Flu Shots 2020

[Goonie]

My mom and I usually get our shots at the local Kroger pharmacy, so i called them the morning that she felt like leaving the house (which is extremely seldom) a few weeks ago. They had the regular flu vaccine, were out of the high dose for her, but said they'd have it in two days. I told her what the pharmacist said, but she was adamant about getting the shot that morning, so I called CVS and they had both. So we went there about ten minutes later, and got shot up....no lines, no waiting, in and out in about ten minutes. Neither of us ever have any aches, pains, or side effects from our annual flu shots.

We got in the car to return home, and as i was buckling in, she shocked me......she wanted to go out for breakfast at her favorite restaurant that has outdoor dining! That was the first time that she'd been to a restaurant since March 15th, and she was happy to see a few of her friends and visit while social distancing.

 

[braumeister]

We got in the car to return home, and as i was buckling in, she shocked me......she wanted to go out for breakfast at her favorite restaurant that has outdoor dining!

That's very cool! Glad she's venturing back to normality (or as close to normal as we can get these days).

 

[Goonie]

That's very cool! Glad she's venturing back to normality (or as close to normal as we can get these days).

That was pretty much a one time shot, specially with the cooler weather setting in now. She just doesn't like leaving the house anymore, mostly due to mobility issues, and at 93, I don't tend to press the issue.

 

[Rianne]

Got the flu shot and the PV13 Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. I got the PV23, 2 years ago. Should cover several bacterial infections.

 

[rodi]

My sons and I got flu shots this afternoon. Easy peasy. Went to the closer Kaiser which had a walk up clinic. Would have had to drive 10 miles further for the drive up clinic.

 

[Dtail]

The 3 of us got the flu shot today at Publix and received $30 in coupons.
My arm is sore already, but that's okay.

 

[financemups]

I always get a flu shot and I always get it right about this time of year; I had mine done today. I am not old enough for the high dose. I work at a large research university and they will eventually do shot clinics for workers but it was just quicker to get it from a compounding pharmacy which is where I typically get them from anyway.

 

[harley]

Took the whole family to Perdue Stadium for the drive through flu shot clinic. Free shots, no waiting. Great process. All four of us got our shots with only minor annoyance-level pain. Sweet.

 

[Rianne]

I hope the Covid vaccine will be distributed the same way. Free too!

 

[sengsational]

I haven't gone for mine yet, but hope I have a reaction of some kind, as that can be taken as a sign that my immune system isn't completely asleep at the wheel! The reason they have the fogey version of the vaccine is because old immune systems start to suck, so need to load you up to get an immune response.

 

[jcretire77]

First flu shot ever on Thursday. Did not even feel the poke. Now I must convince myself to get the shingles vaccine. Yes, I know I should.

 

[stephenson]

sengsational ,

Could you provide citation(s) of some sort ...?

While I recognize you are summarizing, broadly, I have not heard it summarized in this way.

 

[sengsational]

The idea that vaccines must elicit an immune response is an idea that I have absorbed through reading a bunch of things, and listen to my doctor and other people who are in the business. I think that idea is pretty well established.

The idea that the immune system declines with age is also I think a widely accepted one.

The idea that symptoms/side effects correlate with immune response is more of a challenge. There are many people that have a robust immune response that have no side effects. I think if you do have a side effect, that's often because your immune system kicked into gear.

The post was written off the cuff from SGOTI, and not based on any one or few references, sorry.

EDIT to add... If one were curious, the phase 3 trial for the vaccine would almost certainly tell the story because they measure titers and side effects

 

[atmsmshr]

DW and I got our flu shot at CVS last week. No waiting. Both of us had sore arms, and a slightly raised and discolored red bump at the shot site. For fun, I measured temperature at the shot site - elevated by 7 degrees for both of us for two days!

 

[tuckeverlasting]

I got the Fluzone high dose shot a few hours ago at my neighborhood pharmacy. This year by appointment only, and they are already out of appointments until next month. I always get the high dose shot and have never had any ill effects from it other than the usual sore arm, although this year it is a quadrivalent vaccine for the first time.

I ran across this interesting article on the PubMed database: "The possible beneficial adjuvant effect of influenza vaccine to minimize the severity of COVID-19". https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7194943/

 

[Koolau]

First flu shot ever on Thursday. Did not even feel the poke. Now I must convince myself to get the shingles vaccine. Yes, I know I should.

Heh, heh, just talk to someone who has suffered through shingles - you'll get your shot - sooner rather than later.

 

[CardsFan]

Heh, heh, just talk to someone who has suffered through shingles - you'll get your shot - sooner rather than later.

You would think so, but DSIL had a pretty severe case last year. Still has scarring on her face and nerve damage. Refuses to get the vaccine, even after that.

Oh well, we both got our vaccines after seeing her deal with it.

 

[Nemo2]

It's about four years and ten days since I was diagnosed with shingles on the left eye (cornea), and on Wednesday I'm scheduled for cataract surgery on that eye. With luck the surgery won't reactivate the attack.

(In a holding pattern at the moment....it won't improve, but it could get worse.)

 

[Koolau]

You would think so, but DSIL had a pretty severe case last year. Still has scarring on her face and nerve damage. Refuses to get the vaccine, even after that.

Oh well, we both got our vaccines after seeing her deal with it.

Sounds like DSIL is the proverbial "Good Example of Bad Behavior!" I hope her long-term effects subside.

Long before the vaccine, DW had shingles. She was fortunate to ONLY have very painful rash down half her body from rib cage almost to knees. I think I cried as much as she did. I thank God for the vaccine - even though we both had some reactions to the second one. I blame that on it being 2020 but YMMV.

 

[gerntz]

Found a mega senior dose yesterday - at allergist's office which I frequent fortnightly for injections. Kept saying they'd get them, but this was first time they had.

 

[stephenson]

gerntz ... not sure what a mega dose is ... manufacturer? Name of the product?

 

[Koolau]

gerntz ... not sure what a mega dose is ... manufacturer? Name of the product?

IIRC it is simply a larger (correct me if I'm wrong, 2X) dose. Apparently, this is needed to boost the immunity of us old codgers but YMMV.

 

[powerplay]

Got my flu shot this morning at a Kaiser drive through flu clinic. Easy , fast, and only a couple cars ahead of me. Injection area is sore so I keep moving my arm every time I think about it. Got the old codger version since I'm in that age category.

 

[aaronc879]

No pain?

I had my first flu shot in around 30 years. I was shocked that there was no pain at all. I get blood draws done often and expected similar pain but there was no pain at all. No pain after either but I here that the senior shot is worse.

 

[Telly]

..... No pain after either but I here that the senior shot is worse.

If you're keeping score, put me in the column of Senior Dose injection or after-pain no worse than a regular dose. No pains from either.

I have had many Fluzone regulars, a couple Fluzone High-doses, and this month a Fluad Quad (the other flu high-dose available in the US). I would not be able to tell the difference in any of them.

When it comes to injection pain, one shot stood out, the original Shingles vaccine, Zostavax. Probably because Zostavax was administered sub-cutaneously (just under the skin), rather than intra-muscular, like the far majority of shots. The Zostavax shot felt to me like there was a garden pump-sprayer attached to the needle. However, it did not last long. Minor soreness afterward on that one.

I have looked up Shingrix, it is intra-muscular... good!