Flu shot or not?

Nurses General Nursing

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I can get a flu shot from either the county OEM or from the hospital my school is affiliated with, but am not sure if I should. I have never gotten one in the past and have never "caught" the flu in 8 years of pre-hospital EMS. Just wondering if I should start getting one. The county will also provide my wife with a shot, she's more susceptible to illness than I am (I'm one of those just don't get sick types) so again, I'm not sure....

Thoughts, opinions, pithy comments?

I use to get ill with a very bad cold that would turn into a not so healthy of bronchitis atleast twice a year. I use to refuse getting the flu shot.

Then, one year after working my first 6-8 months in the ER catching every bug known to man - I broke down and took the flu shot - I also had the pneumonia shot. - My doc recommended the flu shot to me every 5 years.

I'm keeping fingers crossed - but since I have been doing this, I get the sniffles and that is about it.

Ginger

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

I'm asking this because I really don't know...

In the last 5 years has the strain in the flu vax matched the strain going around?

I know last year I got the flu shot in Oct/Nov and then in Jan I got the flu (type A).

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Specializes in Geriatric and now peds!!!!.

I got mine this past Monday. I have always gotten a flu shot and have never gotten sick from one (knock on wood!). The one year that I didnt get one, I got the flu, and then my husband and then 3 year old got it as well. All 3 of us sick at the same time!!! Now I always get one.

Wendy

LPN

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I use to get ill with a very bad cold that would turn into a not so healthy of bronchitis atleast twice a year. I use to refuse getting the flu shot.

Then, one year after working my first 6-8 months in the ER catching every bug known to man - I broke down and took the flu shot - I also had the pneumonia shot. - My doc recommended the flu shot to me every 5 years.

I'm keeping fingers crossed - but since I have been doing this, I get the sniffles and that is about it.

Ginger

Excuse me, but flu shot every 5 years? Are you sure he didn't mean the pneumonia shot, which is given every 5 years. The flu shot is given yearly.

My facility requires us to take the flu vaccine or we have to wear a mask to do pt care through flu season.

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got mine last Monday - absolutely no problems since -

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Specializes in PICU, Nurse Educator, Clinical Research.

everyone should visit the CDC website to get new infomation about the flu vaccines. The government has changed the guidelines this year, and basically anyone who has extended contact with succeptible people (parents or caregivers of very young children, for instance) is encouraged to get a vaccination.

Also, on the difference between types of flu vaccines- the 'shot' is safe for anyone, as it's not a live virus and won't, in and of itself, cause flu-like symptoms. The inhaled vaccine (brand name escapes me) is actually a weakened form of the virus and *can* cause mild flu symptoms in succeptible people. It's only recommended for generally healthy people. For that reason, it's also recommended that healthy people get the inhaled version of the vaccine during years when there's a shortage of the injectable version. As of last month, there was no shortage forseen for this season.

If you dig around on the CDC site, there are stats on the % match between the strains used in vaccines and the prevalent strains seen for different years.

One thing I noticed in my readings was that vaccination of the elderly in LTC or ALF didn't significantly reduce the chance of *contracting* the flu, but greatly reduced the risk of hospitalization and/or death from flu-related complications.

The CDC recommends that ALL healthcare workers get vaccinated. They're also considering recommending that EVERYONE get vaccinated at some point in the future, although manufacturing levels of vaccines won't yet support that.

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Uhm, my employer basically says no flu shot, no sick pay if you are off with influenza. So we take it.

Pneumovax is another story. Maximum of two doses is recommended by my health region.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
I can get a flu shot but am not sure if I should. I have never gotten one in the past and have never "caught" the flu in 8 years of pre-hospital EMS. Thoughts, opinions, pithy comments?

My thought is there is always a first time for everything....such as getting the flu. When you are a healthcare worker you have a much higher chance of catching whatever comes your way. I have had the flu twice in the past. As a teen I had the Hong Kong flu and as a young pregnant mother I had the Asian flu and I can tell you from experience it's not something I want to ever repeat. I get mine every year. It makes good sense.

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I have had the flu twice and don't ever care to repeat the experience, so I get the flu shot every year, except the year there wasn't enough to go around. I do work with some nurses who refuse to get the shot, sayng they get low grade respiratory infections all winter long if they do. Yes, I am having the sniffles now, but compared to the flu it's a no brainer.

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Specializes in ER, telemetry.

On the floors, pts with the flu are isolated. In the ER, we don't know what a pt has until we have taken care of them for hours sometimes, after they have been literally coughing in our faces. I always get the flu shot. Why not? I have read that it helps to prevent getting the flu, but if you do get the flu after having the vaccination, symptoms are milder. I make all of my kids and my husband get the shot too. Influenza can kill people.

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Ooops!!! What I meant to say is that I get the flu shot yearly and the pneumonia shot every 5 years. This combination works well for me. I hope it can help others.

Sorry, for my oversight there....

Ginger35

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