Do you get the flu vaccination?

[Trillian]

Nope, never had it and have never had the kids done. I can't see the point in it. I would rather get the flu and build a natural immune response. If you are a well person with no immune system disorders/compromises then it's not a big deal IMO.

[Traveller]

I don't get it for my kids, but I do get it for myself as I work with pregnant ladies and newborns, plus I mix with a lot of people at uni so there's a fair chance of me catching it and passing it onto a vulnerable person so I'd rather just have the vax and limit my risk.

[Little Chicken]

I get it for me, and for the fact that I work with a population of newborns for who the flu can be fatal.

[Nai]

The kids don't get it but dp and I will. I get it because I work with people coming from all over the world and some who have compromised immunity. Also we get it so we don't pass it on to the kids. I don't want them to have the vaccine and would prefer for me to have it over them.

[Heaven]

Nope, no way.

[Floweryfields]

No I don't. Why I don't - an employer once made us all have the fluvax, it is the sickest winter I've had in my entire life. I didn't have the flu, but I did have sore throat, blocked nose alternating one week on one week off for the entire winter.
Also, as you've mentioned, it doesn't cover everything, so what's the chances that you'll miss out on the ones it doesn't cover.

Last winter a colleague was really ill with the flu - doctor gave her a lecture about not having the fluvax, another colleague who is also her friend and took her to the doctors was told, "I'll see you back here in 2 weeks" when she said she hadn't had fluvax either. She didn't get the flu at all.

I think it really depends on individual immunity and luck of the draw and not a whole lot to do with vaccinations at all. I know plenty of people who've had the vax and gotten really really sick with the flu as well.

[BellyBelly]

Theres loads of info in my link. But the annual flu vaccine is produced almost a year before flu time. They guess what the percieved flu threats will be the following season and can only pick a few (out of hundreds of strains) to put in the vaccine. Its very hit and miss and you may not even be protected from the flu going around if its not in the vaccine. Studies, cochrane database reviews, a study on why some people got sick and some not when all were infected with the flu etc in the article. Its a very eye opening read.

[Babyluv]

I will never get it again. I never used to get the flu, just a cold here and there. I started working somewhere that offered it for free so for two yrs in a row I got the flu vacc. The next yr when I didn't have the flu shot I caught the flu 3 times, it was horrible and I'm sure my immunity was messed up because of it.

[RhiChiChi]

I do get the flu vax each year and have had since commuting on public transport to and from the CBD for work. So many people cough and sneeze without covering their faces and given you are squashed in like sardines the chances of catching something like the flu is high. I also work in a large office with lots of people that commute overseas. One year almost two thirds of our office was wiped out from the flu, largely related to people traveling overseas and bringing the illness home with them, coming into work when sick and spreading the germ throughout the office. I couldnt tell you though if those that had fallen ill had the flu vax or not. I never got sick though and had the vax.
I also got it done because my hubby and DD suffer from asthma and I didn't want to take a chance of passing the flu to them, particularly my DD whom suffered alot from her asthma.
I wouldnt get my children vaxed for the flu though.
I also suffer no side effects from the vaxination
I have had the flu once in my life as a teenager and I was so ill I ended up bed ridden for nearly a week.

[Novella]

I don't for my children, not sure if they are even eligible at their age but I wouldn't anyway for them.

I do every year. I'm a nurse and work in an area that often gets people with influenza and I don't want to get ill, more importantly I don't want to bring home any nasties to my children. DH does some years and then doesn't others, he can never make up his mind about whether the limited cover is worth the risk.