Flu Shots at Publix

[Sandtrap328]

Flu shots are now available at Publix pharmacy. Depending on what health insurance coverage you have, there may be NO co-pay. You also get a $10 Publix gift card!

I got my High Dose (for geezers and geezerettes over 65) shot this morning. The pharmacist (Brad) did an excellent job of injecting!

Influenza is very dangerous to the very young, the quite elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. It is estimated influenza is a contributing factor to up to 55,000 deaths annually in the USA.

[Ecuadog]

Thanks for the info.

[graciegirl]

We get them there too. It seems early..Don't we usually get them in October?

Your friend,

The Geezerette.

[golfing eagles]

We get them there too. It seems early..Don't we usually get them in October?

Your friend,

The Geezerette.

Anytime after mid August is fine.

[Rango]

Anytime after mid August is fine.

CDC recommends end of October

[Dan9871]

CDC recommends end of October

CDC web site says:

"Flu vaccination should begin soon after vaccine becomes available, by the end of October, if possible."

Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine | Seasonal Influenza (Flu) | CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm)

Not the clearest directive I've ever seen :-) but I think that this is saying before the end of October... which jives with what GE said.

[golfing eagles]

CDC web site says:

"Flu vaccination should begin soon after vaccine becomes available, by the end of October, if possible."

Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine | Seasonal Influenza (Flu) | CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm)

Not the clearest directive I've ever seen :-) but I think that this is saying before the end of October... which jives with what GE said.

You are 100% correct. Vaccine usually starts showing up in early August, hence the "anytime after mid August" statement. There really isn't a date after which it shouldn't be given, but by the end of January you've missed the boat, plus the supply has probably run out by then anyway. We always held "flu shot clinics" on the last Saturday in September and the first in October. THERE IS NO NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER!!!

[Taltarzac725]

How long are they good for? I seem to recall getting mine around February of 2017. This was at CVS in their mini-medical office.

[red tail]

Anytime after mid August is fine.

I cant remember if I got this shot. is it ok if I get another just in case?

[golfing eagles]

How long are they good for? I seem to recall getting mine around February of 2017. This was at CVS in their mini-medical office.

a) you got it very late in the season last year, try before Halloween this year

b) The composition of the vaccine is different every year based on CDC's "prediction" of the most likely strains to hit each winter. Last year's shot won't protect you against anything.

c) Immunity from the vaccine takes 2-4 weeks to develop, and should last through the flu season.

[golfing eagles]

I cant remember if I got this shot. is it ok if I get another just in case?

Check with the doctor or pharmacy that gave it to you---they have to keep a record of all immunizations they give.

[red tail]

Check with the doctor or pharmacy that gave it to you---they have to keep a record of all immunizations they give.

let me rephrase the question. are there any known problems with getting the prevnar 13 shot twice within a 3 year period?

[champion6]

I cant remember if I got this shot. is it ok if I get another just in case?Check with the doctor or pharmacy that gave it to you---they have to keep a record of all immunizations they give.You could also check with your insurance company to see if a provider has billed them. The additional point is that your insurance will pay for the first one, but will very likely refuse to pay for the second.

[golfing eagles]

let me rephrase the question. are there any known problems with getting the prevnar 13 shot twice within a 3 year period?

I'm not comfortable giving specific medical advice on TOTV, so I'll pass. But I can say this----CDC recommendation for prevnar 13 in infants is to vaccinate at age 2,4,6 and 12 months of age----draw your own conclusion, or better yet ask your doctor.

[autumnspring]

First of all we will be getting a flu shot.

As we all know, flu is a virus so it rapidly changes. Invariably, after we take the shot they report OOPS, the current vaccine is only ///% effective. You should get a sheet as to what they delivered. I'm not certain if they all deliver the same shot or if you can look for a particular one.

If, I recall, it takes four weeks after the shot to develop as much immunity as you will get from the shot and then it does fall off-the reason why if you decide to get a flu shot you need to get it every year.

Today, we have far better medical car and we are not living in trenches BUT, more people died from the flu in WWI then died from all combat injuries.

[golfing eagles]

First of all we will be getting a flu shot.

As we all know, flu is a virus so it rapidly changes. Invariably, after we take the shot they report OOPS, the current vaccine is only ///% effective. You should get a sheet as to what they delivered. I'm not certain if they all deliver the same shot or if you can look for a particular one.

If, I recall, it takes four weeks after the shot to develop as much immunity as you will get from the shot and then it does fall off-the reason why if you decide to get a flu shot you need to get it every year.

Today, we have far better medical car and we are not living in trenches BUT, more people died from the flu in WWI then died from all combat injuries.

First of all, getting a flu shot every year is great advice, especially for those over 50. And for the record, since this myth recurs every year, YOU CANNOT GET THE FLU FROM A FLU SHOT. PERIOD. NOT POSSIBLE. The worst thing you get from a flu shot is a sore arm for a day or two.

Second, the strain of influenza doesn't really "rapidly change", although it is different each year. The OOPS is a result of CDC missing a strain. Each spring they send out teams to SE Asia, Australia, China etc. to get nasal samples from the population, then they "predict" , usually 3 strains they expect to hit the US in the winter. Over the summer the vaccine manufacturer's produce this trivalent vaccine (sometimes it is quadravalent and even pentavalent) and then it is distributed in August. All our vaccine is manufactured in Europe, the last American pharmaceutical house to make the vaccine, Wyeth, stopped making it in 1997 having essentially been put out of the vaccine business by lawyers (and idiotic juries). This process is not 100% foolproof, hence the OOPS. The last OOPS, about 6 years ago, was a strain of swine flu that did not emerge until April in Mexico, so it was too late to include it in the mix. Other times they just "guess" wrong. Overall, they do the best job possible

Thirdly, millions died in the 1918-19 flu pandemic, but most of the deaths were due to secondary pneumonia in the pre-antibiotic era. The same epidemic today would have a far lower death toll.

[Bjeanj]

I thought Prevnar was for pneumonia; not a flu shot.

[champion6]

let me rephrase the question. are there any known problems with getting the prevnar 13 shot twice within a 3 year period?This drives me crazy. It's misleading and is potentially dangerous. We have a thread about the flu shot and someone asks about the pneumonia shot.

[Nucky]

Anytime after mid August is fine.

Pardon me GE do you know if there is a Special Villages Blend of Vaccine that treats the flu, parking, rushing, etc, etc, etc. :blahblahblah:

[golfing eagles]

I thought Prevnar was for pneumonia; not a flu shot.

Prevnar is NOT a flu shot. It is specifically a vaccine against 13 common strains of pneumococcal pneumonia. The manufacturer recommends it after age 50, the insurance companies might not cover it until age 60, and Medicare generally covers it fully.

[golfing eagles]

Pardon me GE do you know if there is a Special Villages Blend of Vaccine that treats the flu, parking, rushing, etc, etc, etc. :blahblahblah:

I think that vaccine is supposed to cover exposure to dog poop, getting passed by a faster golf cart, immunity against those who save seats, slow golfers who don't care for the course, and anything else deemed to be the fault of "the developer". Sadly, it is currently in phase 1 drug trials and unlikely to be available until after January, 2092.:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[Nucky]

I think that vaccine is supposed to cover exposure to dog poop, getting passed by a faster golf cart, immunity against those who save seats, slow golfers who don't care for the course, and anything else deemed to be the fault of "the developer". Sadly, it is currently in phase 1 drug trials and unlikely to be available until after January, 2092.:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Just after BuildOut. Thank You! :BigApplause::read:

[pklein9747]

Got mine at Publix last night! Get one every year and since I'll be traveling up north next month and then on a cruise, it made sense to get it ASAP.

[Railcruiser]

Same for us. Traveling over the next two months so we got ours before we left. We also donated a gift card to someone who needed them since we would be away. If we were going to be home I don't think we would be so generous :)

[CFrance]

Just after BuildOut. Thank You! :BigApplause::read:
Now THAT was funny.:thumbup:

[pqrstar]

. . . The worst thing you get from a flu shot is a sore arm for a day or two. . . .


https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/guillainbarre.htm

Guillain-Barré syndrome and Flu Vaccine

"On very rare occasions, they may develop GBS in the days or weeks after getting a vaccination."

[golfing eagles]

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/guillainbarre.htm

Guillain-Barré syndrome and Flu Vaccine

"On very rare occasions, they may develop GBS in the days or weeks after getting a vaccination."

Highly, highly unlikely since influenza vaccine is a dead virus vaccine. There is a small risk of GBS with live attenuated viral vaccines

From the source you cited: "The link between GBS and flu vaccination in other years is unclear, and IF there is any risk for GBS after seasonal flu vaccines it is very small, about one in a million. *Studies suggest that it is more likely that a person will get GBS after getting the flu than after vaccination. It is important to keep in mind that severe illness and death are associated with influenza, and vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza infection and its complications."

[asianthree]

We are required to get flu shots at work. I am exempt do to severe reaction, so haven't had one in 12 years. I am exposed to 100 plus people a day in close quarters, and yet have never had the flu, knock on wood. Just lucky I guess, because everyone else has some type of flu strain the entire season.

[Fraugoofy]

...

[CFrance]

I hope you and asianthree never get it, fraugoofy. I never got the shot either, until I got the flu in 1996. I don't remember ever being that sick before in my life. It was three weeks before I could stand up for very long, much less get out of bed. Mostly moving from bed to couch. I never took a vitamin either. After that I started taking Super Nutrition Women's Calcium Blend and began getting a flu shot. I haven't had even a cold since, much less the flu. ( Knock on wood.)

[golfing eagles]

I hope you and asianthree never get it, fraugoofy. I never got the shot either, until I got the flu in 1996. I don't remember ever being that sick before in my life. It was three weeks before I could stand up for very long, much less get out of bed. Mostly moving from bed to couch. I never took a vitamin either. After that I started taking Super Nutrition Women's Calcium Blend and began getting a flu shot. I haven't had even a cold since, much less the flu. ( Knock on wood.)

That's great news and a lesson for all. I do hope you realize that your 21 year run of avoiding the flu is 99.9999% from the shot and 0.0001% from "Super Nutrition Women's Calcium Blend ", and that's being generous.

[New Englander]

I used to catch the flu like every other year. The last time I got the flu and it was really bad. Bedridden for 3 days except for frequent trips to the bathroom. At one point vomiting and diarrhea at the same time. That is when I decided that next year I would get a flu shot. From then on I got a flu shot every year and have not got the flu ever since. That was well over 30 years ago. The flu shot works people!

[Sandtrap328]

I used to catch the flu like every other year. The last time I got the flu and it was really bad. Bedridden for 3 days except for frequent trips to the bathroom. At one point vomiting and diarrhea at the same time. That is when I decided that next year I would get a flu shot. From then on I got a flu shot every year and have not got the flu ever since. That was well over 30 years ago. The flu shot works people!

The "stomach flu" and influenza are two entirely different things. What is commonly called "stomach flu" is gastroenteritis which is an inflammation of the intestinal lining causing the vomiting and diarrhea.

Influenza is a respiratory illness that is similar to (and can lead to) pneumonia. A person does not have the intestinal issues with influenza.

The flu shot is for influenza and not for gastroenteritis.

Hopefully, Dr. Eagle will back me up. I am not a doctor - just played one on television. :wave:

[Dan9871]

Influenza is a respiratory illness that is similar to (and can lead to) pneumonia. A person does not have the intestinal issues with influenza.


The CDC lists vomiting and diarrhea as flu symptoms, though not common ones in adults.

Flu Symptoms & Complications | Seasonal Influenza (Flu) | CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/complications.htm)

I know in the past I have had the common flu symptoms like sore . throat, general aches, stuffy nose along with diarrhea/vomiting in the past. Not fun... that was before I "got religion" and got a flu shot every year.

[CFrance]

That's great news and a lesson for all. I do hope you realize that your 21 year run of avoiding the flu is 99.9999% from the shot and 0.0001% from "Super Nutrition Women's Calcium Blend ", and that's being generous.
I threw the last part in gratuitously (read that Off Topic) because I haven't had a cold since starting that vitamin/calcium supplement in 1996. I figured the flu shot was not covering me for colds.:smiley:

[jclrxman]

You sound wait unti November.

[CFrance]

You sound wait unti November.
Why?

[graciegirl]

Why?

There is a double blind study posted in The New England Journal of Medicine that shows that most colds are caused by the statement beginning;

I haven't had a cold since (fill in the blanks)...........................:D

[CFrance]

There is a double blind study posted in The New England Journal of Medicine that shows that most colds are caused by the statement beginning;

I haven't had a cold since (fill in the blanks)...........................:D
Which is why I knocked on the few pieces of real wood we have in the house when posting that!