Very Bad Flu A going around

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My teen is in the throes of it right now. 5 days of fever and counting. We received the vaccine in November.

Me again. Get tested as soon as symptoms start! We tested on day 3, and it was too late to get Tamiflu.

Yes, my spouse and I had it and we both tested early enough to get Tamiflu. It truly was a godsend! We felt better within a couple days, and it was truly uncomfortable before that.

We also both had the flu vaccination in November.

Hope your son feels better soon!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Flu A was all over the schools last year too, at least in FCPS. I’m starting to wonder why we even bother getting the shots every year.

I'll tell you why the flu vaccine helps. My family did get their flu vaccines back in Oct. ('25). My sister's family did not. Sister's family came to celebrate Christmas with us and one almost immediately came down sick with the flu A. We know this from testing at the pedestrians after the first got sick.

Soon all 4 of 5 of my sister's family were sick and within some days 3 of my 4 were sick. Without a doubt, my sister's non-flu-vaccinated family was WAY sicker for longer than my vaccinated family. To be clear, me and my kids were still feeling pretty crappy but it was NOTHING like what we saw my sister and her family go through. They were a complete mess and could not even drive the 4 hours home.

Just one anecdote but you cannot convince me that the flu vaccine, even one that was not a good match, didn't help greatly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flu A was all over the schools last year too, at least in FCPS. I’m starting to wonder why we even bother getting the shots every year.

I'll tell you why the flu vaccine helps. My family did get their flu vaccines back in Oct. ('25). My sister's family did not. Sister's family came to celebrate Christmas with us and one almost immediately came down sick with the flu A. We know this from testing at the pedestrians after the first got sick.

Soon all 4 of 5 of my sister's family were sick and within some days 3 of my 4 were sick. Without a doubt, my sister's non-flu-vaccinated family was WAY sicker for longer than my vaccinated family. To be clear, me and my kids were still feeling pretty crappy but it was NOTHING like what we saw my sister and her family go through. They were a complete mess and could not even drive the 4 hours home.

Just one anecdote but you cannot convince me that the flu vaccine, even one that was not a good match, didn't help greatly.

You are correct. The flu vaccine DOES help, there are studies to prove it. The other poster is just rambling, which is dangerous on the internet because some poor sucker will be convinced not to get the shot.

[Anonymous]

My parents rarely took me to the doctor growing up so I never got flu shots. It's kind of carried over into adulthood and I don't get flu shots now. I get the flu every few years and it's not a big deal. I don't think flu shots are necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents rarely took me to the doctor growing up so I never got flu shots. It's kind of carried over into adulthood and I don't get flu shots now. I get the flu every few years and it's not a big deal. I don't think flu shots are necessary.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flu A was all over the schools last year too, at least in FCPS. I’m starting to wonder why we even bother getting the shots every year.

I'll tell you why the flu vaccine helps. My family did get their flu vaccines back in Oct. ('25). My sister's family did not. Sister's family came to celebrate Christmas with us and one almost immediately came down sick with the flu A. We know this from testing at the pedestrians after the first got sick.

Soon all 4 of 5 of my sister's family were sick and within some days 3 of my 4 were sick. Without a doubt, my sister's non-flu-vaccinated family was WAY sicker for longer than my vaccinated family. To be clear, me and my kids were still feeling pretty crappy but it was NOTHING like what we saw my sister and her family go through. They were a complete mess and could not even drive the 4 hours home.

Just one anecdote but you cannot convince me that the flu vaccine, even one that was not a good match, didn't help greatly.

Some people enjoy suffering. Your sister won’t vaccinate in the future either. Best advice is to quit inviting her and her family to mix with yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Flu A was all over the schools last year too, at least in FCPS. I’m starting to wonder why we even bother getting the shots every year.

If everyone eligible got the shot they would work better.

[Anonymous]

When did it become the norm for everyone to get flu shots? I don’t remember getting them as a kid. I also don’t remember getting really sick with the flu more than once. I don’t think I started getting them until college when they had my whole sports team (winter sport) line up to get it.

I do think they help make the illness less severe even if they don’t prevent infection very well. I make sure my kids get the flu shot every year but sometimes I space on it for myself. Last year was one of those times. One kid got both flu A and B. I didn’t get A but I got B and it sucked. I ended up with a pretty bad secondary infection that I don’t think would have happened if I had gotten the shot. It ended up being a two week ordeal… very disruptive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When did it become the norm for everyone to get flu shots? I don’t remember getting them as a kid. I also don’t remember getting really sick with the flu more than once. I don’t think I started getting them until college when they had my whole sports team (winter sport) line up to get it.

I do think they help make the illness less severe even if they don’t prevent infection very well. I make sure my kids get the flu shot every year but sometimes I space on it for myself. Last year was one of those times. One kid got both flu A and B. I didn’t get A but I got B and it sucked. I ended up with a pretty bad secondary infection that I don’t think would have happened if I had gotten the shot. It ended up being a two week ordeal… very disruptive.

Usually people get their shots after they've had a bad bout of flu, like you. It happened to my husband and I before we had kids. We spent one Christmas at home, really sick, and from then on, we made sure to get our shots. It's been exactly a week since I started this round of flu (while vaccinated), and despite not having fever for 3 days now, I have some palpitations and still have all the cold symptoms (stuffy nose, blocked ears, lingering cough, etc). I don't know how bad it would have gotten without the shot.

[Anonymous]

Is it too late to get the flu shot now? Still worth it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it too late to get the flu shot now? Still worth it?

if you haven’t gotten the flu already, absolutely.

[Anonymous]

If everyone got the flu shot - even with a mismatch, a lot less flu would be circulating AND a lot less people would be hospitalized. I can’t believe people are really this dumb. I blame the unvaccinated for the reason why we have all these flu and covid surges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents rarely took me to the doctor growing up so I never got flu shots. It's kind of carried over into adulthood and I don't get flu shots now. I get the flu every few years and it's not a big deal. I don't think flu shots are necessary.

Good luck.

+1 and you should thank heavens for all of us that provide herd immunity. Imagine if we were all selfish like this and diseases were even more rampant? I can't believe people don't factor overall population health and just focus on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surely your 9th COVID shot will protect you!

+1. Unbelievable. Flu shots absolutely, but this is insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If everyone got the flu shot - even with a mismatch, a lot less flu would be circulating AND a lot less people would be hospitalized. I can’t believe people are really this dumb. I blame the unvaccinated for the reason why we have all these flu and covid surges.

+1
People really are this dumb. It creates even more danger for those that cannot be vaccinated and the very elderly.