Avoiding the Flu Like the Plague

In October Andy and I got our seasonal flu shots when he had a nurse come to the office and give them to all his employees (well, those who wanted it, that is). Around that time Steph got one at school. Maybe a month after that, Pete and Julie got theirs at the pediatrician's office. 

As for H1N1, I think Andy actually had it—the disease, not the shot—a few weeks ago. He had what seemed to be a very mild flu. He was feverish, but not too hot; achy, but not like other times when he couldn't even bear to have a T-shirt touch his skin; tired, but not completely zonked out. A few days of taking it easy at home and he was pretty much back to normal. That's how I've heard H1N1 described for most adults. It's kids who seem to get sicker from it.

Steph was allowed to get one of the early batches of the vaccine because she's considered high-risk. Then Pete and Julie just got theirs at school today.

Which leaves me. I don't know whether I should bother trying to hunt down an H1N1 vaccine for myself (or Andy, for that matter, since we don't know for sure whether he actually had it). What about you, have you had a flu shot (or the flu) this year?

Comments

[Margaret]

I got the H1N1, but only because my doctor offered it to me at my check up. "You're a teacher, so you're OK." Otherwise, the vaccine was pretty hard (impossible) to find around here unless you were in one of the high risk groups. Several of our admin, including our 50 year principal got it, and they were utterly miserable and couldn't come to work for a couple of weeks. So, it's not very mild from what I've seen.

[Rivster]

Daughter and I had H1N1 this past summer. She was much sicker than I was. We'll be getting shots for all the kids. I always get seasonal because I come into contact with so many people.

BTW, we've had several kids at the shul come down with it. And a few have had serious complications.

[amy]

None of my kids are getting the shot; I am but only because I have no spleen so I fall into the high risk category. My internal medicine practice doesn't have any vaccine however, so at the (cough) young age of 47 I am going to my ob-gyn to get the H1N1 shot!

[Sharon]

Our kids received the first round of H1N1 shots and are scheduled for their second round if they don't run out of vaccine. There is none to be had for the adults in the area though. They are having a tough time getting enough for the kids and other high-risk individuals. That said, we think both of our children actually had H1N1. Fortunately, it was a few days of high fever and aches, but they recovered without complications.

[Stephanie]

Both kids got round one at the pediatricians office. Round two is not being offered by the pediatrician, until all who want #1 receive theirs. Mark got his second shot yesterday at school.

I am hunting one down for me, unsuccessful so far. Every week I call my PCP's office.

My boss had H1N1 full blast, and he was out for over a week - very high fever. We had friend's whose 3 year old landed up at Children's Hospital for three days due to H1N1.

[Sandy]

In our family the symptoms were not extreme, but they certainly lingered....a full week for one child and one adult each.