Flu Shots 2020

DH and I will be getting shingles, pneumonia and flu vaccines this year. Last year our insurance provider offered $100 Target gift cards if you got the flu vaccine. So, we received $200.

I don’t see any such promotions this year but it’s early. All things considered I would think these vaccines would be far more popular this year but people are, well, variable.
 
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Our local pharmacy is going to set up a station in the parking lot for flu shots so that's what we will do. We usually get the flu shot around Oct 1
 
Morgan22 said:
We will get the flu shot this year.
I got the flu as a child, maybe around 8 yrs old. I will never forget how sick I was. As an adult I will always get a flu shot. I never want to experience that ever again.
I just think its unnecessary to suffer through the flu when its so easy to prevent.
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Getting the flu shot certainly helps, I get it every year, but it's no guarantee that you won't get the flu. I got the flu vaccine in Nov last year during my annual checkup but still picked up the flu in Jan this year. Too many different strains of the flu around, the vaccine doesn't cover them all.
 
I just don't understand those who don't get the flu shot. Even if you've never had the flu, if you've known someone who has, you probably know you don't want to have it. Flu shot isn't a guarantee that you won't get it, but it's one of our best scientific ways to minimize risk.

I'll absolutely be getting it this year when the medical professionals say it's the best time. Our grocery store allows quick in and out.
 
I'm jealous of all the people whose pharmacies or grocery stores are fast to get vaccines at. I've tried both grocery stores and both pharmacies in my town and I've never waited less than 30 minutes for a shot. Even mid-week, middle of the day when I hoped it would be less busy.

Convenient flu shot clinics are one of the few things I miss about w*rk.
 
geeky_grrl said:
I'm jealous of all the people whose pharmacies or grocery stores are fast to get vaccines at. I've tried both grocery stores and both pharmacies in my town and I've never waited less than 30 minutes for a shot. Even mid-week, middle of the day when I hoped it would be less busy.

Convenient flu shot clinics are one of the few things I miss about w*rk.
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Geeky, do you have any small independent pharmacies near you? I have found those best for getting vaccines.
 
I didn't get my flu shot until late January or Feb.

First time I ever got the shot.
 
harllee said:
Geeky, do you have any small independent pharmacies near you? I have found those best for getting vaccines.
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Closest independent pharmacy is about a 30 minute drive away. If I have to leave town I can probably find a drive through clinic if I go an hour or so away to the nearest real city.
 
This morning I had a high dose flu shot at our nearest CVS.
I had called yesterday to see if they had them and was told that they had plenty of regular but were out of the high dose. However they took my name and number and said they would call when it came in. At nine this morning they called that a box had come in, I had the shot at 9:30 and was home before ten. They did everything to sign me in and they only needed to look at my Medicare card.
There were very few people in the store. We were all masked. This pharmacist was excellent with the needle. I didn’t feel even the first stick.
Very glad to get this out of the way.
 
The flu shot has been available locally for the past week or so. Seems too early to me and could make its effect wear off too soon. I'll wait till end of September or early October to get the shot.
 
My doctor has told me to wait until around October 1 to get the flu shot--he says if you get it too early the effectiveness runs out too soon. I think he said the shot was only effective for 5-6 months. Was my doctor correct?
 
geeky_grrl said:
I'm jealous of all the people whose pharmacies or grocery stores are fast to get vaccines at. I've tried both grocery stores and both pharmacies in my town and I've never waited less than 30 minutes for a shot. Even mid-week, middle of the day when I hoped it would be less busy.
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me too. I always have to wait with a couple of other people in line.
 
harllee said:
My doctor has told me to wait until around October 1 to get the flu shot--he says if you get it too early the effectiveness runs out too soon. I think he said the shot was only effective for 5-6 months. Was my doctor correct?
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I'm not a doctor, I don't play one on TV nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, BUT, that's generally consistent with my understanding.
 
Our local grocer pharmacy sent out a form last week so you can fill it out in advance to save time.

Three days a week they will be doing in car/outside vaccinations on a set schedule. That's probably what we'll do.

And, I read something recently that indicated you can get the shot too early in the flu season, which can leave you vulnerable in Feb/Mar/Apr, which is usually when I get at least a mild case of something.

I feel like you need a medical degree just to be alive right now. :(
 
I did give some thought to getting the flu shot this early. I usually get one as soon as they are available because we travel in the fall most years. I have gotten a second one in February if we are making a spring trip to Australia or New Zealand. I am pretty sure one was recommended when we went to China, April-May one year.
This year we have absolutely no travel planned but old habits die hard and I felt compelled to be prepared.
 
Got our flu shots today at Walgreens. We were concerned about availability and decided not to wait.

Also... Walgreens allows you to make an appointment online for immunizations. So you won't waste a trip should they run out.
 
Was at CVS yesterday and asked about when to get the flu shot. They said that last year around 50% of the people got their flu shot. This year they are thinking maybe >70%. If that happens it might result in a shortage of vaccine so they recommend getting the shot early.

Looking back, I usually get mine in late October. I will take my chances and wait until then and get mine at the VA.
 
I'm skeptical. Getting a vaccine shot is not like running out and hoarding toilet paper and paper towels. Been hearing of people slacking off and not keeping kids vaccinations up to date because of worry of picking up Covid-19 at doctors office. And people skipping dental visits, doctors visits, delaying surgeries that they really should get done, on and on. Not going to emergency rooms when the situation would normally drive it. Lot of news articles about people eventually arriving at ER, in really bad shape, had heart attack, etc., and delayed.
My recent personal (within last 3 months) experience: Dental office was quieter than usual, few patients, lot of appt. times open. Same with a PCP I tried out, no problem at all getting an appt., the online sign-up grid was really sparse, and he's a board-certified internist.

So, I'm finding it hard to postulate that suddenly, all sorts of people who don't get flu shots, and have been avoiding contact with health care people of any sort, are going to run in for flu shots.
 
Yeah, fill the trunk with toilet paper and get the flu shot on the way out. Give me another one too for the wife.
 
I was one who never got the flu shot until I turned 62 because I didn't get the flu. However, once I turned 62 I figured maybe I should since us older folks immune systems aren't what they used to be. Every winter I used to battle respiratory problems but since taking the shot I have not had such problems each winter. I usually get mine in mid November but may push it up to late October this year.
 
DW and I got ours yesterday. Oddly I didn't feel the injection and have almost zero pain from it. DW didn't feel the injection but has some pain, but less than normal.
 
I like to tell the story where one of my employees kept asking for time off to care for each of her kids, in turn. Textbook case of one kid coming home with it, then incubation, then the next kid. She calls and gets time off for the husband. Then, like a month later, in passing, she mentions how amazed she was that she cared for her family and never got sick. Then I said weren't you in line ahead of me when the megacorp had the flu shot clinic? She never made the connection :facepalm:
 
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