Anyone battling the flu yet this season? Is it widespread where you live? They say the vaccine formulated in anticipation of this year’s epidemic is only ten percent effective against the strain that’s circulating. Do you know someone who contracted the flu even though they were supposedly immunized? I have to admit I’m a bit freaked out, especially since my parents are both in their eighties, and plagued with significant health issues. They both got their flu shots and pneumonia vaccines in early November, but if the flu shot is only ten percent effective… 
Here’s the most recent CDC flu map:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/usmap.htm
For the elderly, I’d seriously consider limiting exposure to other people when possible. For everyone, wash your hands A LOT and take care of your health in general. I’m not sure there is anything more you can do.
It’s pretty widespread around here, unfortunately.
I think Mr R got a weakened version of it a few weeks because he had the shot (weaker because he got the shot- he didn’t get it from the shot!). His temperature was nearing 103 for a few days and he could barely move. We never took him in to get it confirmed and thank every freaking star I didn’t manage to get it.
I wear a mask right now every time I go into a hospital or clinic. Rather safe than sorry.
Hugs, poets. Hoping your parents stay healthy.
Yup, DH came down with it on Christmas Eve and I got sick the next day. He had the flu shot and I did not. I don’t remember the last time I was so sick. D, who was visiting for the week, also had the shot. She didn’t get sick so she got to be nurse.
We canceled our plans to visit my dad and DH’s parents because we didn’t want to spread it to them. For me, it came on suddenly. I had been shaking hands with people at church and hugging friends the night before. Who knows if I was already contagious.
Lots of people in my area with the flu, some had the shot, some did not. Even the healthiest are very sick for weeks. This is not a 4-5 day thing, more like a 10+ day “can’t get out of bed” flu. I don’t get the shot and can’t remember ever getting the flu despite the fact I work in healthcare but I always get the stomach bug in January, praying its not while I’m moving D to Budapest next week.
I have been a school nurse for ten years, I never get sick. I got the flu day before break I thought maybe I had a cold. I have been in bed for ten days now. I don’t get the flu shot but also heard it is ineffective for this strain.
My whole family had the flu for break, hope you all stay healthy !!
I read the other day the effectiveness of this year’s vaccine is 30% but can’t find the article. This is from the CDC.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season-2017-2018.htm
“Some news reports have claimed the flu vaccine is expected to be only 10% effective this year, is this true?”
The 10% vaccine effectiveness (VE) figure reported in the news is an Australian interim estimate of the vaccine’s benefit against one flu virus (the H3N2 virus) that circulated in Australia during its most recent flu season. In the United States last season, overall vaccine effectiveness against all circulating flu viruses was 39%, and VE was only a bit lower (32%) against H3N2 viruses. Vaccine effectiveness against other flu viruses (i.e., H1N1 or B viruses) was higher. The United States has a very robust network that estimates vaccine effectiveness each season. This season’s flu vaccine includes the same H3N2 vaccine component as last season, and most circulating H3N2 viruses that have been tested in the United States this season are still similar to the H3N2 vaccine virus. Based on this data, CDC believes U.S. VE estimates from last season are likely to be a better predictor of the flu vaccine benefits to expect this season against circulatinghttps://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season-2017-2018.htm H3N2 viruses in the United States. This is assuming minimal change to circulating H3N2 viruses. However, because it is early in the season, CDC flu experts cannot predict which flu viruses will predominate. Estimates of the flu vaccine’s effectiveness against circulating flu viruses in the United States will be available later in the season.”
Neither H nor I have gotten it yet and we both had the shot. I haven’t even had a cold since I started getting flu shot years ago ( I used to get two - one in the fall and one in the spring.) H did have a head cold/sinus infection a few weeks ago.
We’ve had a weird flu experience this year (over Christmas, naturally). Everyone was immunized. My 30 y/o d came down with flu 2 days before Christmas (confirmed at the MD’s office). She limited contact with the family once she developed symptoms, but she’d been playing with her nephews the day before - one is 2 years old, the other 3 months. The 2 y/o was immunized, but the 3 m/o was too young. His mom, who is nursing him, did get the vaccine.
Everyone got sick with something for a few days, though the symptoms were really mild compared to what they can be. The 3 m/o went to the pediatrician when he started running a fever - confirmed Type A flu. He was sick for (get this) less than 36 hours. They put him on Tamiflu, of course, but we were all amazed at how he bounded back. Same thing with the 2 y/o. The adults were sick for maybe 3 days, and not the can’t-get-out-of-bed kind, except for the 30 y/o, who is just now improving after developing bronchitis.
Hope everyone out there who hasn’t yet gotten sick stays healthy.
I think I need to be more careful about washing my hands and not touching my face while I’m at the gym.
My D (junior in college) got it at the start of finals week. She did get Tamiflu and I think she had a pretty mild case but she has a lingering cough that won’t quit. The doctor told her that tons and tons of people in the area have been coming in with flu. D did get the vaccine.
I’m pretty freaked out because I’m scheduled for surgery the middle of January, and need to stay healthy. I’m flying from California to the east coast tomorrow, and he told me to wear a face mask. I hope that does the trick.
S1 is moving to Houston this week and Walgreens data as of 12/23 shows the area to be full of flu cases. We all came down with sniffles, stuffy nose and mild fevers 2 days ago (assuming a cold) and the pharmacist at Walgreens says he cannot get the shot until his cold goes away…
Even if only “10%” effective, when you are lying in bed, without the shot and spending a week out of commission you will likely WISH that you had spent the minutes and the $$ ($15-20 at local drug stores?) to get a 10% or 30% chance back to NOT get the flu. Get the shot.
I tested positive for flu last winter (even though I got the shot.) Is there any reason to think I might now be immune to at least one of the strains this year? I also got the shot this year but am hoping for a little extra protection. I don’t know which strain I had last year. I guess I’m grasping at straws–I really don’t want to go through that again.
Dang! D has been feeling badly and started Tamiflu yesterday. Today the internist saw her and put all H and me on Tamiflu preventatively too. D says she’s feeling a bit better today (has had 4 doses, plus started Advair and ibuprofen).
Fortunately H and I had the flu shot and still feel pretty good. D has been advised by all her docs to stop getting the flu shot because she gets SO sick with each dose, even if they give her mini-doses. She has to rely on herd immunity—her good friend got the flu on 12/30 and shared it with D before either knew.
They announced yesterday that San Diego has had 45 flu deaths so far this season including a 1 year old. Last week there were more than 3,400 new cases of the flu here.
Yikes, @showmom858! D is a freshman in college in San Diego -I guess I should be thankful she has a really long break and won’t be back there until the end of January. And of course you know the numbers are always higher b/c many people who have the flu never get to the doctor for an official diagnosis. I hope you and your family remain healthy.
I cancelled my platelet donation appointment today because I have very mild cold symptoms (<=This statement, though true, may be irrelevant to the thread topic) I got my one and only flu shot about 5 years ago and suffered from severe cold-like symptoms for the next 6 weeks. My doctor assured me it was a coincidence, but I have not gotten a flu shot since. Think about it often, but just haven’t done it. Living dangerously.
My goodness @showmom858, that’s scary!
81-yo mom had the flu-shot and pneumococcal vac and hope for the best. I took her to do sauna several times a week which is a immune booster.
Also everyone at home is taking daily vitamin D3 and cook with lots of garlic/ginger/cumin/turmeric, these r all good immune boosters.
H got a flu shot then was mildly sick for 10 days. S and I started feeling sick on the 27th and were sidelined for 4 days. Now back to about 90%. Took lots of theraflu but didn’t see a dr. Just glad it wasn’t during the semester.