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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
let's talk flu shots...
I was just reading that Daniele's hospital is requiring flu shots. The hospital I work at is as well, you have to go through all sorts of hoops to refuse. The only year I got sick was the one I took the flu shot, so obviously I got a different strand. I am so conflicted about it, as I am every year. I don't think I took one when I was pregnant with Adrian, even though it was recommended. They offered it to Adrian at his last appointment, and I just said no for now, as I hadn't discussed it with DH.
What are your thoughts? Yourself? Babies? Older kids? Pregnant women?
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Re: let's talk flu shots...
We get it, with all of DHs respiratory issues it is highly recommended that we all get it, plus with the boys being in school this year. Plus we get it for free from our schools, and the boys get it from their docs.
We didn't get it for the boys the first flu season, because they were less than six months and were home with my mom, MIL and Danielle and we weren't worried about it because we had all had it.
Absolutely, positively, everyone in my family gets a flu shot. It's safe and effective in preventing the flu. Even if you do come down with the flu (a different strain, or just bad luck) it's often a milder case than what you would have had with no vaccination.
For most people, the flu is a miserable, inconvenient week of laying around on the sofa. For some people, the flu means hospitalization and/or death. I'm not going to take that risk when there's an easy way to minimize it.
DH and I have already gotten our shots this year and DD has an appointment to get hers later this morning.
My hospital requires it as well. Some of the Boston hospitals are making it so that if you do not get a flu shot, you could possibly be terminated depending on your job. They are putting a sticker on our badge to identify those who have received the shot.
Anyway, I've received one every year since college due to my asthma. I'm making DH get one as well since he travels so much.
I got one when I was pregnant because it was recommended, but probably wont get another until I"m pregnant again, only because I don't tend to get sick.
Taylor got hers last week at her 18m appt and she had one last year too. She will probably get hers for a while (especially since she goes to daycare).
You might already know this but getting a flu shot at this point in your pregnancy will give your baby some of the antibodies for protection through the first 6 months. This is the only reason (and I didn't want the flu at 36 weeks PG) that I had the flu shot while pregnant...it was my first time too. Abe will certainly get a flu shot this year. I am not willing to risk him getting the flu. I'm not sure if I will as I'm not at a high risk.
We all get the flu shot. Liam and Grace already had theirs, though Liam has to go back for the 2nd round since it is the first time getting it. Bill and I are getting ours tomorrow at our Dr flu shot clinic.
I always get it. My DD got hers this week. I got one when I was pregnant. I also got the H1N1 when I was pregnant.
My thoughts: I am in the high risk population, so I am very opinionated about it.The flu shot is inactivated flu virus. It does not cause the flu. The flu kills people. I think everyone should get one because of the whole herd immunity thing - if a large portion of the population is immunized, those who can't be (allergies, age, etc) are still protected.
Amen.
I don't understand why some people say the won't get the flu vaccine because they've never had the flu. I've never had polio but I got a polio vaccine. Ditto measles, mumps, rubella, diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hepatitis B, etc.
Not getting the flu without getting the vaccine doesn't mean you have special super immunity, it means you're lucky. Your luck may not last forever and the consenquences can be severe.
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For some people, the reaction to the flu shot can be worse than the flu-- or even deadly. And if you don't normally get sick that often, then not getting the flu shot can make perfect sense. (Why make yourself sick on purpose if you won't get sick without the direct exposure?)
I think it's a personal choice, and it's important to respect that with each other. Yes, there is herd immunity, but nothing protects everybody from everything. And for many people (those with certain allergies and sensitivities), the flu shot can be worse or as bad as the flu, so it's a question of definitely having a bad time (the flu shot) versus only possible having a bad time (possibly getting the flu).
The first and best defense for ALL communicable diseases is hand-washing. Proven fact. So someone who has excellent hand-washing technique and habits can actually get sick less often than someone who has had the vaccine but has less-stringent hand hygiene practices.
Nobody protects me from people who sneeze on produce at the grocery store, or directly on me out in public, or who wipe their noses and then directly touch me or try to shake my hand, serve me food, etc. Nobody protects me or others from the family members of MRSA patients who don't have to don gowns, gloves, and masks in the hospital and then walk all over the hallways, the cafeteria, elevators, etc. touching things with their infected hands and clothes.
There are pros and cons to getting the flu shot and to not getting the flu shot. It's a personal decision that is influenced by myriad factors that are unique to the individual. Go with your gut-- or with your brain, if that's how you make your decisions. Just get the answers you need for you, specifically, and then you can feel good about whatever decision you make.
There is more than one stain of the influenza virus in the flu shot. The prevalent strains haven't changed from last year to this year, so the formulation of the shot didn't change this year. But the strain of flu you got last year may not be the same one you're exposed to this year. Also, immunity wears off within a few months -- which is why people who got last year's shot still need to get another one this year.
Sorry, I don't agree with you. Those people you are talking about are the ones I was referring to who would benefit from herd immunity. There are SO MANY people who refuse to get the flu shot because they are scared it will make them sick, and the majority of those people aren't going to have a severe reaction. Just because nothing protects everyone from everything doesn't mean we shouldn't use the tools that are provided to us. And hand washing is one of those tools, but even that doesn't always work all the time, so why not add the flu shot to the mix. So, I will continue to get annoyed by most of the people who refuse the get the flu shot.
I agree with Daniele's post very much.
When originally replying I didn't have much time to elaborate so I wanted to clarify a couple of things. Several posts mentioned people thinking that the flu shot makes you get the flu, as well as being bothered by people who say they don't get the shot because they don't get sick. I didn't say either of those things, but I think my original reply, with an anecdote about my friend, could have been read that way.
My friend gets the flu shot every year, and every year without fail he gets the flu. I don't think the shot is making him sick, but it's obviously not keeping him from getting sick, either. So that becomes a "what's the point?" type of question for me.
Also, I don't feel that my immune system is any better or worse than any other non-high-risk individual's. However, without actually getting the flu shot I have no way of knowing if I'll be one of those people who have a bad reaction to it. I've had strange reactions to medicines in the past, and am extremely cautious about using any sort of medication, so I approach this the same way. There has to be cost/benefit analysis. I've had the flu, and I'd rather take my chances against it again than potentially have a fatal reaction to a shot meant to prevent certain strains of it.
If getting the flu shot is the right choice for you, your family etc. then I respect that, it is just not something I feel comfortable choosing for myself at this time.
I got the flu once, and I never want to go through it again.
I was stuck on the couch for over a week, then had a sinus infection and ear infection secondarily. It was horrible.
We all get the flu shot. H was against it until he got the flu two years ago, but DD and I were fine (we'd had the shot). Now he gets it too.