Flu Jab at chemist?

I'm a great believer in 'flu vaccine - I had mine every year as a health care professional, and now I'm an old biddy I get it free!
I hear a lot of people say that they won't have it because they have heard that 'it gives you the 'flu' . It's true that the first ever jab you have may cause a mild feverish reaction and a day or two feeling below par - but that's a long way from a full-blown attack of 'flu.
I never get so much as a cold, although that's not a known effect, but I wouldn't miss it for the world!

Yes ASDA usually cheapest, cost price.
I've been paying for them for years and dragging DH along on basis that he did not really want a couple of weeks of work did he...
Boots these days as no big Asda near.
I didn't have on last year as the vaccine had not changed from previous year, but had one again this year as 2 out of the 3 strains have changed.

My youngest DGD (nearly 3) was having the nasal spray flu vaccine at the GP so I advised my DD and SiL to get one too. He uses London public transport daily so is at high risk (in my opinion). Neither had any problem, just paid the money and vaccine administered by nurse at the GP surgery. I get mine free but I think £9-10 a small price to pay for something that will hopefully keep the flu away.

I'm fortunate that I get it free from the surgery. Have had it for the last six years and have not had as much as a cold every winter. Highly recommended!!

I am a firm believer in the flu jab. As an asthmatic I have been getting them for a number of years. A few years ago my husband caught proper flu and was flat out in bed. He doesn't remember much about it but I looked after him and did not catch the flu.

This happened at our surgery a couple of years ago. From memory I think the doctors ended up doing it [probably the end result of some sort of cost cutting exercise]. You must keep asking you surgery if and when you will be getting your flu jab. They do get paid [I believe] for giving people flu jabs so it is in their best interest to do it for you. If, for any reason you need to call a doctor out mention to them that you have not had the flu jab and to make sure the doctor brings one with him/her [unless it's a chest infection etc].

For the first time I find myself in a very strange position about getting my flu jab. I am disabled unwell and housebound and my wife who is my carer had her flu jab in October. But my GP surgery has a problem caused by the health authority who have decided not to commission district nurses to administer flu jabs. Also if one is not currently on the district nurses careload they are not allowed to add new patients. This is at the direction of their professional body ie trades union. So the GPs cannot ask the district nurses to provide any care for housebound patients who are mainly elderly.

Meanwhile the health of the disabled and housebound is severely compromised especially now we are in winter. In the meanwhile the GP surgery is making up a list of housebound patients waiting to get flu jabs.
I presume the options are that the doctors do it, or the surgery nurses do it or the whole process is put in the hands of the private sector. Either way they need to decide what to do and sort it out ASAP.

Rosiebee I would recommend that you get the flu jab because when you get a bit older, I'm 63, influenza can be dangerous and can really make you very unwell and weak. So £10 for the jab will be money well spent. I do appreciate that there are thousands of less well off folk who would find £10 a sizeable amount. There's no palaver just fill out a health questionnaire

I have never had a reaction to the flu jab and nor has Dh. I've been paying for them ever since Dh started getting them free as a health worker so probably about 8 years.

That does sometimes happen; but the more people that have the jab the less chance there will be of an epidemic/pandemic which will safeguard vulnerable people eg asthmatics, children, pregnant women etc. I have it each year as much to protect others as myself.

I do not want to worry anyone, but I had such a dreadful time with this years flu jab I won't be having another-ever. I do not know what they had in this years but I was really ill and I felt it affected the whole of my nervous system. I reported it to the Yellow Card Scheme.
I get the free one as I am asthmatic. I have had it four years running with never a side-effect except for the usual sore arm. My husband was not happy either with the way this years jab affected me.
The scariest part was I developed a constant sore head, painkillers (and I can only take paracetemol based products) had no effect on the headache and it took weeks for it to go. NEVER AGAIN.

Had mine at Asda for a mere £8.00. Easy peasy. No reaction other than the usual stiff arm. It's true that the vaccine isn't effective against all strains of the virus, but the only time I've had flu recently was the year I missed my jab.

Other half has them every year as he is asthmatic - but he had the worse flu ever last year as apparently the jab didn't cover ALL strains.

Allergies: No connection to flu jabs whatsoever, but I never had the winter flu jab last year after a bad summer season of allergies that I had never previously had. Not had the flu jab this year either ~ so fingers crossed.

Since moving to a different county, allergies & hay fever have been a nightmare. Hopefully I will have built up some resistance ready for next Summer

I had mine at the Doctor's surgery by the nurse. You can request a jab and pay for the prescription if you are under 65. it is easy. If you are a patient there, they have all your history anyway.
I do not want to get the flu and if i did, I would probably spend a fortune on remedies anyway. Go for it. Nothing to lose.

I'm 63 and got mine for free at the Health Centre. I simply explained I'd had bad flu last year and they gave me the jab, no problem.

I've had one at our Lloyds pharmacy just around the corner. At a tenner, it's a bargain if either avoid the flu or have a less severe form of it. You complete a form and they ask you to wait 10 minutes in case of anaphylaxis. Next year I will qualify for a free one, but I will still go to the pharmacy rather than the GP because it is more convenient. The pharmacy will claim it back from the NHS, just like a free prescription. I think we should take the pressure off the GP surgery where possible, so as far as i'm concerned, it's a win/win!

I used to work in the coop pharmacy who gave flu jabs ..
there is a form with a list of questions to answer regarding certain health conditions and allergies,once completed the pharmacist or trained individual will give you the injection,you will then be asked to wait for a bout 10/15 minutes just in case there is a reaction to the vaccine...you are then free to go,your GPs name and address will be taken and they will be informed that you have had the jab...
we used to have a walk in service and in busy periods you may have been asked to wait or given a day /time to come in....some times a smaller community pharmacy offering this service can be more flexible..

Lloyd s chemists are also offering the service. If you have to pay, most supermarkets that have pharmacies will offer the service.

I think it's a really good initiative!

I rang Boots to make an appointment for the flu jab. Pressed the requisite button for the Pharmacy and it rang, and rang. After 7 minutes of gradually losing the will to live the automated service cut it and asked if I'd like another extension and gave me options so I went for General Enquiries, which had a voice mail.
I gave up.

I had the Boots one this year. Pretty straightforward. Would recommend!

I've had a few at Sainbury's and this year had free one at the Boots in the village. I've been fine each time.

Oh that's bad luck loopylou

I'm another one too young for a flu jab (62 soon but nice to be considered not old enough!) so booked one at a local chemist only to catch the blasted flu the day before.
Do I still get one or hope that I have immunity to this year's strain?


I'll get one earlier next year!

I've had one at Sainsburys and it was very straightforward. You do have to fill in a health questionnaire and see the pharmacist. I had one because my OH is often working away so if I got flu I'd have no one to look after me! £9 a small price to pay imho.