Flu shots as a student anyone?

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It has been maybe six yrs since my family of four got a flu shot. Sick maybe three times with the flu combined. Two boys are 12, 13 now.

Well we are now a family of five this year with a 10 month old girl. So the fact that myself, hubby and two boys will be in a school setting I want us including baby to get a flu vac. bc I worry of her immune system. She is too young to fight it if she got it.

Funny thing is me (medical field chick) don't like the concept of the vaccine. I don't believe it is effective. Just putting junk in the body. I don't even like Tylenol!

Soooooo, my question...is anyone getting it this winter? I will do it just don't want to.

I get a flu shot every year not because I think the flu might kill me, but because I think it might make me very very sick. And nearly every medication that anyone takes makes "a boatload of money for their manufacturers".

Yes, I never like to take meds unless I'm in labor! Lol

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

It's crazy how everyone is so different. I initially got the flu shot because the year before I had the flu twice and it took me literally months to fully recover. After that, I decided to get the flu shot and I haven't had any flu symptoms since. I've maybe had a couple of colds in the last few years.

THIS...

I had the flu bad TWICE...once when I was in college in my early 20s...I had no insurance at the time and was violently sick...I ended up withdrawing because I was so sick.

I got private health insurance, and started get flu shots.

When the H1N1 hit, I got it from a pedi client...2 others tested positive. I went to my job, where they sent me home because they were sanitizing the facility. I would've appreciated them telling me sooner...by the time I got home, I had fever, aches and was vomiting. I got tamiflu, and it helped, even though I was vomiting. My facility was shut down for a week.

I get my flu shot every year, and it has boosted my immunity; I rarely get colds when I get a good run of the flu shot...if I don't get the flu shot, I get sick frequently.

The pnemovax was available last year, I got that as well. I rather have some immunity than not at all. :yes:

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Yeah, can't be causing the PTB to look bad... Gary Marshall ring a bell?

Sorry, ya lost me there. Help an old gal out.

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Specializes in trauma and neuro.

I used to never get the flu shot. Then I got the flu once and it was horrible, had to miss a lot of class. So glad that happened before I entered nursing school, miss more than 1 day and you fail the class. Now I get it every year, plus the clinical sites we go to require it, not the school itself. Rather have a lower risk of getting the flu in addition to good hand hygiene!

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

The school might not require a flu shot but the hospital will

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I've never had a flu shot, never had the flu. My kids have never had a flu shot and have never had the flu. My husband got the flu shot for 8 years with the military. Never had the flu before, during or since. I don't think it's very helpful but if someone else really, REALLY wants to pay for it (or threatens me with being fired) I won't lose any sleep over getting it.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

Everyone engaging in direct patient care should get a flu shot.

Most clinical sites and places of employment will require it.

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Sorry, ya lost me there. Help an old gal out.[/size]
Marshall and Warren win Nobel for work on Helicobacter as cause of peptic ulcers - The Panda's Thumb

spelled his name wrong, 2 r s.

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Everyone engaging in direct patient care should get a flu shot.

Most clinical sites and places of employment will require it.

where is your evidence for this mandate?

Did you read Green's link?

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

When I did clinicals in school, we had to have flu shot to participate (ie graduate). At work we have to get it as well. Not optional.

I am in NC.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
where is your evidence for this mandate?

Did you read Green's link?

Yes, I have read not only the magazine article, but more importantly the study on which it was based from 2006. The evidence that the prior estimations of the outcomes data on flu vaccines were largely inflated is convincing and has spurred several subsequent studies better controlling for other cause mortality.

There was an excellent meta-analysis in 2012 that found a moderate seasonal benefit from influenza vaccination, though there is still lacking data for the elderly population, some degree of generalization to this population is reasonable. I think that is the most objective review to date and a moderate reduction remains significant.

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