Flu may hit earlier & harder this year (lotsa @)

[pixy0stix]

I can't find the article I read last night, but the prediction is that it's going to hit end of October. So get your flu shots end of Sept/early Oct if you haven't already.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/expect-a-different-flu-season-why-youll-want-to-be-vaccinated-for-flu/

www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2022/09/flu-season-winter-2022-covid-masking/671356/

www.cnn.com/2022/09/06/health/flu-covid-winter-us/index.html


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I'm mildly concerned that one of the articles says the variants predicted this year hit the under 5 crowd pretty hard.

[starburst604]

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Thanks for that reminder since the flu clinic appts at DD's pedi office book up quickly. Their site says scheduling opens on 9/27 so I've put a reminder in my calendar. After she was hospitalized in the ICU for flu at age 4 I take no chances with her (we were late getting her shot so she wasn't yet immunized).

[af1212]

Sept 13, 2022 9:18:29 GMT -5 starburst604 said:

@@@@ Thanks for that reminder since the flu clinic appts at DD's pedi office book up quickly. Their site says scheduling opens on 9/27 so I've put a reminder in my calendar. After she was hospitalized in the ICU for flu at age 4 I take no chances with her (we were late getting her shot so she wasn't yet immunized).

How scary!

[abs]

I would honestly get it now. Don't wait.

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There are a lot of back to school germs circulating and flu is one of them. I know several people that have kids home with the flu right now (elementary age).

[Susie]

I have an app't at CVS to do flu shot + Moderna bivalent booster on Sat.  I know H has his flu shot app't already booked.  Good reminder to get the kids' flu shot app'ts booked.

[starburst604]

Sept 13, 2022 9:19:33 GMT -5 af1212 said:

Sept 13, 2022 9:18:29 GMT -5 starburst604 said:

@@@@ Thanks for that reminder since the flu clinic appts at DD's pedi office book up quickly. Their site says scheduling opens on 9/27 so I've put a reminder in my calendar. After she was hospitalized in the ICU for flu at age 4 I take no chances with her (we were late getting her shot so she wasn't yet immunized).

How scary!

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It was terrifying and it came on SO quickly. She woke up with a cough and low fever so we kept her home. By dinner time she was having retracted breathing so we took her to UC where she tested positive for flu and xrays showed double pneumonia. They called an ambulance to bring her to Boston Children's where the ER admitted her to the ICU. She narrowly avoided intubation, was instead sedated on a bipap for 48 hours and given heavy antibiotics. By day 4 she was on the regular floor and like a new kid though. This was January 2022 so of course afterward people speculated that she may have had Covid but I really don't think so, otherwise there would have been an outbreak around her and she was obviously positive for flu. 

When the inevitable FB posts go up this time of year asking if people should give their kids the flu shot I about lose my mind and post the pics of her tiny little self with the bipap on in the ICU to the "I don't get it for my kids and they're fine!" responses. Well they're fine until all of a sudden they aren't. I was so upset with myself for dragging my feet on getting her shot that year. 

[Velar Fricative]

Goodness. Last year they got their shots in late September and even then I was worried it was too early so I planned to bring them in October. Guess we will do it in September then!

I’m so relieved your daughter is okay, starburst604.

[pixy0stix]

Ok, I give up moderating for @ and just made it an @ thread.

HOWEVER, everyone, regardless of age, get your shot!

[sofamonkey]

Thanks for the reminder. We all need our flu shots and Covid boosters. We were going to wait until like October, idk why lol, but I’ll bump us to this month.

Quick question - what is the recommendation for Covid booster after having Covid? We had it Father’s Day weekend. TIA!

[cap]

Sept 13, 2022 9:43:00 GMT -5 sofamonkey said:

Thanks for the reminder. We all need our flu shots and Covid boosters. We were going to wait until like October, idk why lol, but I’ll bump us to this month.

Quick question - what is the recommendation for Covid booster after having Covid? We had it Father’s Day weekend. TIA!

The recommendation is to wait 90 days post infection to get boosted. It just ripped through my whole house, so we'll be getting our boosters in early December. 

[breezy8407]

My employer usually has a flu shot clinic at our office, but usually not until October. I might need to seek it out in my own this time.

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My two got their flu shots at their well visit a few weeks ago. I was a little worried it was too early, but I guess I will let that one worry go. They get their covid boosters Friday. The "old" ones, since they aren't 12.

[sillygoosegirl]

Sept 13, 2022 9:43:00 GMT -5 sofamonkey said:

Thanks for the reminder. We all need our flu shots and Covid boosters. We were going to wait until like October, idk why lol, but I’ll bump us to this month.

Quick question - what is the recommendation for Covid booster after having Covid? We had it Father’s Day weekend. TIA!

You're definitely due. They say that you "may" wait up to 3 months, but not that you "should" wait.

Anecdotally, DH and DD have COVID again right now, after having it in August (only 24 days between first positives for DD... sob). Fathers Day sounds like forever ago to me.

[kath16]

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i just booked my kids for Friday and almost forgot myself

[ECB]

Just made an appointment for myself for today! Thanks for the reminder!

[StrawberryBlondie]

I've mentioned earlier that we're pretty sure DH had the flu this summer and it was AWFUL. (Could've been covid but he tested negative the entire time he was sick).

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We usually do them all at our pediatrician's office but their clinics this year are all during the school day. Like between 10-3. So not even realistic to snag an early appt and then go to school a bit late. So we'll probably do CVS or Walgreens or something. I wish our community covid vax sites would do flu too.

[wanderingback]

I’m actually looking forward to hibernating from November until March this year! So glad I won’t have to get on the subway daily or deal with people all day long.

I got my covid booster. Next up flu vaccine and Tdap!

[kath16]

StrawberryBlondie, i was thinking the same thing re: Covid/Flu sites. our county is still running covid testing and vax sites. i'm sure it's more work and logistics than i am picturing, but I do with they'd combine resources

[twinmomma]

My office does an annual flu shot clinic on site. This year they're able to offer Covid shots too. It's next week, so sounds like perfect timing with the flu predictions and the new booster that's available!

[Susie]

Is fall 2023 a reasonable hope to have a combined covid booster + flu vax?  

[mcppalmbeach]

anyone get their flu and covid booster at the same time yet? Is that being a glutton for punishment? Ds1 and are due for both:

[winecat]

mcppalmbeach- My brother did and he had no problem.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Sept 13, 2022 13:03:11 GMT -5 mcppalmbeach said:

anyone get their flu and covid booster at the same time yet? Is that being a glutton for punishment? Ds1 and are due for both:

DH did both and he seemed to have a harder time than me, who only did covid, but he's historically had a harder time with covid shots than me anyway, so who knows.

[noodleoo]

Sept 13, 2022 13:03:11 GMT -5 mcppalmbeach said:

anyone get their flu and covid booster at the same time yet? Is that being a glutton for punishment? Ds1 and are due for both:

H did last week.  I got just the covid booster because I was afraid of the side effects (which tend to be worse for me).  Our reactions were about the same.  He did have 2 sore arms which I think made it harder to sleep, but we both slept poorly so it wasn't that much of a difference.  It was a rough 24 hours, but fine after that.  

I still need to schedule my flu shot.  He's very happy to have both done with.

[ny96]

My kids just got their flu shot last week. When I asked about whether it should be done at their yearly physical appointments (last Thursday) or whether we should wait, their pediatrician said that children should get it sooner than later because they have lasting protection, but adults should wait another month because their protection decreases faster.

[underwaterrhymes]

Sept 13, 2022 13:03:11 GMT -5 mcppalmbeach said:

anyone get their flu and covid booster at the same time yet? Is that being a glutton for punishment? Ds1 and are due for both:

I did.

Both arms were sore, but I sleep on my back exclusively now after my mastectomy as side sleeping is still uncomfortable, so it was manageable. I felt really tired the day after and in the evening was feeling fairly rough (aches and chills), but no fever or headache and the next day I was fine.

[picksthemusic]

Decided to get myself and the kids done today. We're going to FL at the end of the month so might as well.

[picksthemusic]

Sept 13, 2022 13:03:11 GMT -5 mcppalmbeach said:

anyone get their flu and covid booster at the same time yet? Is that being a glutton for punishment? Ds1 and are due for both:

DH did. He was pretty grumpy about it yesterday but seems fine today.

[pixy0stix]

Sept 13, 2022 13:32:55 GMT -5 ny96 said:

My kids just got their flu shot last week. When I asked about whether it should be done at their yearly physical appointments (last Thursday) or whether we should wait, their pediatrician said that children should get it sooner than later because they have lasting protection, but adults should wait another month because their protection decreases faster.

Traditionally this is the preferred timing, but this year is apparently different from everything I'm reading. Maybe the doc was in autopilot?

[vlinder]

We need to get ours ASAP, I think. It’s already in our community.

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We got notice from daycare this morning that someone was dx with the flu.

[dulcemariamar]

Flu shots are not rolled out in most countries of Europe until at least the second week of October and even then I find it hard to get one where I live.

If you get your flu shot in August/September does it last through the whole flu season?