-2017-2018.htm

There was also an issue in the US where one of the strains of flu in the vaccine caused anaphylaxis in some people who later came down with that strain of flu. Hospitals thought they were septic and gave the wrong treatment so it was a lot deadlier than it would have been if they were better at recognising the slow onset anaphylaxis as the infection load increased.

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Oh my!

http://www.lloydspharmacy.com/en/info/flu-vaccination

£11.50 at Lloyds.

https://www.boots.com/health-pharmacy-advice/vaccinations/flujab

£12.99 at Boots.

Superdrug £9.99 and I read somewhere that is discounted if you have one of their Beauty cards.
https://www.superdrug.com/microsite/flu-jab

There was also an issue in the US where one of the strains of flu in the vaccine caused anaphylaxis in some people who later came down with that strain of flu. Hospitals thought they were septic and gave the wrong treatment so it was a lot deadlier than it would have been if they were better at recognising the slow onset anaphylaxis as the infection load increased.

Her family haven't said so, but I think this is what happened to my friend last year.  It was a very bad time.  It all happened so quickly.  Her last email was "Everybody is getting sick around me.  Pray I don't get it," to her passing a week later.  :/

Edited to clatify: I do know she was diagnosed with flu, then sepsis, then multiple organ failure.  They haven't come back and revised it to say it was anaphylaxis.

Oh, that's awful. So sorry JFKimberly.

Oh, that's awful. So sorry JFKimberly.

Thank you.  It was a bit of a shock. She had similar reduced lung capacity to me.  We initially met on a support forum for that, and then became RL friends (we even got our only tattoos together, even if they're not the same tattoo).

Her family haven't said so, but I think this is what happened to my friend last year.  It was a very bad time.  It all happened so quickly.  Her last email was "Everybody is getting sick around me.  Pray I don't get it," to her passing a week later.  :/

Edited to clatify: I do know she was diagnosed with flu, then sepsis, then multiple organ failure.  They haven't come back and revised it to say it was anaphylaxis.

The same happened to an extended family member That's why I mentioned it after the research came out showing it behaved similarly to some other viruses. It's important to know because sometimes family advocating is the only way a person is saved.

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