Ellener Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 I've just been looking at 'flu shots, think I am going to get one this year. From what I can understand it's @50% effective according to CDC. There's a free bus here or it's $19.99 at the local big box store pharmacy ( no 'extra charges' as with the gp/ pharmacies ) Thoughts anyone? Link to post Share on other sites
Happy Lemming Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 43 minutes ago, Ellener said: Thoughts anyone? I got one about a week ago, it was no charge with my "obamacare" insurance. I made my appointment on-line (in advance) and I was in and out within 3-5 minutes... piece of cake. Prior to that, I paid $30 at my local Sam's Club, so $19.99 sounds like a deal. I did have two very minor side effects, my arm was sore for 2 days and I got a light headache, again not something to "write home about". I am glad I got my flu shot. Both my girlfriend and I are in the (AARP) demographic, so it just seems to make logical sense to go ahead and get it. 50% effective is better than 0% Just my two cents... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted November 14, 2020 Author Share Posted November 14, 2020 3 minutes ago, Happy Lemming said: I did have two very minor side effects, my arm was sore for 2 days and I got a light headache, Thanks, I'll aim to do it @Thurs on then, then if I'm sick I've no appointments pending. This was the cheapest I could find ( the 'other' big box store! ) except for the free bus ( which is a good charity so I'd give the same as a donation ) Never use my health insurance for anything I can pay cash for, it's cheaper in the long run. This is CDC advice for this season https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2020-2021.htm Link to post Share on other sites
hajk Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 (edited) @Ellener Most health insurance covers flu shot. I got my flu shot at CVS Pharmacy at no cost. Edited November 15, 2020 by a LoveShack.org Moderator Removed commercial link 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted November 15, 2020 Author Share Posted November 15, 2020 @hajk I never use health insurance for small cash purchases, could write a book about my experiences there! Thanks though. Going to get 'flu shot Thurs ahead of Thanksgiving. Link to post Share on other sites
FMW Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 My insurance automatically covered my shot at Walgreens about a month ago. They already had my insurance on file for prescriptions and didn't even mention anything about cost. I had no side effects whatsoever. I get them every year (usually they provide them at my work location, but we're all working from home now) and haven't had the flu in several years. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
serial muse Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 definitely get it if you can. i think the "why" is pretty clear - because we already have a national health emergency on our hands, and we don't need to compound it during flu season. glad you're going to get it! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
basil67 Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Free vs cost? It's a debate between cost and convenience. How far is too far for a saving of $20? If you've got any concerns about it being contraindicated with existing health issues, ask your GP. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 6 hours ago, Ruby Slippers said: expanded menu of vaccinations that people are given these days. yes, people my age and older are targeted for several. Shingles, pneumonia, even Hepatitis A for some reason. 3 hours ago, basil67 said: How far is too far for a saving of $20? If I used the free mobile vaccination bus they ask for donations so it would be the same, the convenience will be just 'walk in and walk out' no line I'm hoping. 3 hours ago, basil67 said: ask your GP. Don't use one. I order my own lab tests and rarely take meds. My a1c was 5.7 last time, if it's still there or lower I shall stop taking Metformin, it means I'm no longer diabetic; I'll still do the tests though and stick to the diet. Feeling overall well again, my skin's glowing, I'm sleeping at night. Love exercising outdoors in the wheelchair! I'll take this year's 'flu vaccine, and a Covid vaccine if one comes out, and stay on focus for general health. We're being asked to avoid Thanksgiving gatherings here ( it's next week for those overseas ) Texas just hit 20 000 Covid deaths, second highest state for infections and deaths. Link to post Share on other sites
Wiseman2 Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 I may pass this year. All the precautions, masks, distance, isopropyl cleaning, hand washing,etc. Are the same measures minimizing infectious disease risk. Not an anti vaccination person, but the demographics and dynamic in 2020 is changing the landscape of infectious disease management. Link to post Share on other sites
Piddy Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 We got our flu shots a couple weeks ago. Publix (grocery store) gave us each a $10.00 gift card. Since I'm of a certain age I also got a pneumococcal vaccine as well. Vaccination is widely considered one of the greatest medical achievements of modern civilization. 5 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 3 hours ago, Wiseman2 said: All the precautions, masks, distance, isopropyl cleaning, hand washing,etc. Are the same measures minimizing infectious disease risk. They are if people do them! 3 hours ago, Wiseman2 said: 2020 is changing the landscape of infectious disease management. I don't think it's changed, we are just way more aware of 'the chain of infection' now. I don't think I'd ever looked at US CDC website prior to the pandemic. People are equally anxious to save their businesses and homes though, and will take infection risk over homelessness or bankruptcy! There's a social component to pandemic management as well as medical. Link to post Share on other sites
serial muse Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 (edited) I'm extremely glad that my very immunocompromised mom got the flu shot. Now doesn't seem like a good time to play russian roulette with one's health. It's really distressing that it's become such a bandwagon to pretend that these vaccines are dangerous. but that's fashion for you. I have yet to see a good argument against them, and I see abundant good arguments for them. But then, that's how I feel about masks, too, and people gonna do what they gonna do and focus on the individual, I guess. It's baffling, but there you are. So much of the world is plain baffling. Spells bad news for the US ever coming out of this pandemic. Which is why I'm definitely not feeling hopeful about the future. The world isn't showing its good side right now. Still waiting for someone to come up with a better reason than "I've been lucky bc I never got the flu before." I have an anecdote of my own - one year, my kid and I got the flu vaccine, my H didn't because he scoffed at it and said he'd never gotten sick before. Kid and I had mild cases, nothing worse than a cold really. H was down and out for about a week, couldn't drag himself out of bed to pee. Take that for what you will. But he's gotten the flu shot every year since. Edited November 17, 2020 by serial muse 2 Link to post Share on other sites
lana-banana Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 (edited) Yes, get a flu shot if you can! It is just preposterous selfishness not to. You are protecting the young, elderly and immune compromised all around you. Why would you choose to put other people at risk over maybe two minutes at the pharmacy? Even if the particular combination isn't the most effective, it's certainly better than nothing. A while back the National Institute of Health did a flu prep study where they tested combinations of the vaccines on willing participants; participants had a roughly 50% chance of getting the flu. They paid participants $3000 for entering. I gotta say, if the severity of a disease is so bad that the inconvenience and cost to my general well-being/ability to do anything/work productivity is priced at $3000, I'd really rather not have it. My sister got the flu a few years ago and said it was just pure hell for ten days. Edited November 17, 2020 by lana-banana 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted November 18, 2020 Author Share Posted November 18, 2020 13 hours ago, serial muse said: Spells bad news for the US ever coming out of this pandemic. Which is why I'm definitely not feeling hopeful about the future. The world isn't showing its good side right now. America isn't the world much as we like to think we are! Loads of people here and overseas are showing nothing but good towards others and helping others during the pandemic. I'm neither pro or anti vaccinations where they are treated as marketing cash-cows, people need to make such decisions for themselves. Link to post Share on other sites
mark clemson Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 On 11/15/2020 at 1:58 PM, major_merrick said: There are lots of places that are practically giving the shot away, or charging minimal cash costs like $5 or less. PLEASE ask yourself WHY. Where I am it's advertised, e.g by the grocery chains as "free for most people" because insurance pays. They also give you a coupon on your next purchase (at least the grocery store does). I think this likely has more to do with grocery chains, Walmart and the like trying to muscle in on business that might have gone to drug stores as it does with any dark, mysterious plots by the powers that be. After all, they opened pharmacies in their stores for a reason. A business reason. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted November 18, 2020 Author Share Posted November 18, 2020 28 minutes ago, mark clemson said: A business reason. Yes, hardly a good public health policy though! Link to post Share on other sites
mark clemson Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 Dunno - I'm not a doctor. My view is more vaccination is probably better from a population perspective, although there could be specific situations or diseases where that isn't the case. Vaccination is NOT 100% risk free. Generally, the risk is on the order of 1/1M though, so most people, normally, are better off taking it than not, particularly if they're "at risk" or if, e.g. the flu strain that year is particularly strong/dangerous. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Wiseman2 Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 Exactly. There's a vast difference between epidemiology and personal medical treatment. For communicable diseases to be eradicated, vaccination programs are crucial. However there are unfortunate circumstances when immunizations are contraindicated such as suppressed immune systems, whether through disease such as AIDS or from necessary treatments for cancer, and other conditions which require immunosuppressive treatment. While get vaccinated is an excellent public health policy and an excellent public service message, every individual needs to determine for themselves what the best course of action is in their particular circumstances . Link to post Share on other sites
serial muse Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 (edited) On 11/18/2020 at 3:44 AM, Ellener said: America isn't the world much as we like to think we are! Loads of people here and overseas are showing nothing but good towards others and helping others during the pandemic. I'm neither pro or anti vaccinations where they are treated as marketing cash-cows, people need to make such decisions for themselves. I don't agree that they are treated as marketing cash cows. I think that this way of framing it is super trendy right now, because people have jumped on the "question authority" as meaning "trust nothing, even established science". It's lazy, and it's selfish, and it's deadly. And yeah, I don't feel like pulling punches on this anymore. It is time for people to stop being selfish. And this isn't just about the US. But the US is certainly wealthier as a nation and in a position to do better than, say, Venezuela and India. Denying any of this is very strange to me. It's all very strange to me. I will never understand how people who purport to be religious, for example - or even to care about their fellow man - can take this attitude. It boggles the mind. People will certainly make this decision for themselves. Which is why I say the world is not showing its good side. They are making the wrong decisions, left and right, all while proclaiming their righteousness. Ugh. Edited November 19, 2020 by serial muse Link to post Share on other sites
serial muse Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 (edited) Let me also point out that advocating for vaccines for others is not to benefit myself. I've got no dog in this hunt. But it's the best thing for you, and also for those who are unable to take vaccines, because it promotes herd immunity. And advocating for others brings its own punishment in this day and age, because people can't quite believe it and will accuse you of anything. Look at the shameful way people are talking about healthcare givers right now, as though they are profiting off of COVID19. (Reader: Many hospitals are losing money https://www.aha.org/guidesreports/2020-05-05-hospitals-and-health-systems-face-unprecedented-financial-pressures-due#:~:text=The AHA estimates the net,treating COVID-19 patients alone.) It's disgusting. These people are burning out, and desperate for others to do the right thing, including getting the flu shot to minimize co-morbidity, and they are still giving it their all when that doesn't happen. Truly, I will get the vaccine when I can, and will urge everyone I care about to do it too. There's nothing in it for me but that. Edited November 19, 2020 by serial muse Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted November 19, 2020 Author Share Posted November 19, 2020 59 minutes ago, serial muse said: it's the best thing for you, and also for those who are unable to take vaccines, because it promotes herd immunity. It's a big topic. The two main pharmacies here offer 15 over-the-counter vaccines now. Some of them, such as the rabies vaccine, have serious side-effects to be weighed up against the risk and usefulness factors. I don't believe they should be available in this way myself, they should be administered as overall public health programs as part of a national health system, by medics. I'm always going to go away, research, and make an informed big-picture decision. The marketing will have no effect on me. But presumably the tv ads affect someone and increase profits or the stores would not run them. As for herd immunity, well the two considerations are virus adaptation ( which is why the 'flu -and probably Covid vaccines- have to be re-worked yearly and sometimes are ineffective ) and effectiveness, here's the CDC overview https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/vaccineeffect.htm explaining the short-comings of growing 'flu for vaccines in hen eggs for example. This year's quadrivalent 'flu shot 'Fucelvax' is egg-free, which should be the way forward for all 'flu vaccines and improve their effectiveness. The cell-based vaccines are @25 % more expensive to produce though, yet again the profit motive means the best available technology is not being routinely used. Link to post Share on other sites
LeniA Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 I won't get one,luckily my mom is a retired RN nurse.Showed me what is in a flu shot,disgusting stuff and decided not to get one ever in my life 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted November 23, 2020 Author Share Posted November 23, 2020 Got my 'flu shot today, at the local kroger grocery pharmacy listed on my health insurance policy, it was covered with zero copay ( first time I've used my insurance in three years! ) 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted November 29, 2020 Author Share Posted November 29, 2020 On 11/20/2020 at 7:32 PM, LeniA said: I won't get one,luckily my mom is a retired RN nurse.Showed me what is in a flu shot,disgusting stuff and decided not to get one ever in my life https://www.immunology.org/news/whats-in-vaccine 'What's in a vaccine' Link to post Share on other sites
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