Try to get your flu shot early

[Nazgul Girl]

    We just got back from getting our flu shots at CVS, and the pharmacist there said that they're not getting the shipments of vaccine as fast as usual.   He said they used to be able to go online and just order it, but now they have to call, and they're asked, " How much do you have on hand ?" so it seems that the manufacturers/wholesalers are being very chary with the amounts they're shipping.

   He thinks that there *might* be a vaccine shortage toward mid to end of October, so just a suggestion.  

   We got the high-dose vaccine which covers more strains of flu.   They ran our insurance ( Blue Shield for me, Medicare & Blue Shield for DH ), and the vaccinations were paid for on the spot.  Also, we got two 20% off coupons, and a $ 5 coupon off $ 15 in purchases, so we did pretty well tonight.

[dannylion]

I got my flu shot last week.  There are not a lot of perks for hospital volunteers, but we do get free flu shots (and a 10% discount in the cafeteria).  I'll be getting the high-dose shot next year as I will be 65 then, which will likely have to come from my own doctor as the hospital probably will not have them available for the employee shots.  I may have to check into getting it from CVS, though, since you got such a good deal.  Maybe they'll have the same thing next year. 

[thyme4change]

Costco was pushing them on Saturday, but you had to get 35 of them, so I decided to pass.

[Nazgul Girl]

    We talked the pharmacist into giving us the high-dose vaccine even though we're sixty.   I guess we just lucked out.   Thirty-five flu shots, eh, thyme ? LOL.

[Sam_2.0]

One of our friends is a nurse, and she's set up a station at church for the past several weeks to give vaccines. Very convenient! DH and I both got ours last week. I just wish she had the kids' vaccine so DD could have gotten hers too. My job covers them for free. I like to go see my 80 yr old grandpa and I would hate to pass anything on to him. And we are around the quads so we have to be careful about what we pass to them too (but they are 2+ now so it's not as bad).

[cronewitch]

Our company is having them Oct 24th I hope that isn't too late.

[lynnerself]

Got mine last Thursday at work.

We have scheduled one less flu shot clinic than last year. I think because of supply.

[marvholly]

Got mine at CVS yesterday while I still got 5 EB from the pharmacy program. Also got a coupon for 25% off a day's purchase with the usual caveats 9no sale/clearance/trial size items, alcohol, tobacco, stamps......)

[wvugurl26]

My work gives them for free. I pass due to egg allergies. Which then causes my PCP to have a fit due to my compromised immune system and asthma. Allergy doctor doesn't feel it is worth the risk. Egg is the one food allergy that I do react badly to. If they would ship some of the egg free versions I would get one.

[zibazinski]

DD has the same issue. I worry about her getting the flu with her heavy load this semester. 

[constanz22]

Our work provides them for free too, but usually a bit late in the season.  They have had supply issues in the past.  The year that they weren't available until mid Dec, I got the flu, for Christmas.  I work in people's homes, and not always the cleanest, and am exposed to all sorts of cooties.  The year I had the flu, it was so bad, I thought I was going to die.  I ALWAYS get my flu shot.  If they don't give them soon at work, maybe I'll just get it from my PCP and pay for it, if I have to.

[Gardening Grandma]

LOL Thyme 

Got mine last week. We saw a travel nurse mid August and I finished a HepB series. She recommended getting  flu shots before we leave so we did.

[wvugurl26]

Zib I believe two separate egg free vaccines were "approved" by the FDA last year. I don't think they were ever shipped though. Maybe this year?

[NancysSummerSip]

Publix sent the paperwork to fill out ahead of time this year, if you are a pharmacy customer. That way, you don't have to wait. I'm getting mine this weekend, while I wait for my car to get an oil change.

[thyme4change]

My work used to give them for free, but isn't going to this year - either because they are a bunch of cheap bastards or because they have reduced the work-force in my location to such a small number, they can't justify the cost of bringing in a nurse.  Either way - boo!  

I better tell my husband to get his shot at work before October 1st.  If the government shuts down, I doubt their nurse will come to our house out of the goodness of her heart.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Normally, I get mine free at work.  But last year, I wound up being hospitalized and asked if they could immunize me while there.  I don't honk I've ever seen a nurse move so fast for a request!

TD's employer gives them out to their employees and they said I could piggyback there.  But I may just pay and go to Rite Aid, since there is one around the corner from my physical therapy office.

[skubikky]

Just got mine today for free(with Excellus BCBS coverage) at Wegmans. 
The pharmacist said that they have plenty of vaccines.

[swamp]

I got mine today at my doctor office when I had my appt.

[zibazinski]

I wonder if publix might get the egg free vaccine. Then I could get it for DD when I'm down there. She can't get it at health center because they are all the regular ones. She could suck it up and get a regular one. She just gets really sick and hives but doesn't die. But I'd rather she not go through that.

[wvugurl26]

As of 9/13/2013, manufacturers reported to CDC that they'd distributed 61.8 million doses of the flu vaccine. They are expecting to produce a total of 135-139 million doses this season.

Flucelvax is the name of one egg free one zib. Flublok is the other one.

The CDC website has good information.

ETA: they have a vaccine locator. Look for places that have the cell based flu shot.

[lynnerself]

Do they release and recommend flu shots earlier than they used to?

I could swear that several years ago, they started the shots in October.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Sept 24, 2013 13:23:21 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

As of 9/13/2013, manufacturers reported to CDC that they'd distributed 61.8 million doses of the flu vaccine. They are expecting to produce a total of 135-139 million doses this season.

Flucelvax is the name of one egg free one zib. Flublok is the other one.

The CDC website has good information.

ETA: they have a vaccine locator. Look for places that have the cell based flu shot.

Have you been able to find it locally?  Is there any chance your allergist's office receives it?  That would make sense, VWU......that they'd send it to allergist's office so that they could immunize their severely allergic patients.

[wvugurl26]

I put in my work zip code and it popped up with a Walgreen's and a grocery chain. It does say you need to call and verify that they do have it. In my brief skimming of the FDA site, the egg free one has a shorter shelf life which I'm sure impacts availability.

In my area Rite Aid, Target and CVS do not appear to have it. I deal with Walgreen's anyway. Need to check my insurance. I shouldn't have to pay anyway because my surgery put me over max OOP.

ETA: I went without last year due to the egg issue. My last CBC indicates a more compromised immune system than last year though.

[Tiny]

Sept 24, 2013 13:25:07 GMT -5 lynnerself said:

Do they release and recommend flu shots earlier than they used to?

I could swear that several years ago, they started the shots in October.

I think the release is earlier... cause flu season has started earlier the past handful of years.    

I haven't gotten a flu shot yet but intend to.    Kinda like that 3 in 1 (or the newer 4 or 1) flu shot.   


ADDED:  I dont' think there will be a shortage of vaccine this year... I think the weirdness comes when the flu season is early AND bad - combined with the different 'delivery dates' of the vaccines - so when it's bad and it's hard to come by a flu shot (because demand was low so less was ordered)  and then politians get beaten up because flu shots weren't available for everyone Right This Minute it makes news -- big news.    Becuase of this kind of stupidity.. about 5 years ago Illinois purchased a couple million dollars worth of vaccine to placate the people who were screaming about the lack of vaccines (well into the bad flu season)  and then the vaccines were rush delivered and NEVER used in Illinois - because there was NO DEMAND - few people showed up to get the shots!  I guess the people who were screaming for it wanted a nurse to come to their home to administer the shot.  Unfortunately, the vaccines have a shelf life and when there was no actual demand for it --- it all got shipped overseas (or somewhere else) for use (probably for free or at a steep discount) so, all us Illinoisian taxpayers purchased a million or so flu shots for several million dollars and then never used them.
;( 

People are made of stupid and rolled in an idiot sugar coating.   If you have access to a flu shot (for free or for cheap) - but can't be bothered to get one.. and the flu season gets bad... I think you should just have to suffer the consequences of your actions... even if it results in death of you or a loved one.    It's no one else fault other than your own.   You can't fix stupid.

[Deleted]

I've got an appointment tomorrow at work. Not thrilled with it but we get brownie points under the company Wellness program for it. (In return, we get about $2,000 off our share of the health insurance premiums and points towards free gifts.)

I swear every time I get one I come down with something awful later in the season. I got one last year and in January had one of the worst and most persistent respiratory viruses I've ever had. Without the incentive, I'd take my chances.

[wvugurl26]

The only flu shot I remember getting was ten years ago. I came down with a nasty respiratory infection that kept me in bed for days. To be fair, it was also my freshman year of college and I was in dorms.

I had bronchitis last year from October to December because the physicians at my primary care practice kept saying my lungs were clear. I was coughing up chunks of green and yellow snot every day. The third time I went back I finally got my normal physician.

She sent me for CT scans and to see an ENT. By this point I also had acid reflux. I ended up with round 3 of antibiotics, a steroid dose pack and Prilosec. Plus strict instructions if I got sick again to the point of coughing up snot to get my ass back to his office pronto. And a referral to a new allergy doctor who has been amazing.

I was back to the ENT in July with bronchitis and an ear infection.