Flu Jab Eligibility

Spoonie_Turtle wrote: »

Very good! :T:T:T

Incidentally that's what I'm relying on - I'm not someone who very obviously needs the vaccination, but if I got the flu I'd most likely be bedbound for a few weeks at least. However with my health condition it's about 50-50 whether I'd end up just as ill from having the jab (oversensitive drama-queen body, nothing wrong with the jab itself) but thankfully the other 3 family members in the house all qualify for a free vaccination anyway, so I for one am very thankful for herd immunity!

Different strains of influenza can be very virulent or surprisingly mild. I am the sibling with all the health issues but have never had influenza (jab first time this year but offered before). My mostly healthy sibling has had it twice, once as an older teen could barely stand let alone crawl up the stairs. Had to be assisted to even get to the toilet.

Then again at 40-ish. My sibling had carried on commuting by rail and tube into London for days before finally not making it into work! :eek: Gobsmacked to be medically diagnosed as influenza again since it was such a different experience. Felt like death warmed up, dizzy, achey of course, but not in the same league.

No doubt you Spoonie Turtle are at higher risk of worse symptoms than someone without your health issues. But if you do everything in your personal power to keep your immune system in the best shape (for you) including thinking positively you just never know. In so many ways your body and mind are stronger than others because of what you live with each day. :T

43722 wrote: »

Jab Done. No financial transaction involved. Thank you to all.

Good.

"others involved directly in delivering health and social care such that they and vulnerable patients/clients are at increased risk of exposure to influenza"

includes you in the groups that GPs should use their discretion with. Per page 19-15 of the green book from Public Health England. Other parts of the country may differ.

Even working in say a charitable restaurant that mainly serves those in at risk groups is enough to ask, because protecting you protects them. And that protection is what the NHS is after.

"those who are in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill" is another more restrictive group. Main carer is based on facts, not whether it's formal, informal, unpaid or paid.

"Vaccination should also be offered to household contacts of immunocompromised individuals, i.e. individuals who expect to share living accommodation on most days over the winter and therefore for whom continuing close contact is unavoidable". Immunnocompromised or not, if you're in regular close contact, ask your GP so they can use their clinical judgement. If that says immunise you, the NHS will pay.