Flu shots

njgal · Oct 13th, 2009, 11:17 AM

How many of you are getting flu shots for yourself and your kids this year?

Do you feel it's necessary or unnecessary hype created by media and the pharmacutical companies?

What is your verdict?

... and do you feel that insurance should cover flu shots if they are going to make it mandatory that you get them.

ahmadjee · Oct 13th, 2009, 11:49 AM

I am getting one cos it's free from work. Nadia is getting one ... well, cos she is paranoid. Misbah is getting one cos the Dr. said she must.

I don't get sick often, so can't tell if it actually has any effect or not.

Mamaof3 · Oct 13th, 2009, 11:59 AM

We all got our seasonal flu shots already. Mom,Dad and 3 boyz. We get them every year.

You have only to experience a real flu to be convinced. Many people get a serious sinus infectionand call it the flu. But the real flu is beyond nasty. You get high fever, chills, aches so bad that you feel like you were hit by a train, headache like a spike thru your brain, so much mucous in your lungs that breathing is troublesome. And medicines only slightly lessen the symptoms.

My mom had the flu one year, it went into pneumonia which is one of the risks of flu and she was bedridden for 3months. She needed lung surgery for the scarring that the pneumonia caused.

I wont take that risk, we got the shots and all was fine, our arms were a bit sore the next day but no other side effects.

NYCGori · Oct 13th, 2009, 04:04 PM

I'm preggo and paranoid about all the time I spend around potentially microbe-spreading, non-mouth covering infectious people (hello, New York City subway), so I'm getting my shot this Thursday and eagerly awaiting the release of the H1N1 shot.

UZ · Oct 13th, 2009, 04:11 PM

We (mom,dad,kids) already got shots for this year, usually we get children flu shots every year.

Niksik · Oct 13th, 2009, 04:23 PM

Their doc just has them get it. She "highly" recommends it. So yeah we do. And I think we do quite well.

Question: a friend just told me that flu shots contain gelatin or something of that sort which isn't halal so she was opting out as she didn't want anything haram going into her kid's body.

What is this I hear?

cricketplaya · Oct 13th, 2009, 05:08 PM

Can't remember the last time I had flu shot, maybe 15years back. Alhamdulillah no problems.
This H1N1 shot. Call it HYPE shot.

Mamaof3 · Oct 13th, 2009, 05:11 PM

crikey, I will keep you in prayers that you do not become afflicted with this.

MIAinVA · Oct 13th, 2009, 05:18 PM

@ Niksik... oh wow, it has Gelatin? I didn't know that.... just googled after reading your post and found this:

Source: H1N1 (Swine Flu) and Food Allergy

Quote:

"Flu vaccines tend to contain gelatin, although in smaller amounts than the MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) vaccine, which is the vaccine most often reported to cause gelatin-induced anaphylaxis, says Ottawa-based allergist Dr. Antony Ham Pong."

So does that mean we shouldn't get the MMR vaccine for our kids too?

Niksik · Oct 13th, 2009, 05:21 PM

MMR is to prevent potentially life threatening diseases...Flu shots are optional...I dunno...

apples!too · Oct 13th, 2009, 06:06 PM

I thought most insurances did cover the flu shots. Anyways yes people who are at high risk and most health care professionals should get flu shots.
I am not getting one even though I know I should, it's just my personal choice and won't be getting the H1N1 vaccine either.

MIAinVA · Oct 13th, 2009, 08:10 PM

Niksik... good point.

^Yeah me too.... I'm not getting either for myself, but I'm concerned about my 3 yr old. I'll probably get the regular flu shot for her (her pediatrician is getting it in mid-Oct)... still not sure about the H1N1 though. And yes, my insurance does cover the flu shot.