Flu jab

[Scarlett]

I had a flu jab ( as I'm asthmatic) 10 years ago and got really bad flu as a result- the worst I have ever had. The cough that I got that year still comes back to haunt me every year. I haven't had a flu jab since. However, I've just had the flu/cold/chest infection/bad cough for THREE weeks and it's still not gone. Should I give the flu jab another go next year? I believe they have honed the concoction now so it may affect me differently?

[sunny-dave]

This year's flu jab is using a 'dead' version of the virus - it can't actually infect you.

The worst I've heard of is some people having a sore arm for a day or two - I didn't even get that.

They won't give you the jab until your current infection is cleared - but it may still be worth having it this winter to protect you against a further bout of flu. Talk to your GP and/or Practice Nurse.

[seadogg]

It says on the leaflet that you can't catch 'flu from a jab and I guess that must be correct. Maybe there are some strains of the bug that the injection doesn't cover. I'd have it if I were you and good luck with it.

[gingejbee]

...it's not only this years jab, sd, that is inactive. ALL flu jabs contain inactive virus, so cannot cause flu.

[Jumbo747]

Definitely have the flu jab, Scarlett, when this infection has cleared up and also ask your GP about the pneumonia jab as well if you haven't already been given it.

[sunny-dave]

True at the moment gingejbee - but some previous vaccines have used 'attenuated live virus' (I believe one of the current nasal spray versions in the US still does) and there is a possibility that this may be used again in the future if it is the most effective vaccine to be quickly available in a pandemic.

[gingejbee]

dave: we're talking "jabs" here. The attenuated live virus is always given "up the nose" in spray form.

[LazyGun]

Hmmm. The Trivalent Inactivated Vaccine (TIV) is the only type of flu vaccine that has been offered for the seasonal vaccination programmes since at least the mid 70s. Use of a Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) is only used for a very specific set of recipients, principally because of the risk of transmission, the difficulties in the logistics and storage (it has to be stored at -15degrees C), and cost. Use of LAIV has always been confined to an intranasal spray - flumist in the US and fluenz in the UK.

http://www.cdc.gov/fl.../vaccine/vaccines.htm

As to Scarletts post - cannot comment on specifics, except to say that it should be considered impossible for an inactivated vaccine to infect a recipient with flu.So, if Scarlett had received the flu vaccine intramuscularly, then it would have been the TIV, and it is impossible for an inactivated vaccine to transmit the flu. A more likely scenario is that Scarlett was already infected at the time of the vaccination.

As to the value of the flu vaccination - it has a place for those within the population at a higher risk of contracting the infection or suffering more as a consequence of becoming infected. On balance, if you are offered the vaccination, I would recommend it - but its your choice :)

[douglas9401]

I had my jag and felt rough for a few days afterwards but nothing that Ibuprofen couldn't fix.
Get it done Scarlett, you don't want full blown flu.

[Ann]

It seems "every man and his dog" have really heavy colds at the moment in our town (including us) I know they say it can't be the flu jab, but everyone I have spoken to, had the flu jab two weeks ago ..... surely can't be coincidence, can it? I got a heavy cold last year too after the jab, and my horrendous cough lasted until February, I was in despair ... <says she choking with coughing>

[SpikeyBush]

The jab may not be effective for a couple of weeks, so it is possible to catch flu shortly after you have had the jab. The jab would not have caused it. I've had the jab every year since 1998 when I became type 1 diabetic and the worst side-effect has been a sore arm for a day or so.

[Eve]

I had my jab this year and just had a sore lump on my arm for a few days.

Also had the pnumonia one with no problems whatsoever.