Books his flu jab....

Will it ever happen? If it does, will it really be that bad? I can't admit to ever having dreaded it myself... but it's a nice piece of writing.

Maybe this isn't the right place to ask this... how would I find out if I'm eligible for a flu jab? I mean I'm guessing that since I have an illness that affects my immune system and see my GP once a month, she'll tell me if I'm eligible when the time comes.

I _think_ that they are becoming available now - and you are quite right that your GP is the one to ask, gotta admit that I'm not the expert in 'primary health care'.

Although apparently us ambo types are being targetted for flushots.

Looking forward to my work-provided flu-jab later this month now...

I thought that kind of thing only happened in books like The Stand...

Was his comment in the story about western european countries having stocked up on vaccine accurate?

I have no idea... maybe I should try to find out.

I wouldn't be surprised if we hadn't though.

This article (on the BBC) mentions that the UK government "has bought 14.3m antivirals, enough to cover 25% of the population, as recommended by the World Health Organisation. Half will be ready by March and the full number by December 2006."

It's a real shame about the comments on his website, it makes him look like a conspiracy-theory touting nutjob.

First time I got a flu jab, I got flu shortly afterwards which turned into pneumonia. Oh joy! The second one I got didn't do that though. I haven't had one in at least two years now though. I imagine I'd get sneered at if I asked at the docs, they are more focused on getting old people to have them, and those with the big lifelong diseases. I expect I would viewed as a malingerer wanting attention if I asked for one.

My wife is a diabetic, trainee midwife and huge pain in the arse. She isn't taking this seriously and pretty much refuses to have the flu jab.

Despite being in a high risk group, both physically and on a professional basis. No matter how many leaflets I leave knocking about the house.

If anyone has any doubts about how dangerous and likely this event is check the history books. The outbreak in 1917-1918 killed 40 million people world wide. The last outbreak in the UK was in 1967-68 and killed something like 50 thousand people in the uk alone. Be smart get a jab!

urgh, tell me about it. I used to have a job where I came into contact with a lot of elderly or disabled people, and the number of them who said that their kids/carers/spouses/whoever had been recommending that they have a flu jab, but they "didn't want to use up the supplies in case someone else needs it more..."

Then on the other side of the coin, the fit, healthy twenty- or thirty-somethings in low-risk jobs (or more often no jobs at all) going "I don't see why I shouldn't have a flu jab if I want it, I hate being ill."

you can have an many flu jabs as you like, there is currently no vaccine for this H5N1 variant of influenza (but they're working on it).. thats why health organisations are getting worried.....
what they're doing is stocking up on untested (against this variant ) anti viral drugs, so that if you do get ill, they can then hopefully treat you.
The death rate so far had been about 50% where outbreaks have occurred.
i'd be more inclined to learn how to wash my hands properly, remember the virus has to have a route into you..... and washing your hands properly will significantly reduce the risk, as far as i know its not an air borne disease, but cant be transmitted in aerosol form....sneeze/cough droplets.

More information / stuff to make you wake up screaming at night depending on your sensibilities at :
http://aetiology.blogspot.com/2005/10/pandemic-influenza-awareness-week-day.html

That was me, I forgot to log in...