That's exactly what I initiated yesterday with Shingrix #1. Flu shot end of Sept or 1st week of Oct. Then Shingrix #2 on/after 14 October. Hopefully there will be a Covid vaccine available sometime in the late fall. Walgreens pharacist/shot-person that schedule is her plan as well (except she's already done the Shingrix). She was more than willing to give me the flu shot yesterday but thought it was just a wee-bit early. To each there own of course - good idea to get one when it's convenient, not after the flu has already started making it's rounds of TV.

I didn't say there was a shortage. I have no evidence of a shortage. I made my own decision to get the shot, based on my own opinion and experience. Other people should make their decision on their own. Sorry if I confused or misled anyone.

Publix $10 gift card with Flu Shot
 

Yes, Publix is offering the $10 gift card again this year.

"On the other hand" even if the shot is weak and may not even work for this year's flu, it makes folks feel all warm and fuzzy and SAFE, just like some of the worthless masks that I have seen folks wear. Happy people are healthy people. :a040:

...

If we are socially distancing and wearing masks why would we need to get a flu shot? Just wondering.

I get the flu shot every year but not until early to mid October. Getting it too soon can mean that if the flu arrives late in the season you might not have continuous benefits of being vaccinated. Being vaccinated after mid October doesn’t allow your body to produce enough antibodies to fully protect you should the flu hit early. I have administered hundreds and hundreds of flu vaccines over the years. And remember that if you are allergic to eggs you should not get the flu shot.

Thank you

"Getting vaccinated early (for example, in July or August) is likely to be associated with reduced protection against flu infection later in the flu season, particularly among older adults."

From the CDC. Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine | CDC

Because social distancing and masks are not a perfect method to stay virus free which I'm sure you've heard by now. I never had a flu shot, so I'm not one to recommend it, but if I was immune compromised I would.

I have Medicare & still paid some of the cost. I forget how much the shot originally was before my payment. Sorry

Source?
 

Source of your astute knowledge?
Mumbles

The vaccine that you refuse to take is 100% guaranteed NOT to work for you. You will have [zero] prevention for this year's flu. And if by chance you happen to get it, you have [zero] chance to reduce the effects of it.

If you do take the vaccine, you have [better than zero] chance that it'll prevent you from getting sick, and if you happen to get sick anyway, you'll have [better than zero] chance that your symptoms will be minimal.

The odds are more in my favor by taking the vaccine, than not taking it. I prefer to hedge my bets. So I'll take the vaccine and hope I don't need it.

Ask the Experts about Influenza Vaccines - CDC experts answer Q&As
Combine with the poster who worked in a pharmacy and said the recent vaccines are good for 9 months. I was erring on the side of generosity rather than caution.

The CDC itself - Frequently Asked Influenza (Flu) Questions: 2020-2021 Season | CDC
More from the CDC, specifically with regards to proper storage of vaccines and expiration dates:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pi...ac-storage.pdf

There are dozens of sources for this information, but if you've ever actually READ your patient information pamphlet when you got a flu shot in the past, and actually spoke with a pharmacist, or worked in a pharmaceutical company at some point in your life, or learned a little about what a vaccine is made of - you'd already know this information and wouldn't need to cite a source.

Kind of like if you were to claim that the sky is blue and I asked you to cite a source. You don't need to prove that the sky is blue. It IS blue.

Obviously, a lot of pharmacists don't agree with the CDC or they wouldn't be giving flu shots in August. But, it seems somewhat negligent that the flu vaccine is already on the market and the CDC doesn't even have an official recommendation, except to refer to last year's vaccine, which is different from this year.

The CDC and the FDA have released the shot effective today. The CDC recommends that certain people wait a month.

For everyone else, it's available.

I'm not seeing any contradiction at all. You just have to read the whole thing, not just the paragraphs that you agree with or want to challenge.

I do see a contradiction, and don't want to challenge anything. The flu vaccine came out on Thursday, not today. And, as of Thursday, CDC had no official recommendation about who should get it and when. I also didn't see any new guidance on the CDC website today. I called my pharmacist and he recommends getting the shot as soon as possible for people over 65. They have no special guidance about who should wait a month. If you have other guidance, it would be helpful if you can provide a link for your information source, especially about who these "certain people" are who should wait a month?

My wife and I have never had a vaccine. We are not convinced we need them. We have practiced good common sense about what we touch, washing our hands regularly, and staying away from the sick. Now with COVID we see others are now doing for the most part what we have been practicing for years. Are we stupid and lucky?

I already posted it, quoted the pertinent section, and linked you to the source. Here it is again (the quote):

So, your previous post didn't single out any group, which was why I said that that it wasn't a contradiction for pharmacists to administer the shot early. They do - for some people. And that's what I said.

However, now you're being specific, and referring specifically to your pharmacist saying that older people should get it early. And to that, I say it IS a contradiction to what the CDC recommends, as already posted upthread.

Don’t ever get them, never had the flu, I’m happy to let someone else have mine

You won't ever be convinced - unless you get sick. But by that point it'll be too late. I hope you don't ever get the flu. At the least, it's like a really bad cold. At the worst, it's deadly.

Not everyone can get a flu vaccine, I am anaphylactic, Haven’t ever had the flu, or a cold and yet still live.

You're very fortunate.
I hope you also don't ever get the flu. And I'm also glad that by getting vaccinated, I am contributing to your good health by reducing the risk of giving it to you :)

Not likely
 

Perhaps the ones they got were taken from another doctor because any flu virus will expire before the year is up. That is to say, if the 2020 regular flu shot is given as early as September, chances are they won't be manufacturing it right through the year, or you'll get shots from another source. They can't use a previous one from 2019 because it has expired.

I just want to clarify that the CDC has not issued official guidance for this year's flu vaccine, even though the vaccine has been delivered to pharmacists and they have already administered the shot to hundreds or thousands of people. What is the CDC waiting for? They are unofficially recommending that "older people" wait until September to get the vaccine. But, pharmacists in The Villages apparently don't agree wiith the CDC because they have ordered the high dose vaccine for people over 65, and are giving it to them, and are not telling them to wait until September. So, who do you believe? I guess it is up to every individual to make their own decision.

Since social distancing has also decreased the incidence of upper respiratory infections, flu vaccinations may be even more important this year.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...228-post5.html

That's the position a good 55 yo friend of mine had. He was strong and healthy before the first time he got the flu.

Sadly his body over reacted him into penemonia and then sepsis. He died in the hospital 2 months later from multi organ failure. His family was devistated.

The way I look at it is if you don't want to get a flu shot that's OK. I will be getting one,and if you come down with the flu it's not my problem. No big deal.

Pharmacies like to give them early and offer incentives as does Publix. Ask any physician when the best time is to get a flu vaccine and they will tell you mid-October. There is science behind the timing.

The vaccine currently being discussed in this thread is for the seasonal flu. The vaccine that is offered every year to protect us, at least partially from the ever changing bugs that start infecting us in the fall and usually peak in early winter. We have chosen to be immunized, on the advice of our physician for years. We are also immunized against three kinds of pneumonia and the shingles.(Herpes Zoster) Our very much younger grandchildren were given all vaccines against childhood diseases and against cervical cancer that can be given to both sexes now at age 12. We trust traditional medicine and our mothers who said an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I am so sad and angry that undocumented rumors have shifted the previous prevailing use of immunization to a political battlefield.

I am glad they have a flu shot for folks that want it. My wife gets it on the advice of her doctor. I haven't had a flu shot in 50 years and have never had the flu. My preference. If I get the flu and die it is of no consequence to anyone other than myself and maybe my family. No one expects to live forever and I am glad they don't. We are already over populating this planet so something has to thin out the herd. I don't care whether or not anyone else gets the shot. Pump all those drugs and crap into your body for all I care. Yes, I did get my free pneumonia shot before entering the hospital for an operation. And yes I did get the shingles shot when our neighbor that frequents our home had shingles. BUT, I have had childhood mumps, several different measles, as well as other childhood diseases. Traveling overseas for the gov. mandated that I have all kinds of plague shots as well as yellow fever, diphtheria, etc. I had rabies shots when I was bitten by a rat overseas. So, I am not adverse to required shots, but since I firmly believe that I don't get the flu and since I haven't even had a cold in over a decade, I won't get the flu shot. If I get the flu and die, you can say "I told you so" but it won't matter to me, will it? And I get my shots free, so it is not a matter of cost. I just don't see any reason to have that crap injected into me to later find out that "ooops" bad batch.

Sounds like the "snowflakes" are the ones that NEED or feel entitled to the gov nanny. Why do you consider healthy people that choose not to get a vaccine, to be "snowflakes?" Elitists are snowflakes. Those that think they are smarter/more educated than others are snowflakes.

I have absolutely no problem with anyone else getting the vaccine. I just choose not to because I do not feel it to be necessary in my case. I am careful and diligent when it comes to recognizing disease threats around me. I have lived overseas for most of my life so I am familiar with dangerous diseases and how to use preventative measures to avoid infection. I do not believe that I should be labeled a "snowflake."

Just so everyone knows, you CANNOT get shingles from a person who has them. Herpes Zoster is a reactivation of the chicken pox virus you had years ago and lied dormant in your dorsal root ganglia. That is why the "rash" occurs on one side and in one dermatome with only a few exceptions. You CAN get chicken pox from an individual with shingles if you never had them

"You can spread the varicella zoster virus to people who’ve never had chickenpox and haven’t been vaccinated." -- WebMD

Isn't that what I just said?

Mine too. I think we will get the seasonal flu shot earlier than that, the first part of October. I think I heard that is being suggested so that you have that immunity in place if you should catch Covid-19.

I just called to schedule my annual flu vaccine, only to be told that TV Health has none and don't know when they will! I find this unacceptable! Then to add insult to injury I was told I could go to my pharmacy! Since I'm sure all the doctors at TVH have told their patients to get vaccinated, why they haven't made sure that the administration has done their jobs is beyond me!

I got a shingles shot about 4 years ago. At that time, they only called for one, not two, shots. Will have to ask my doctor if I need to re-do and get two shots.

Broke down and got my 65+ extra strength flu shot last weekend. I’m sure there is an official name for it, but that’s what I’m calling it.

Publix does

They must have run out. I got my flu shot a couple of weeks ago from Villages Health.