# Have you gotten a flu vaccination this flu season? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126 "2012-12-05T22:00:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/21 "2012-12-06T02:23:46Z")
I’ve never gotten a flu shot, and don’t plan to any year soon. I don’t have a problem with vaccinations in general, just for some reason I feel like “I never had a flu shot for years and years and years and I cam through just fine…why should I start getting one now?” I’m generally a fairly rational person; this is one area where I claim my right to stick to my decision for no reason other than “I don’t want to.” ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/22 "2012-12-06T02:35:28Z")
I got mine this week. I used to get it free at work (hospital) very early in the season, but since I had to get myself organized and go to a pharmacy to get it this year, it took me longer. My mom never got around to it, and she’s currently home sick (in Montreal) with a _nasty_ case of the flu. Fever, chills, coughing so hard it makes her puke. Fun times. She says my grandma’s building is under flu quarantine right now, too. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/23 "2012-12-06T02:47:01Z")
I am allergic to the vaccine so no, not getting the jab. But I do hope those around me do so they don’t spread it to me. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/24 "2012-12-06T02:48:57Z")
Not yet. I’ll have mine by the end of the weekend. I hate needles, so I usually turn away, squint my eyes real hard, and babble incoherently at the nurse/CNA/whoever while they jab me. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/25 "2012-12-06T02:50:50Z")
For those of you saying you don’t like the needle you do know there is a nose spray version you can get right? No excuses pansies 😉 ( Everyone in my immediate family is inoculated against the flu. My hubs gave me the shot (completely paid for by my insurance) and the little ones got theirs at the doc in a box at Walgreens. My hubs got his for free at his school. In total the flue shot only cost us $50.00 this year. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/26 "2012-12-06T02:54:55Z")
Never had one and don’t intend to. I don’t have anything against vaccination, but I don’t see the point as I’ve never had the flu as an adult, and I’m rarely around the elderly or very young. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/27 "2012-12-06T02:56:29Z")
> [@eclectic\_wench](#): > > Yep. I’m pregnant, so it’s extra-recommended. I never got one before I was pregnant with Widget, because I could never be bothered, and I’ve only had the flu once in my life (touch wood) - but now that we’ve got a kid, I figure I’d very seriously rather not have to deal with a little one and the flu all at once, thanks. This! I am expecting in June and have two 5 year olds, and that was my main reason for getting the flu shot. My OB won’t give me the TDap until after I have the baby, but I am getting it ASAP. My hubs is already updated on his TDap and so are the kiddos. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/28 "2012-12-06T02:59:22Z")
No. Had a flu shot once in 1995. Didn’t get the flu. Have not had the flu shot in the other 54 years of my life and only got the flu one of those years - last year I did get a ghastly case, for the first time in my life. But I’m not convinced that’s reason enough to get vaccinated. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/29 "2012-12-06T03:12:18Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > For those of you saying you don’t like the needle you do know there is a nose spray version you can get right? No excuses pansies 😉 ( They won’t give the nasal spray if you are over the age of 49. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/30 "2012-12-06T03:33:49Z")
They won’t give you the nasal spray if you have asthma, COPD, or other sort of lung problem, either. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/31 "2012-12-06T03:51:20Z")
No I should but I totally hate needles. I have no problems giving blood but injections make me queasy. I got the flu last year, I didn’t die (obviously) but I sure thought I was going to, and sometimes I was hoping to. I know what it is so you’d think I’d be getting one. I know I haven’t had a tetanus shot in 18 years, should be getting that too. I just hate needles, but if it is a short one and is subQ instead of in a muscle I could be persuaded… maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/32 "2012-12-06T03:56:32Z")
Nope. I never get the flu vaccine and I never get the flu. I hardly ever get sick. I did get a TDap last year though. ---
**Author:** ![luv2draw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@luv2draw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luv2draw)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/33 "2012-12-06T04:22:19Z")
Got it a few weeks ago. Never had the flu in my life and rarely get sick but since I’ve been unemployed and no longer have health insurance I figure I’d rather spend the little bit for the shot than take a chance and spend more for a doctor’s office visit or even more than that for the hospital. Now that I’m hearing the flu is already going around (early this year it was mentioned on the news), I’m glad I did. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/34 "2012-12-06T04:23:48Z")
No, but I’m going to this weekend. I had planned to get it back in October, but I got bronchitis instead and I’m _just_ starting to feel 100%. I didn’t want to get the flu shot when I was sick (you’re not supposed to do that, right?). Everyone else in my family is vaccinated. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/35 "2012-12-06T04:38:40Z")
Yep, in September. I was in a CVS and they were advertising and I had 10 mins to kill. I’ve gotten one every year since I missed one in college and got the flu. (in 1997) I even stood in line to get one 3 years ago when they were scarce because my niece was just born and I needed to get it for her. I got the DTP for my nieces too. And even the pneumonia vaccine when I was still a smoker. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/36 "2012-12-06T15:02:44Z")
No, and no intentions to. ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/37 "2012-12-06T15:05:02Z")
I had mine in October. I missed the shot twice in my adult life and got pretty sick both years. Not doing that again. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/38 "2012-12-06T15:32:27Z")
I had the flu once. Never again. I get the flu shot annually. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/39 "2012-12-06T17:13:20Z")
Thanks to this thread, I got my flu shot as well as the pneumococcus vaccine last evening. Not taking any chances this year. It’s been a rough one. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126/40 "2012-12-06T17:13:38Z")
We got ours at the local Walgreens (paid for by our insurance) last month. I work at a school and get enough cooties, don’t need to get the flu as well. For those who hate needles, at least at our Walgreens, they have a “new” needle that was so thin and tiny, I seriously did not even feel it go in! Usually I can feel a pinch, but felt nothing - not even what I would feel if a mosquito bit me! My SO said the same thing - he too didn’t even feel the needle go in. The pharmacist said it was a “new” needle they have this year - not sure if it is everywhere, but at least at our local Walgreens it was the standard apparatus this year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-gotten-a-flu-vaccination-this-flu-season/643126.md?page=3)