Free flu jabs to be offered to all over-50s from December - MSE News

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Anyone aged 50 or over will be able to get a free flu jab from their GP or pharmacist from 1 December, in a bid to combat the "twin threats" of flu and coronavirus this winter...

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'Free flu jabs to be offered to all over-50s from December'

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MrsPorridge

I've never had a flu jab and I am considering it this year - what does anyone think?  Should I take it?

Emmia

I decided to have one, for the first time this year and got it in Boots a few weeks ago. I'm well under 50 though and in good health with no conditions that place me at high risk. 

Originally I was going to pay, but work offered a free voucher so used that instead. Essentially, COVID is a risk, and so is flu but I can get a jab for one of them - so why not do it. 

Torry_Quine

This article isn't entirely accurate for Scotland. Firstly it's always been the case that over 50s would be entitled from December. More importantly though here you can't get it free at the pharmacy. You should be contacted by the health board with an appointment.

[Deleted User]

MrsPorridge said:

I've never had a flu jab and I am considering it this year - what does anyone think?  Should I take it?

I'm an under 40 had it for first time ever just under 2 weeks ago I was diagnosed with a condition last December which have felt like left alone to handle it - felt no difference given it on the NHS carried on life as normal the very next day simply being told by the NHS my temprature may rise a little and be a little misrepresenting if high - my parents over 60 complained of achey shoulder next day on waking for the paid for over 60 jab but I had no choice but to wait for NHS when national chemists refused me a jab and just kept rejecting the appointment. Certainly got up and on very next day. Fortunately touch wood I've not a cold as bad as last year.

silvercar

MrsPorridge said:

I've never had a flu jab and I am considering it this year - what does anyone think?  Should I take it?

Yes.
I have not had one previously but decided to do so this year as the risk is that if you get covid when you have flu you are more likely to be seriously ill. If you are in contact with the covid virus just after you have had flu, your immune system could be lower and so you are more likely to get covid.
Also you need to wait 28 days between the flu jab and the covid jab, so getting the flu one out of the way now makes sense.
I paid £15 at the local pharmacy to have mine rather than wait for the GPs to have enough stock to be eligible.

Noreen

My gp has texted asking people not to contact them about this as they will have to order in new stock and will contact qualifying people when it’s available. Imagine they’re being run ragged with people ringing and asking for it.

Pollycat

I'm in my late 60s and am still waiting to be contacted by my surgery for my flu jab.

OH - who is 18 months younger - has had a letter from the same surgery inviting him to ring to make an appointment for his.

roddydogs

For some strange reason, a pharmacy can have them before the gp, so register with a pharmacy as well, daft but true.

prowla

I've had one for the past few years.

This time around I looked into getting it on the NHS but they were very vague about when they might be available and there was a risk of getting the flu before the jab.

So this year I had it privately.

olgadapolga

Pollycat said:

I'm in my late 60s and am still waiting to be contacted by my surgery for my flu jab.

OH - who is 18 months younger - has had a letter from the same surgery inviting him to ring to make an appointment for his.

Could you not ask them to do yours at the same time? 

I had a similar issue a few weeks ago as my son and I received texts advising us to book for flu jabs but my other son, daughter and husband didn't get asked to make an appointment. I rang them to ask if we could all be done together and was told 'no, you have to wait for us to contact you".

Sent a complaint to the practice manager, stating that it was better for us all to go at the same time, less risk to us and less risk to them, etc. Seems they came around to my way if thinking as I  received a phone call the day after the letter went in, offering us all appointments at the same time.