Influenza is here

[pacergal]

Ours are scheduled at Kaiser for Oct 2.

 

[harllee]

We are gettin our flu vaccines the first week of October. One time I took the high dose senior vaccine and I had bad side effects (fever and chills and aches for a few days) so now I take the regular dose with no problem. DH takes the senior high dose with no side effects.

 

[TrvlBug]

DH and I are getting ours today. Neither of us have ever had any side effects with one exception. Last year the pharmacist must have nicked a nerve as I had severe pain radiating up my neck to my ear and to my collarbone for several days.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Ref side effects no I've never had Vax side effects. Even covid vax just sore arm. DH had sweats and chills after shingrix 1. Edited to add: we are both under 65 so regular flu shot nothing special

 

[Dash man]

I had my flu shot, along with my first pneumonia shot, two weeks ago. I didn’t feel any side effects at all.

 

[RobbieB]

I got both too and both arms got sore, 1 more than the other. Don't know which was which. But flu shots always make my arm sore starting about 6 hours after.

 

[Koolau]

Today's shot was quite painful going in and is quite sore now. Hopefully, that will pass without worse effects. It's much worse than either Covid shot. I don't recall that with past flu shots but YMMV.

 

[badatmath]

Per CDC, All flu vaccines will be quadrivalent (four component), meaning designed to protect against four different flu viruses.

I think I heard this is a change for "regular" folks. Might be why some of you are reacting. I haven't had mine yet.

 

[TrvlBug]

DH and I got ours Monday and I had a reaction when I usually don't. Worst was the killer headache I had all day Monday. Other than a sore arm, DH had no side effects.

 

[Koolau]

Good news: My injection site hurt for maybe 24 hours and then I didn't notice it any longer. I had no apparent effects otherwise, thank goodness! Imagine trying to decide if you are having a reaction to the seasonal flu shot - or, heaven forbid, dreaded vax breakthrough! DW reacted quite similarly. POI pain but short term and no other symptoms. YMMV

 

[EastWest Gal]

Just a sore arm like most years (31 years). Once had fever and malaise. Of course that was when I was doing a 24 hour on call shift. Ibuprofen was my friend.

 

[harllee]

DH and I got our flu shots on Friday. Did not feel the shot, no sore arm, no side effects. Please everyone get a flu shot. Our pharmacist says that everyone is predicting a bad flu season this year.

 

[ychuck46]

Scheduled for our flu shots tomorrow (Kroger required an appt, unlike in the past, but at least the paperwork was finished online). I never notice the flu shots, whether the injection site itself or any side effects, while the wife always does. Regarding the Covid shots from Moderna I did notice some and the wife very little. Go figure.

I'll echo what others have said. Get the flu shot since this might be a tougher season than most, particularly with the colder weather scheduled for much of the country. Best wishes.

 

[ychuck46]

Only once

Today's shot was quite painful going in and is quite sore now. Hopefully, that will pass without worse effects. It's much worse than either Covid shot. I don't recall that with past flu shots but YMMV.

The flu shots appear to use a thinner needle. I only ever noticed the shot going in once, and I chalked that up to a less than competent nurse doing the injecting.

 

[Koolau]

Scheduled for our flu shots tomorrow (Kroger required an appt, unlike in the past, but at least the paperwork was finished online). I never notice the flu shots, whether the injection site itself or any side effects, while the wife always does. Regarding the Covid shots from Moderna I did notice some and the wife very little. Go figure.

I'll echo what others have said. Get the flu shot since this might be a tougher season than most, particularly with the colder weather scheduled for much of the country. Best wishes.

Is there a "theory" other than cold weather (I assume, folks staying in-doors to avoid the cold) as to why the flu might be worse this year? I was thinking it's perhaps because many have abandoned their Covid rituals (masks/distancing/no-crowds/etc.) to resume a more "normal" life. IIRC last year flu was WAY down - I think that may have been attributed to Covid routines but not sure. YMMV

 

[misanman]

Got our flu shots Friday (covid booster) on Thursday. No reaction to either.

 

[ychuck46]

Is there a "theory" other than cold weather (I assume, folks staying in-doors to avoid the cold) as to why the flu might be worse this year? I was thinking it's perhaps because many have abandoned their Covid rituals (masks/distancing/no-crowds/etc.) to resume a more "normal" life. IIRC last year flu was WAY down - I think that may have been attributed to Covid routines but not sure. YMMV

This Canadian doctor details a few reasons why the flu season might be worse than last winter, including schools being hotbeds for the virus, as well as our systems going "soft" from not enough exposure to germs, etc over the past year. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/montreal-doctor-raymond-rezaie-explains-203500725.html

 

[REWahoo]

FWIW, here is the latest info on influenza in the US. Little activity other than in children 4 and under:

 

[robls]

FYI:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32120383/
From the study:
"Results: The data included 170 million episodes of care and 7.6 million deaths. Turning 65 was associated with a statistically and clinically significant increase in rate of seasonal influenza vaccination. However, no evidence indicated that vaccination reduced hospitalizations or mortality among elderly persons. The estimates were precise enough to rule out results from many previous studies."

 

[Koolau]

This Canadian doctor details a few reasons why the flu season might be worse than last winter, including schools being hotbeds for the virus, as well as our systems going "soft" from not enough exposure to germs, etc over the past year. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/montreal-doctor-raymond-rezaie-explains-203500725.html

I guess that sounds reasonable, but who knows? In any case, I've always taken the flu shot and don't believe I've ever had the flu. Of course, back in the big pandemics (1957? and 1968?, other?) I never got the flu while half my class mates were out at one time or another during the season. Lucky or good genes? Who knows? In any case, REWahoo's maps are encouraging so far. YMMV

 

[pacergal]

Flu and covid booster yesterday. Flu arm only a bit sore at the injection site, covid upper arm sore, and have some generalized muscle/joint aching--similar to previous.

Glad to have it done, thankful we have the science to create vaccines!

 

[tuckeverlasting]

Had the high dose flu shot Sept. 20. No side effects. Earlier than I like, but they were already out of it in some places. But the other senior shot, Fluad with adjuvant, is good too.

Last March I got Influenza B despite having had a flu shot, after close contact with a family member who had it and had been tested for the flu (and covid). 3 weeks of feeling pretty bad, although I'm sure it would have been worse without the shot. If there is a next time, I will ask for the flu antiviral meds at the first sign.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Robls, interesting study. I never get the flu shot and rarely get the flu. I am getting the Covid booster on the 11th.

 

[ABQ2015]

My workplace provided free onsite flu shots so I have received the flu vaccine since 1985 except for 2004 when there was a shortage. Our administrative assistant's entire family got the flu that year and she spread it throughout our office. Her young grandchild caught it at daycare. That was the only year I got the flu except I think I had the swine flu in May 2009 after a business trip.

Got my first high dose flu vaccine and a pneumonia vaccine yesterday. My arms were a little sore but now feel fine. Last year I could not find the high dose so settled for the regular one.