Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Winter Flu Jab warning
Every year as winter approaches just about all people of pensionable age are offered a flu jab. This is also offered to people with relevant health issues; history of pneumonia etc. This year however, there is an unacknowledged problem. Many people are experiencing quite significant illness following the jab. I have had flu symptoms for a week now,following the jab and while not as bad as full blown flu, its no joke. Considering the jab is only 60% effective, the question arises, as to whether it is worth it. I contacted my GP surgery to report this and got a stock answer 'the vaccine does not contain any live virus and will not lead to illness' However someone at the surgery told me that they agreed with me but were under instructions to give out the 'approved' response. Given the widespread fears over the MMR vaccines just a few years ago, which showed that many people mistrusted 'official' statements and avoided the MMR, including Tony Blair, who refused to say that his child had been given it, surely we need to be told the truth and given reliable advice. If anyone has any ideas as to how to raise this 'officially' I would be glad to know.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Konrad B on
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" Many people are experiencing quite significant illness following the jab. I have had flu symptoms for a week now,following the jab and while not as bad as full blown flu, its no joke"
How many people? What is your evidence for this? I don't know anyone who has the flu.
What are your symptoms? Are you sure that it is not just a bad cold. I had real flu way back in the 1970s, 1971 I think and it really knocks you out. Lots of people nowadays have a common cold and say they have flu - nonsense. If you had real flu you would not be able or even think of composing messages to HoL, believe me I know.
Konrad
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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I was stupid enough NOT to have the jab when it was offered to me last year and did get flu. It was almost a week in bed feeling like death warmed up followed by another couple of weeks of being depressed and without an atom of energy. And then I was diagnosed with pleurisy. It's not a risk I'm taking this year.
The vaccine can only inoculate you against certain strains of flu, not all of them, but if it lessens my chances of going through that again it's well worth it.
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Permalink Reply by Kamila on
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I have cancer so am eligible for the free flu jab which I had last week. I had no ill effects. So I'm one of probably many people who didn't have any side effects. I'm susceptible to viruses as my immune system is compromised. I'm worried about this post as it could put people in my situation off from having the jab. A bout of the real flu could kill me. Please be responsible when posting rumours about the flu jab and come up with real not anecdotal evidence.
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Permalink Reply by Philip on
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How would you suggest I collect 'real' evidence. Perhaps you should read my post again and realise that I am not spreading rumours? What I requested from my practice nurse was that people should be advised that they may have a reaction which could include mild flu symptoms. However as I said, she told me that she agreed with me but had been instructed to give out the official line. It is this attitude that causes people to question official attitudes, and could cause serious public health problems. Remember the government scoffing at BSE fears? People suffered horribly and died. Openess and honesty are required to build public trust.
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I thought one of the official, noted side effects of the flu jab WAS that you might get mild cold/flu symptoms? Your practice nurse can't do anything but give out the official line, unless she has undertaken some formal medical research into the effects of the vaccination. If she were to do otherwise, she could lose her job for giving out unsubstantiated information. What would you think if she told people that their child could get autism from the MMR? There are still plenty of people who believe that.
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Permalink Reply by Pat on
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You are coming across as a very ignorant person with an attitude that causes great harm by conflating a personal experience and misunderstanding the real evidence (essentially making things up to fit your viewpoint).
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People are missing the point of my post here by a country mile. I myself assumed I was simply one of a small number of people who had the misfortune to get a bad reaction or even just to have come down with flu the very next day by pure coincidence. Indeed I was so puzzled by my symptons I googled 'flu jab reaction'. Usually flu creeps up on you...you think you've got a cold and then bang it goes full blown flu. On this occasion within 24 hours of the jab I was floored. I thought little of it until at a meeting I was at consisting largely of over 60's someone explained the poor turnout due to (named) people having had the flu jab and being knocked out. The very next day I was working for someone and mentioned I had been getting over the reaction when my customer said they had a number of people at work said the same. Yes, its 'anecdotal' because no one wants to hear about it or collect statistics. There is no mechanism to do so. The Yellow Card doesnt allow you to give any backup evidence. It is this very attitude that led to the MMR scare. No amount of official denunciation of the fraudulent evidence swayed people to do the right thing. People simply do not trust authority. On a wider political level, this could be said to explain the Brexit vote and the Scottish referendum surge; people so mistrusted the politicians who wagged their fingers that they chose the 'anti' side. Interesting how many people on this post are in denial. I won't respond to the abusive ones.
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Permalink Reply by Cat on
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Chiming in to say I had the flu jab, was warned I may have some mild symptoms, and have not had anything except a sore arm for a couple of days. Anecdata is not data, you have nothing solid to suggest that this year's vaccine is causing any more/any more serious side effects than years before.
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Permalink Reply by tigha on
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well I was initially incensed reading the first thread by you Philip, scaremongering at its best,But i have been pleased to see people,s intelligent responses
We have given approx 800 flu jabs in the last 5weeks so far to our elligible at risk groups, who it could be fatal to if they get flu. Not one single patient i have see later has complained of being ill after. Of course there will be people, as the flu virus takes upto 10days to incubate, so with so many people having the vaccine, there will also be a fair percentage who have already contracted the virus, and the flu jab cant then stop that process. but then having the flu jab, gets blamed for the virus. So my point is that this year is no different to any other year. And yes of course surgeries,gps,nurses have to keep tabs on any unusual activity around illnesses, such as a high rate of bad reactions to a vaccine and report it to the health protection agency to investigate
You have made an assumption by happening to talk to a few unlucky people. im also very surprised you googled it. how bizarre. i always saw you as highly intelligent, and would know that you will never get accurate information that way. If you really want to google proper sources, then at least go onto google scholar, where there will be plenty of papers,research information from a whole source of professionals, where you can make an imformed response But if you do want to google, then try googling how many people have died from flu related illnesses, or how many people have died or ended up in hospital from measles in the last year, due to the poor intake of the MMR vaccine in the 90,s
Im no scientist or academic, merely a practice nurse who has given thousands of flu jabs over the years but i only believe at risk groups should have it, as it is just so serious for them.
"Interesting how many people on this post are in denial" what do you mean by this?
I understand you want to make an informed descision, but scaremongering by telling people this year<s flu jab is making people ill, is irresponsible i think
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Shouldn't all NHS and private clinics offer antidotes for anecdotes free of charge?
This week I've had, courtesy of John Scott Heron Practice and Nomad Travel Clinic, the most wonderful cocktail of winter flu jab, anti-typhoid VI, the 3-in-1 Revaxis (diphteria, tetanus & polio), gamma globulin (Hep.A), stamaril for Yellow Fever - all topped up with a month's supply of atovaquone proguanil for the old malaria, zika etc that those winged females may have in store for me. Philip, on my return from Sierra Leone in mid-December, I'll let you know how my brushes with semi-dormant Ebola went.
For each of the above my practice and nomadic nurses' helpful warnings and advice were a whole four words: "Just a small scratch!" I could no longer even feel angry or insulted. Time was young nurses took obvious delight in teasing me with "Just a little prick!" Now I can leave their clinic with my 74-year old dignity intact - "in denial" perhaps, but only about my little prick.
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