General Chat

Why would NHS waste their time & money on Flu Jabs if not effective ,you get up In a morning to start your day so don't eat bacon or sausage full English who eats that today eat healthy cereal full of sugar .toast with butter jam or cheese ,come on our grandparents & parents had cooked chips in dripping cheese full fat milk butchers mince & joints of meat again cooked in fat .it is good to eat healthy .but how many old people are living to a good age & were brought up on good old fashioned tasty dishes .don't eat processed food .to many additives .it doesn't take long to cook from scratch & give family healthy wholesome food .Still believe you should get flu jab as post is about that Barbara :-)

did you read any of the link?

The concept of vaccinations rests on most of the herd being inocculated. The greater the proportion of the herd who take up the vaccine the less the risk for the others who do not. That is why chidren's vaccine take up is so important. Taken to its ultimate conclusion a successful vacccination program can render a disease extinct as has happened with smallpox ( except for three labs with samples).

The influenza virus is non comformist. There are two major strains and several others. It has the ability to morph into something else at short notice and even evolve cross species. Thus each flu season the majority of vaccine makers have to take samples and guess which wil be the next flu variation and develop a vaccine which will fight it, If they are lucky the efficiency is about 60% and sometimes zero.

Now, the NHS is concerned with its herd, the population at large. Even if a third of those vaccinated get flu anyway it is a win for the NHS especially as with current levels of vaccination takeup a significant number of the unvaccinated benefit too. Given the costs of hospitalisation the NHS clearly is not wasting its money.

I come to the party wearing my black hat. I know that I am impervious to flu ( a proportion of the population are which is why epidemics do not kill everybody ). I rarely catch a cold and if I do it never lasts more than 24 hours. Like any health procedure there are risks. I have seen people react badly to flu vaccine. So I take my chances I don't care about the herd. Not on this one.

It is never too late to improve your fitness but it gets much harder with age and ironically the risks of exercise increase. Nevertheless it is the best option. Most people over 50 don't move their butts under their own steam a mile in a month let alone every day, especially the men. Flu is well documented at liking the weak and vulnerable best.

Despite all sorts of promises from the government the NHS does not have the funding for continuing the flu vaccination program in ts current form. Expect some form of triage system to replace it.

OH at GP this afternoon for check up and
thought he would check to see if we had received
the vaccination for pneumonia. Apparently we did
get it in 2006, OH had thought we had but was not
really sure.
I did not remember which is not like me...ahh old age etc.

:-S :-S :-S :-S Herd :-S :-S :-S :-S

Herd what Barb?

You could hear a pin drop on here these days :-(

Herd as in cattle Island :-0 :-0 :-0

Bovine flu or sheep Barb? :-S

Come on Rollo I only asked if & when people were having flu jab not the science of it all .appreciate your comments seeing as your an expert .x hello ladies hope you are all well today thank you for your updates :-D Barbara

Flu jab done both intogther and in and out within 2 minutes.

We had it done yesterday
when We collected out Prescriptions

I passed our surgery today, which had a notice saying that there was a supply problem for flu vaccine for over 65s and the planned day in September was cancelled and will be rescheduled, when they are sure they have it in.

I've no idea of when that might be.

No mention of shortage here Gwyn Have you tried the chemist?

Our doctors have two Saturday walk in clinics. The first one this year was earlier than usual and I missed it, the second is on 3rd November when I am away, so I went in to ask if the nurse could do it on a different day. Basically the answer was not until after 3rd Nov, if they have vaccine left. Tried both local chemists and they have run out. The one where I get my prescriptions said they have been told to phone the relevant people on 15th October and they will be told if they will be allowed to have another supply.

Looks like I might not be getting it this year.

OTOH I had the jab last year, OH didn’t and we both had flu that knocked us sideways for about 6 weeks, so it is pretty hit and miss anyway.

I was surprised

the nasal drop for babies contain Pork Gelatine

Ann
I don't know the situation with the local chemists.
I know people in nearby towns who have been vaccinated this year. They didn't mention any problems with the supply.

The problem with the over 65 vac in nation wide
They found not as effective as they thought

So our chemist are ordering similar
but different ones for over 65

I haven't been invited for a flu jab yet :-|

Having said that, most of the people on the bus this morning were getting theirs - but arriving up to an hour early because the bus service is so cr*p where we live.

Unlike A.N. Other, I've (knowingly) had flu very badly once.
Does that mean I'm 'impervious' to all but one strain, or now that I've had that 'one' strain impervious to all - or just lucky?
Daughter has to have the flu jab as she works for the NHS, and with babies.
If there's a chance she won't catch it - or pass it on - all to the good!

Joy I think the problem with the over 65s flu jab not being as effective as they hoped was with last years batch. I heard an interview with somebody or other 'in the know', and that is what he said, that they were surprised by that. I think they are hoping this year will be different which is why there are different types. (wonder if it is diffeent strengths?) I have never had flu to my knowledge. Just bad colds/coughs which are bad enough so I don't want it and travelling around a lot by bus we are more susceptible so try to do anything that will help prevent it.

Just reading about the difference with the over 65 jab. Apparently it has an extra ingredient to increase the immunity because previous years surprised the makers/medical profession because over 65s didn’t have as much immunity as under 65s. They also said it could cause swelling or pain as an after effect (at the injection site) and maybe headaches etc. Which explains why our arms were sore and I felt off the following night/day. It apparently takes three weeks to be effective against flu.

Could have had our at the GP surgery but decided it might be quicker and easier at our local chemist (pharmacy).
Big mistake.
The pharmacist did it, had nothing ready and couldn't have been slower.
Took 45 minutes for the treee of us.
At the GPs we would have been in and out in under ten.