Flu Vaccine Letter For People Who Were Shielding

[nukecad]

I have been seeing reports in the press and eslewhere that there is indeed a shortage of the 'under 65s' flu vaccine this year.

And many are repeating the line that it's because of a surge in uptake by over 65's who get theirs first - but as I pointed out above that is a different vaccine.
(Unless they ran out of over 65's vaccine and have been giving them the under 65's one instead?).

The government as usual deny that there is a shortage, in the face of all the evidence to the contrary.

https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/cl...ock-shortages/
https://www.theguardian.com/society/...supplies-covid
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54337585

[nukecad]

Well I finally got a flu jab appointment for a week on Thursday, individual timed appointment not a mass clinic.

I got a letter this morning from the NHS (looks like a mass letter because of Covid) saying that I should make sure I get one because I'm in an at risk group.
Which the surgery already know, I've been invited for one every year since my Cardiac Arrest.

The surgery hadn't contacted me to say they now had flu vaccine stocks available again for at risk groups; as far as I know they haven't told anyone unless they ring up. Maybe they still haven't been given enough stock?
I simply told them I'd had that letter and an appointment was made with no problem.

It does make me wonder though how long I would have still been waiting for the surgery to contact me, or if it would have been as easy to get an appointment, without that NHS letter?

It's going to be even more fun and games if the Covid vaccine injections start rolling out before they have done all the flu jabs.

[beau]

I got the NHS letter about a flu jab the other day. I am ignoring it as that jab and me don't mix.

[StarBright]

Nuke,

I've just been listening to Matt Hancock in parliament & a MP asked the question of are the Flu vaccines still being rolled out & his reply was yes they have just got the next lot to roll out. So I think probably your letter & timing are both responsible for getting the jab

beau,

I've had very mixed reactions to flu jabs over the years. To start with I used to have a big reaction to them. I used to get a big red itchy painful lump at the injection site for the first few years I don't know if they used to put something in them in the past that they don't now. Then I had a few years of no reaction at all. And this time I can only explain it as my arm threw a fit literally! Very painful like someone had thumped me in the arm repeatedly down to the bone, plus cramping pain at the injection site. That went on for 7 hours then stopped completely.

I know people can feel ill with them & upset their systems & it's a decision only the person having the jab can take

[beau]

Starbright, it wasn't the vaccine in any way, didn't have any after effects from that.
I only have a common cold every 7 to 8 years and never have bronchitis. The only time I had the flu jab I had a common cold every couple of months and several bouts of bronchitis throughout the following year that caused me to have time off work which was unusual for me, I went to work whatever as a rule but I was so ill. Never had bronchitis before the jab and never had it again after that year. After that year I didn't have a common cold for years either.

My doctor agrees with me that possibly my body was so busy fighting the flu that it let all the other bugs in as normally I have a very high resistance to infection. I put that down to working in a secondary school for years and meeting the bugs that kids have regularly and been lucky enough to build up a resistance. Many staff used to pick them up but not me. Other than that particular year I was never ill.

[StarBright]

Sorry beau you went all through that, that's what I meant when I said I know people can feel ill with them & upset their systems. For you it upset your system so much that your system while fighting the flu vaccine let other bugs in.

Everyone's different & you have to do what's right for your body systems & go with medical advice

[nukecad]

I've had very mixed reactions to flu jabs over the years. To start with I used to have a big reaction to them. I used to get a big red itchy painful lump at the injection site for the first few years I don't know if they used to put something in them in the past that they don't now. Then I had a few years of no reaction at all. And this time I can only explain it as my arm threw a fit literally!

Have you been tested for an egg allergy?

It's a know issue with the flu jab, and other 'egg grown' vaccines.

Some of the flu vaccines contain more egg proteins (Ovalbumin) than others, which could explain your differing reactions depending on which one you got in any particular year.

Just for interest here is the Ovalbumin content for this years crop of UK flu vaccines:
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...021-flu-season
Note that the last one on that list is the one that they ordered from the USA as a temporary measure for this year, and is egg-free.

'Hives' (itchy swelling, red lumps, etc.) are a common sign of a 'mild' allergy.

If you are allergic to egg porducts then you can request an egg-free, or reduced egg, flu jab; but if supply is short that year they may be being reserved for those who have a much more severe reaction to egg products.

[StarBright]

You could be onto something there Nuke,

I have been prick tested by the NHS allergy clinic many years ago. That's when I found what I call my base line allergies. I say that because other things I've found don't suit me that when traced what they are come back to one of the base line allergies.

For instance Maize/corn same thing dextrose is made from different things one of them is Maize/corn I'm not well with a variety of symptoms when eaten something with Dextrose in. It took me a while to work it out as the food you eat often has lots of different ingredients in & so you need to trace all the ingredients to see what they are. I could not understand why Jam that had fruit. sugar & preservatives would make me feel so ill it was the dextrose. I now can only eat preserve which is three times as expensive to buy but they make that with pure sugar fruit & preservatives.

I don't know if I was tested for egg allergy but my bowel can not tolerate eggs or any food with eggs in it like cake. So that could be the reason for the reactions to the jab, it maybe more than an intolerance to it & be an allergy.

I tell you I didn't know what to do with my arm that day

[nukecad]

my bowel can not tolerate eggs or any food with eggs in it like cake. So that could be the reason for the reactions to the jab,

Seems more than likely a 'mild' egg allergy then, and that you should be asking for egg-free vaccinations.

Intresting aside,
I've not looked into the new Covid vaccinations, I suspect that the RNA (very cold tempreature storage) type will not contain any egg products, but the Oxford/AstraZenica (fridge temperature) one may well do.

[StarBright]

Yes I think it's some kind of allergy to eggs. I'm fine with chicken in fact it's one of the better things my body tolerates.

I had exactly the same thought as you Nuke, wondering if the covid 19 vaccines have egg in them. I think you are right probably not the minus 70 one but guessing the normal fridge storage ones will. I will just have to wait & see which one I'm offered. It "looks like" us Extremely vulnerable group are 4th on the list. But they seem to be saying they haven't worked out how to get the vaccines to care homes yet It's stable for 5 days once defrosted but can only be moved so many times before it becomes ineffective