Do You Plan to Get the Flu Shot?

Yes
2 reasons
- one is that I spent time with others who are frail and for whom the flu could be dangerous, and I believe that it would be unethical to opt out when that could put others at risk and
- I remember all too well the last time I got the real flu (not just a bad cold, but the actual flu) and it was really terrible. I was very sick with a high fever and body aches for several days, plus a cough that lasted for weeks after. I know the shot isn't perfect, but I will do what I can to avoid that if at all possible.

Yes. My doctors, whom I respect, recommend it. And, I saw my mother struggle mightily with the Asian flu, and so I have the shot to diminish my chances of getting anything that awful.

My kids and I do not.

Yes, for whatever good it will do. I know the combo is sometimes it is hit or miss, but I contracted H1N1 during the outbreak and almost died. There was a point where I sincerely wished I would die.

A lot of people think they have had influenza, but if you can be flippant and brush it off like it was no big deal, it probably wasn't the flu.

You know what makes you feel strongly about getting the flu shot? Getting the flu...

I coughed so hard that I tore cartilige between my ribs. It took 4 months to heal.

Of course! Crazy not to, unless you have a medical reason for not. They're saying it's going to be a really bad flu season. I had the flu 20 years ago and ended up in the ER struggling to breathe. The flu is not a cold. Take it seriously.

Yes, we have a family member with Cystic Fibrosis and the drs. have strongly recommended that everyone in the family get one. We've gotten the shot for years with no problems. I did get the flu one time but it was a mild case that I assume would have been much worse if I hadn't had the shot.

Yes. And because of recent natural disasters and the population shifts that they cause even more so.

I stopped getting my son the flu shot when he was 1. He ended up getting the flu for the 1st time in January. My husband got the flu shot for the 1st time last year and had the flu for 2 weeks. I never got the flu shot or the flu.

Its a shot in the dark. Theres so many versions of the flu, the shot can't cover it all.

nope. have not and will not and my family will not get one either.

No we don't get it. I have gotten the shot twice. And within three days of it had the flu. But have not had it any other time.

Nope. The two times my family has had the flu shot we got REALLY sick.

It doesn't cover all the strains. It hasn't helped us avoid the flu.

Never have and never will get the flu shot. If I get the flu, I'll go to the doctor and get tamiful.

Personal choice and I know it can get controversial but we opt out for several reasons.

No - even though I am immune compromised, none of us get the shot. I get the flu about every 3 years. Yeah, it sucks, but at this point I am still healthy enough to fight it off. My hubby and kids have never had the flu. The one year we all did get shots, I still got the flu that year - dr. said I had the strain not covered by the vaccine.

We are pretty careful - especially me and especially during flu season about hand washing and such. I work from home and have limited exposure to the daily culprits that would infect me and that helps.

Here's to a flu-free season for us all!

Absolutely!
We all do every year.
My husband gets his at work.
Our son is getting his at college (he says some bug is already going around campus).
I'm getting mine at a local drugstore.
Having had flu before - I'd do anything that might help me to avoid feeling like being run over by a truck for a month.

Most definitely! I go the flu once, and it was horrible. I was on the couch for a week. I went back to work the next week, but it took a few more weeks before I started to feel normal again.

My husband and kids and I will never not get the flu shot. It's true that there's always the possibility that the flu strands in the flu shot will not end up being the same ones that go around that year. But it's the best we have right now, and I'd really like to never get the flu again.

I have heard that some people could have a reaction to the flu shot, though I've never actually met anyone who has. I'm sure it's possible. Vaccines aren't perfect. But they are pretty darn good!

I just don't see the downside.

I haven't had one since 2003. I don't plan on ever having one again.

I've never had a flu shot and have only had the flu one time in my entire life. But it was enough. Plus the news is always filled with people dying from it.

If I had the money to get one I probably would do it.

Probably not.
My kids are 15, 12, and 6. They haven't had the flu shot for the past 5 years. I haven't had one for about 8. My husband has never had one. Ever.
Even when H1N1 was this huge worry and everyone was getting the flu shot, we didn't.
We'll wash hands, eat well, drink lots of water. And if people start getting sick then we will go to the doctor BEFORE it gets bad. I am not worried.