<p>In my district of over 30 stores, only 5 of them have flu vaccine as of today. At Walgreens, our normal flu shot brand is unavailable, and so, they have to go to another company. We should get some on Monday per corporate. The issue is that by January, we are normally done with flu immunizations. They don’t try and buy more past November. Giving flu shots as a pharmacist is not an easy thing. You have to do your regular work plus that while everyone is glaring at you. At many stores, you have to do it in the lobby. </p>
<p>It doesn’t make since to have a separate person to give the shots because it will eat away at profits. Pharmacies have stopped having a nurse run flu clinics since pharmacists gained the right to immunized.</p>
<p>At O’Hare, UIC does have a small clinic in terminal 2, and so, it might have been them giving the shots.</p>
<p>I think I heard today that this year’s shot is about 60% effective. I don’t know why I didn’t get offered a shot when I was at the doctor this fall. I got one for the first time last year I think. I haven’t had the flu since 1973, so I’m hopeful that I’ll be okay even if I don’t figure out a way to get one in the next week.</p>
<p>Whether or not you get a flu shot:
Wash your hands often. Wash before and after each meal no matter where you are.
Avoid “touching” in public places as much as possible
Stay away from co workers who choose to come to work sick.
If someone in the house is sick, make their bedroom cozy and inviting- not the communal living room couch.
If you think you are truly having symptoms of influenza, call your doctor and and I quire about tamaflu - the earlier the better.</p>
Well, the fact that my D, another lady and I all left the store with such a bad impression didn’t help profits in this case. And you know, that’s just not an adequate excuse. If you can’t handle the additional work with current staff and don’t want to pay for a nurse to come in a few hours a day, then don’t offer the service. We’re all being told to get flu shots immediately, but vaccines aren’t available and pharmacies can’t get out of their own way. Oh, US healthcare system, how art though broken? Let me count the ways…</p>
<p>I have had only wonderful experiences with Tamiflu. I have taken it several times to head off flu in several different years. Each time, it really helped and I took it as directed, less than 48 hours of first symptoms (often with in 24 hours). It REALLY helped and I am so glad my docs are very proactive at keeping me healthy so I don’t lose more of my already severely limited lung function.</p>
<p>I am sad that the anti-vaccine puts the medically fragile who don’t handle vaccines well at increased risk, but don’t know how that can readily be counter-acted. Our state offers free vaccines at schools but not all schools participate and many students and faculty opt out. I have not heard of local pharmacies or docs being out of flu vaccine, but have not inquired, since H, I & my folks got our vaccine in early fall. We are all high risk.</p>
<p>JMHO but…the flu vaccine has been available since August. Everyone has had almost 6 months to get it. Now, because we are having an outbreak, medical professionals should be jumping through hoops to get you a shot with no wait? Yeah, not really feeling any sympathy. Sorry</p>
<p>This is the first year I have ever had any of my kids vaccinated… pediatrician clarified that it is a “dead” vaccine and there is no chance of getting the flu FROM the vaccine. We had a neighbor/friend here who lost her perfectly healthy 8 year old daughter to the flu 2 weeks before Christmas. She died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital… devastating.</p>
<p>I agree with dkitty. It’s one’s own fault for not getting the vaccine months ago. </p>
<p>I also see what the drug stores are doing more as a public service than a profit making endeavor. It’s a great service for people who don’t have a primary care doctor (and millions don’t) get the vaccine easily.</p>
<p>My son (17) and I both got our shots in October. Son came down with it the first day of Christmas vacation and then bronchitis until the day before school resumed. I came down with it on Christmas Day, was very sick for more than a week, then contracted pneumonia which is just horrible. It’s been nearly 3 weeks now and I am still tired, weak and not ready to join the human race. Now, my age (60) sure has something to do with the length of recovery, plus we were too sick to see a doctor until a week after getting it. Those that have had it know what I mean, you don’t want to go anywhere but bed. We didn’t get the Tamiflu shot, but predisone, z-pack, and antibiotics. I don’t remember ever being this sick before.</p>
<p>I got my shot in October, and took my three kids to our grocery store pharmacy yesterday to get theirs. The total wait was more than an hour. We’re busy, too, but I decided a little inconvenience now was better than a serious illness and perhaps hospitalization later. I have to say that I was proud of my kids for understanding - they did not complain one time.</p>
<p>We all got our shots, as we always do, in early October. You cannot get the flu from the flu shot, for crying out loud. Tamiflu is not usually prescribed since it’s of limited use. They can only make the vaccine so fast, in quantity, so I don’t blame anyone but the latecomers for lines and lack of supply ---- did you want those companies to create a vast surplus “just in case” there was this mad rush? No sympathy here, either.</p>
<p>You are not just vaccinating yourself. You are protecting the elderly, the infants, the immunocompromised. Bully for you if your immune system is “so” strong…what about the person next to you? Typhoid Mary time!!</p>
<p>Other pet peeve? People who “have” to go to church, and then cough all over everyone. We left last week because of it. God will understand, honest People who come to work are also annoying. Stay the heck home! DH’s human resource office actually walked the building last week and “strongly recommended” certain people leave for the day. And then had their workspaces cleaned. I work in a school, and we’re going through soap and hand sanitizer like crazy; I come home and put all my clothes straight down the laundry chute.</p>
<p>^^Agree. I will never understand why people think there is ‘conflicting’ information or ‘controversy’ about a flu vaccine. And I really, really have a problem with people who come to work sick…like there is “honor” in coming to work, or school, or church while infecting other people.</p>
<p>Romanigypsyeyes, hang in there until August, I am sure you can do it! </p>
<p>As for someone shopping around for health insurance for you who does not know your personal situation at all & making assumptions, that is just not ethical!</p>
<p>Also note that many people who claim to have gotten the flu shot and still got the flu in fact did not have true influenza. As said before a 24-48 hour stomach based illness is often called flu but is NOT influenza.</p>
<p>I have heard at work (hospital) that shortage of the shot is not the problem but the sudden demand and getting it shipped and distributed to sites. January is not when there is typically a huge calling for shots like fall is.</p>
<p>Many years ago our entire family got the flu when my oldest daughter attended preschool and brought it home to us: 7-10 days of misery. The next year I got a flu shot: so I didn’t get the flu when oldest daughter brought it home from kindergarten but her two younger siblings and father did. 7-10 days of misery with me being the only healthy person in the house. I told the family that we’d all get the flu shot from then on out and have. It is fall routine in our house. Does that mean we’ve never gotten the flu in the past 20 years then? Well, I haven’t and my husband hasn’t and overall my kids have survived the times when those around them dropped like flies from the virus cutting through the school.</p>
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<p>True. My youngest got it (FluMist) before leaving on her study abroad mid-August. The rest of us worked our way into either Target or CVS in the fall - free with insurance. I actually got a $10 gift card from Target when I got my shot there, so made money on my flu shot.</p>
<p>I gather that you can get the flu this year if you’re exposed to a strain of it not covered in the shot. Fair enough. We have the shot and I’ve reminded the kids to wash hands meticulously. Hopefully, no one will be exposed to the strain of virus not covered and if one is … well, we tried. </p>
<p>My kids attended two different universities and both have flu drives each fall: free flu shots for students till supplies ran out. I just figured that most colleges did the same … hmm … no?</p>
<p>I got my flu shot as an impulse buy when walking through Walmart back in October. Had no idea till the last couple of days that so many people had come down with the flu. Emailed my D’s suggesting they get vaccinated and D1 went yesterday in Boston to get the vaccine at the drug store, no wait when she went. Haven’t heard back from D2 yet…will send a reminder</p>
<p>You know what they say about assumptions lol. Another poster has been absolutely incredible in helping me look though. </p>
<p>We got our shots this morning! Had to go a city over because they’re all out at both Meijers, both CVSes (?), and our Walgreens. Lansing apparently is brimming with vaccinations whereas East Lansing, the college town, is out. No surprise there.</p>
<p>I got one this AM at a small, independent pharmacy in my little town. Don’t hate me, but there was no waiting. The pharmacist said that he’s aware of a few chains in our upstate NY area that have run out, as he did himself last week. However, he was able to get an additional supply without trouble.</p>
<p>As I was driving home, the NPR news at noon reported that this year’s vaccine is considered quite effective at 62 percent (explains why so many get the flu despite being immunized). The report also said that there were areas with vaccine shortages, but not a widespread shortage.</p>
<p>It used to be said that people shouldn’t get their vaccine too early - I guess that’s not true, per my pharmacist? Immunized or not, we still have some protection with handwashing, avoiding sick people if possible, and other common sense practices. Starting, of course, with sick people staying home from work and school. It would be nice if employers and schools cut a little slack in flu season.</p>
<p>Just got a call from my boss. There was a confirmed case of the flu in one of our residents at the shelter. We’re now required to wear masks and gloves during our shifts. Fine by me. </p>
People who come to work are also annoying. Stay the heck home! DH’s human resource office actually walked the building last week and “strongly recommended” certain people leave for the day. And then had their workspaces cleaned. I work in a school, and we’re going through soap and hand sanitizer like crazy; I come home and put all my clothes straight down the laundry chute.</p>
lol. Another poster has been absolutely incredible in helping me look though. </p>