Will you be getting a flu shot?

I always get a flu shot but this year agree it’s even more important than usual. The more people who get the flu shot the more we can all help reduce demand on the health care system due to the flu, leaving that capacity to instead deal with covid + other things. Being in active treatment right now (chemo with surgery expected early in 2021) I am terrified of the system being overwhelmed and myself and others experiencing treatment delays as a result. So, from everyone who actively needs hospital resources right now thank you for doing your part and getting the flu shot! ❤️

I too always get the flu shot and will do so again this year.  

Runner Girl 

Done and done! I pre-registered online with the pharmacy in my local large-chain grocery store. Went in on Wednesday morning. No line up at all, I was in and out in 20 mins (15 of that was the post-shot observation period). 

I heard Australia experienced a much lower than normal caseload of the flu for what was their recent winter season simply because people were practicing rigid hand hygiene and physical distancing, thanks to covid.  Perhaps, in tandem with the flu shot, we in Canada, will reap the same benefits! 

Good morning 
​​​​​​:

i, too, have already had my flu shot.  I get one every year believing we build on immunity each year.  I have been fortunate for a lot of years and not had to deal with the seasonal flu.  I think even more important this year with Covid 19.  

I’ve never had a flu shot and can’t remember the last time I had a cold, never mind flu, but yes, this year is different.   However, with all the precautions to stop the spread of Covid, surely the flu will have a hard time spreading too?

And the flu virus mutates every year, so yes, sometimes the shots don’t work on this year’s flavour.  I read somewhere that Canada looks at which variety of flu Australia had during their winter (which is, of course, our summer) and then uses the vaccine for that variety on Canadians.  So it’s a bit of a lottery.

I am booked to get mine this week. Due to working in healthcare I have been getting the flu shot since it’s inception and know first hand how beneficial they are.

I believe it’s more necessary then ever before for everyone who can to please get the flu shot.
Nix‍ has stated so well the reasons we need to keep the seasonal flu numbers as low as possible this year.

To those who don’t get the flu vaccine please consider the following reasons to do so this year :
1). To protect yourself from influenza 
2). To protect others who are health compromised 
3). To protect the healthcare system from being overwhelmed during a Covid pandemic 

Influenza numbers should be decreased this year due to our better health habits, social distancing, hand washing etc.  

For those who are in active treatment or recuperating from diagnosis and treatment I send you strength to carry you through the coming weeks and the winter months of Covid and flu season.

 

I get a flu shot every year as I had h1n1 flu several years ago, and it is not something I want to repeat. I have an appointment for this month at the local pharmacy. 

Yes, getting a flu shot today through my family doctor. She's doing seniors and immunocompromised people first, then general population patients. I'm in the middle of chemo so happy to go to her office rather than the pharmacy.

I’ve had a flu shot every year since my husband and I both caught H1N1 - not a good experience, especially since he and a friend became ill while winter camping in the back country. Two of us, feeling well, had to get them and their heavy toboggans of stuff out and drive them home to bed, and then I had to clean and put everything away as soon as I got home for fear I would be sick too (I became ill the following day). Two weeks off work and a further six recovering!

A couple of things about the flu shot and why it is not always effective:

1) the models predicting the strains that will dominate are wrong, or the strains mutate enough to reduce the effectiveness of the flu shot. We usually receive more than one strain (attenuated virus, not live - can’t give us flu), as there are usually multiple strains circulating, so it’s a bit of bad luck if we get a strain not covered by the vaccine
2) the vaccine does not give you the antibodies you need to fight the flu virus. The attenuated virus stimulates your body to produce antibodies. If your immune system is not in good shape, it may not make enough antibodies to fight the virus, and you may still get flu.

Our local pharmacy is scheduled to receive the vaccine this week, so I will be heading there for a shot later this week 👍💉

My husband and I both got our flu shots this past Friday from our family doctor. The pharmacies in our area are already out of vaccine and expect more in a couple of weeks. I have been getting flu shots for years without issue. I also told people that if they want to see me, they have to have a flu shot. I’m not taking any chances. I agree this year more important than ever to try to reduce flu hospitalizations and the burden they put on our health care system. 

We are booked to get ours from our family doctor this week!   
In Ontario, doctors are being issued regular flu shots.  The seniors’ model (which we qualify for) is only available at a big chain pharmacy.
Really??
Clarke Edward

Some additional info from cancer.ca to support this discussion 😊

Flu vaccine

People with cancer are at higher risk of having the flu so getting the flu shot (influenza vaccine) is important. The flu shot is usually available in the fall each year. There are different types of flu vaccine. Inactivated flu vaccine is given as a shot or injection. Live flu vaccine is given as a nasal spray. People with cancer should avoid the live flu vaccine.

Talk to your doctor or healthcare team before getting the flu vaccine. There are general guidelines for people with cancer or people undergoing treatment for cancer.

• It is usually safe for people with cancer to get the inactivated vaccine.
• People with cancer should not get the live vaccine during treatment and for up to 6 months after treatment.
• People receiving chemotherapy should have the flu shot either 2 weeks before chemotherapy starts or in between chemotherapy cycles.
• People having targeted therapy or radiation therapy can have the flu shot.
• People having immunotherapy such as checkpoint inhibitors should discuss with their doctor if and when to have the flu vaccine.
• Families, caregivers and household members should receive the flu shot.

I got my flu shot last week.  While it is true that you can still get the flu, it might be a milder case than if you didn't get the shot.  I will take all the help I can get, and I also want to do what I can to protect other people.  Just like with COVID, we are all in this together.  And we have to do everything we can to protect our health care system from becoming overwhelmed.

For the first time my husband and I are getting the flu shots.  Where I live in BC has  a very high percentage of older folk and our hospital is small.  On the rare occasions when we venture forth, about once a week, I see that most of us golden oldies wear masks, keep our distance and hand sanitise  but as our area also has many tourists, including out of province, who are often maskless we are already very careful.  We also do not have a busy social life and for once I think this is a good thing.   Thank goodness for FaceTime.

My daughter and son in law in ON were tested for COVID three weeks ago but were told that they both had flu.  This was before the shots were available so flu is already out there.

RANT alert!,
Personally I believe that we are now living in a world where the number of dangerous viruses may increase and as many of them may mutate it is increasingly important that we, without becoming obsessed, educate ourselves and act accordingly.  If I spread anything I want it to be kindness.

Stay safe and 🦠 safe hugs.

MCoaster

 

Was able to get the flu shot after work today.  There were quite a few people there for the shot, but not as many as I anticipated. 

Runner Girl 

Definitely both my husband and I will be getting the flu shot, and we get it every year not just to protect ourselves but also to help in protecting others and I agree that if there is a year when people should start getting it....it is this year because of Covid-19.

Kuching‍  My husband started getting the flu shot every year around age 55.  This was because he did volunteer work with very elderly people. I'm a year younger than him. So then, I didn't want to get the flu shot as I thought I had a good immune system, and getting the shot might mess with that?  There's probably no truth in that, I don't know. 
I'm 64 now, and have been getting the shot since I was 60.

Great to have this information from cancer.ca, Lacey_Moderator‍ 

Hi everyone, I would like to know if I can still get the flu shot even if I’m on chemo treatment 
 

Consult with you oncologist.

Damco‍ Here is a post by Lacey_Moderator‍ on getting the flu shot, the info in her post might help you make your decision about getting the flu shot or you can ask your oncologist what he thinks.

Lacey_Moderator:

Some additional info from cancer.ca to support this discussion 😊

Flu vaccine

People with cancer are at higher risk of having the flu so getting the flu shot (influenza vaccine) is important. The flu shot is usually available in the fall each year. There are different types of flu vaccine. Inactivated flu vaccine is given as a shot or injection. Live flu vaccine is given as a nasal spray. People with cancer should avoid the live flu vaccine.

Talk to your doctor or healthcare team before getting the flu vaccine. There are general guidelines for people with cancer or people undergoing treatment for cancer.

• It is usually safe for people with cancer to get the inactivated vaccine.
• People with cancer should not get the live vaccine during treatment and for up to 6 months after treatment.
• People receiving chemotherapy should have the flu shot either 2 weeks before chemotherapy starts or in between chemotherapy cycles.
• People having targeted therapy or radiation therapy can have the flu shot.
• People having immunotherapy such as checkpoint inhibitors should discuss with their doctor if and when to have the flu vaccine.
• Families, caregivers and household members should receive the flu shot.

 

Thank you very much for the info, have a great day

I got the flu shot last week. I am in between chemo treatments and still healing from breast surgery. My surgery was on October 1rst. I thought it was a good time to get it before possibly more chemo and radiation. I had no side effects from it. I've been getting it for years as I work with children and they catch everything! Take care of yourselves and don't be afraid to get the flu shot if the time is right!