Flu shots [PLEASE READ FIRST POST!]

I work in the healthcare industry, and honestly—if you ask me—it looks like we won’t even have enough staff to cover our own needs, let alone everyone else. They’ll probably end up having to tighten the eligibility criteria just to keep things afloat. It's unfortunate, really... what they print in the newspapers for public consumption is one thing, but the actual reality on the ground is something else entirely.

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Some similar data was released last week, but here we go again—the official press release sent out via email by the CDC just an hour ago:

Available flu vaccine supplies for the 2020/2021 season.

Due to higher than expected public interest, 460,000 doses of the flu vaccine were procured this year, which is slightly more than what was originally projected at the start of the year.

Basically, back in January, doctors were asked to estimate their needs for this fall based on patient response rates. That request totaled 449,300 doses, while 460,000 doses have been secured. Furthermore, because this surge in interest wasn't anticipated in January, an additional order for 130,000 doses is currently underway.

Most of the vaccines being distributed are going to family practitioners. So far, 220,000 doses have been sent out, with the remaining 240,000 scheduled for distribution over the next week. We expect those extra 130,000 doses to arrive in early December.

Because of how the rollout is moving, anyone looking to get vaccinated might not be able to do so until next week or early November. If you don't manage to get it in November, you can still get vaccinated once the additional supplies arrive in December.

We want to emphasize that it isn't too late to get your flu shot in November or December. There’s no need to pressure doctors over the next few days, as they only have a portion of the total supply on hand right now.

Whatever happens, happens. At the medical facility where I work, we just found out that only 40% of the ordered doses actually arrived. We were notified about this today—not exactly great news. They’re supposed to decide by Monday which criteria they'll use to determine who gets vaccinated first.

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There’s nothing in this letter suggesting anything more arrived. 🤷

I suppose all we can really do now is wait until November to see what actually hits the shelves and how they plan on handling the rollout.
Maybe there’s a way to grab it directly from Mylan through a pharmacy, though I imagine that comes with a different price tag entirely. I’ll probably look into it tomorrow—just to be sure.

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I think they mentioned that manufacturers don't even have much extra stock on hand, since they've been prepping for this since January 🤔

Jamie Rivera78 said:The last time I caught the flu—and man, it absolutely wrecked me—was right after my last vaccination. That was over 25 years ago. Since then? Zero shots, zero flu. Just living life.

I’m not coughing because of any vaccine. I could get one, sure, but I haven't dealt with the flu in twenty years or more, and I haven't bothered with shots. It feels like I shouldn't mess with my immunity. This year, I'm just being extra careful—masks and all.
I’m probably not the smartest person here. Has anyone else actually gone and gotten vaccinated recently?

I started getting vaccinated right after my first bout of the flu. Honestly, that was an experience I never want to go through again—and mind you, I was just a college student back then with zero underlying health issues.
Out of this long string of vaccinations, I've only had a reaction twice. Once about three years ago, when I was convinced I was coming down with meningitis, and then again last night—since I actually got my shot yesterday morning. I basically had a mini case of the flu all night long.
If you're constantly around people, take public transit, or if you fall into a high-risk category, I guess you should get vaccinated.

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boldnomad45 said:I’m not coughing because of any vaccine. I could get one, sure, but I haven't dealt with the flu in twenty years or more, and I haven't bothered with shots. It feels like I shouldn't mess with my immunity. This year, I'm just being extra careful—masks and all.
I’m probably not the smartest person here. Has anyone else actually gone and gotten vaccinated recently?

What do you mean by "tinkering with immunity"? By exposing your body to fragments of a virus through vaccination, you're actually introducing the immune system to new pathogens—which is effectively how you strengthen it in the only truly reliable way possible.

Nicole James said:What do you mean by "tinkering with immunity"? By exposing your body to fragments of a virus through vaccination, you're actually introducing the immune system to new pathogens—which is effectively how you strengthen it in the only truly reliable way possible.

My concern is this: if I catch a mild cold from the shot, I still have to go to work, and then I'm an easy target for COVID. I assume your immunity is a bit compromised during those few days?
Plus, nobody can predict how my system will react to a flu shot—I’ve never had one before. It doesn't seem wise to experiment like this given how crazy things are right now.
I work every single day, and I've dealt with sinus issues forever, but I haven't run a fever above 98.6 for about twenty years.
I'm on the fence about getting vaccinated.
I've even had some medical professionals tell me it might be better to skip it.
If I've made it this far without issues, why risk testing it now?
I just don't know.

Quick question. Last Wednesday, I went to my primary care doctor to get my first flu shot (I'm 21). Is there any chance one of the side effects could be a stomach virus, like abdominal pain or diarrhea?
I've been taking some probiotics since last night.

boldnomad45 said:My concern is this: if I catch a mild cold from the shot, I still have to go to work, and then I'm an easy target for COVID. I assume your immunity is a bit compromised during those few days?
Plus, nobody can predict how my system will react to a flu shot—I’ve never had one before. It doesn't seem wise to experiment like this given how crazy things are right now.
I work every single day, and I've dealt with sinus issues forever, but I haven't run a fever above 98.6 for about twenty years.
I'm on the fence about getting vaccinated.
I've even had some medical professionals tell me it might be better to skip it.
If I've made it this far without issues, why risk testing it now?
I just don't know.

The flu vaccine doesn't actually contain live pathogens, so the immune response triggered by the shot shouldn't be significant enough to prevent your system from successfully multitasking.

Joseph Cooper9 said:Quick question. Last Wednesday, I went to my primary care doctor to get my first flu shot (I'm 21). Is there any chance one of the side effects could be a stomach virus, like abdominal pain or diarrhea?
I've been taking some probiotics since last night.

No. Usually, if you experience side effects, they show up within a day or so and pass pretty quickly. As far as I can recall, gastrointestinal issues aren't even listed as a known side effect.

Nicole James said:No. Usually, if you experience side effects, they show up within a day or so and pass pretty quickly. As far as I can recall, gastrointestinal issues aren't even listed as a known side effect.

Thanks for the reply.

Since I fall right into one of those high-risk categories because my immune system is basically a disaster zone, my sister actually called me at the perfect moment. I’d just gotten vaccinated three days ago, and honestly, the only side effect was running a bit of a fever about three hours after the shot. My arm has been pretty sore where they poked me, too—it's still bothering me today—but if you ask me, that's just a sign the vaccine is actually doing its job and kicking in.

Laura Cox5 said:Since I fall right into one of those high-risk categories because my immune system is basically a disaster zone, my sister actually called me at the perfect moment. I’d just gotten vaccinated three days ago, and honestly, the only side effect was running a bit of a fever about three hours after the shot. My arm has been pretty sore where they poked me, too—it's still bothering me today—but if you ask me, that's just a sign the vaccine is actually doing its job and kicking in.

My arm hurt for maybe two or three days, nothing major. A bit of a headache too, but an Advil would have cleared it right up.

My arm was aching that evening right after I got my shot, but by the next day, the sensation had faded to almost nothing, and then it just vanished... I didn't run a fever or anything. My mom mentioned her arm was sore and itchy for about five days following her vaccination.

I've been getting my annual shots for about ten years now, and honestly, the side effects vary every single year—sometimes there's absolutely nothing, and other times my arm stays sore for an entire week. I don't think I've ever actually had a fever, though I have occasionally felt a bit under the weather, almost like a mild flu, the day after being vaccinated.

I got my shot this past Wednesday and didn't feel a thing. Honestly, I've been getting vaccinated for years now and haven't dealt with a single side effect...

Does anyone have the scoop on what’s going on with the flu shots?

It's been weeks and there isn't a single flu vaccine in any pharmacy here in New York City. I'm currently 20th on a waiting list at one spot, and they told me they haven't seen a shipment since October 15th.
I checked five or six other pharmacies, and they won't even let you join a waiting list because they have no idea if they'll ever get more stock.
One pharmacist mentioned that the government pulled all the vaccines off the market weeks ago.

Over at CVS, they're saying there's zero chance—they ordered 150 doses and that was it. My mother, who’s 70 and deals with asthma, couldn't even get her shot at CVS because they "forgot to put her on the list." Meanwhile, my sister is trying to sell me this "just stay positive" routine, telling me not to stress because "there won't be any flu this year since everyone got vaccinated." Honestly, I'm half-tempted to report them.

I'm not in a high-risk group, but I still get my shot every year. It’s not the money that’s the issue $33 but the fact that the vaccines are nowhere to be found.

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William Miller12 said:Does anyone have the scoop on what’s going on with the flu shots?

It's been weeks and there isn't a single flu vaccine in any pharmacy here in New York City. I'm currently 20th on a waiting list at one spot, and they told me they haven't seen a shipment since October 15th.
I checked five or six other pharmacies, and they won't even let you join a waiting list because they have no idea if they'll ever get more stock.
One pharmacist mentioned that the government pulled all the vaccines off the market weeks ago.

Over at CVS, they're saying there's zero chance—they ordered 150 doses and that was it. My mother, who’s 70 and deals with asthma, couldn't even get her shot at CVS because they "forgot to put her on the list." Meanwhile, my sister is trying to sell me this "just stay positive" routine, telling me not to stress because "there won't be any flu this year since everyone got vaccinated." Honestly, I'm half-tempted to report them.

I'm not in a high-risk group, but I still get my shot every year. It’s not the money that’s the issue $33 but the fact that the vaccines are nowhere to be found.

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Try calling the Department of Health or the distributor's regional representative for the US.
I got my shot at my primary care doctor's office on October 22nd (we bought the vaccine ourselves a few days prior after pre-ordering it at a pharmacy), and I recall a nurse mentioning early December might bring a new shipment, if memory serves... stay safe. 🙂