Fall means it’s time for just about everybody to get up to date on their flu and COVID-19 vaccines – and a lot of older adults also need protection against another risky winter virus, RSV.
Yes, you can get your flu and COVID-19 shots at the same time. Don’t call them boosters — they’re not just another dose of last year’s protection. The coronavirus and influenza are escape artists that constantly mutate to evade your body’s immune defenses, so both vaccines are reformulated annually to target newer strains.
Very difficult to ask this question these days and be taken sincerely but I’m hoping at least one kind soul will find a way…
As someone who never bothered with flu shots (and got a mild flu at least once a year as result) but didn’t hesitate to get the Pfizer shot and a booster during the pandemic: given that the pandemic is no longer a deadly pandemic as it most certainly was in the early 2020s, why are people still getting the vaccines? Is it just to miss the seasonal day or two in bed and be able to get on with life? Is there a danger of the deadly version of C19 returning if we don’t do that?
Again: this not antivaxx concern trolling. Got the jab, all my kids have their shots, etc. I’m just wondering if we are seeing people take the typical flu vaccine a little more seriously post pandemic and wondering if it’s a good idea. I’d never be so blasé about say measles or polio but somehow flu shots always felt ‘optional’ and I’m wondering if that’s changing.
Long Covid and chance of severe illness/death each time. Yeah, it sucks to feel like shit for a day or two, but I would regret trading that for long covid.
There’s so many places to go, incredible food to try, relationships to keep, new and old experiences in general. Long covid or death impacts every single one. So I always just sigh and get it.
Finally, it’s better societally as we could keep transmission low. There is always the chance that you get it and unknowingly spread it to someone with a compromised immune system and they die. That death impacts their family, friends, and the economy if that particularly matters to you. The social contract asks us to sacrifice a little for the sake of the greater good, but it does not demand it.
Still, I don’t terribly fault people for skipping it these days. That kind of risk is often accepted with non-covid things. Humans don’t like discomfort for the sake of a future maybe. If I wasn’t so concerned about my own quality of life, perhaps I’d skip it too.
Edit: I was scrolling through my calendar and realized another massive reason I always get the vaccine. It allows you to choose your own window of feeling like shit. For example, I travel a lot and wouldn’t want to miss any of it by getting covid. Choosing a couple random days to tank the shit feeling means a lower chance of feeling like shit in another country when I’m not prepared. Truly I envy those who feel fine after the shot.
All extremely valid points, I’ll be getting mine thanks.
BTW: Covid is definitely still killing people. In my area we actually have a skilled nursing facility that is full of Covid just as much as 2020-21. Some of those elderly have died, will die, from Covid.
Already done. Less than two weeks ago, though.
Last time i got it, i didn’t feel great for a couple days, did you notice anything? I will probably try to get before the weekend, just in case.
I’ve seen a lot about this one being better. For me (I got Pfizer’s brilliantly named comirnaty) it was about the same if not a little bit worse. ~24hr of feeling feverish, significant body aches, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, vague feeling of unwell the same and next day. Was fine the day after that though.
These always treat me quite poorly. After my original second shot I was vomiting and felt truly horrible. But it hasn’t really improved since the third. Every time, I remember the incredibly low rates after the first vaccine, and lament what could have been.
Got the Novavax, no symptoms of any kind. The pharmacist recommended that one for that reason. Got the flu shot at the same time.
I got the Pfizer covid shot and the flu shot about a week ago and didn’t notice any symptoms at all.
Mine have gotten better every time. The first one was fucking miserable. I felt like I had broken glass in my joints and I got absurdly large pimples/boils on my back and chest. I got a milder version of the same with the second and third ones. I think this was shot number 8 (?) and it was just a bit sore at the injection site. Use the muscle before it gets sore, just raise your arm above your head whenever you think about it and you don’t get that lasting pain there.
Pain at the injection site, of course. (I got the Moderna shot this time. Most of the COVID shots I’ve gotten were Pfizer and man were they the most painful vaccinations of any sort I’d ever had for the longest. Moderna is nowhere near as bad, but still a little worse than the flu.) Aside from that, I didn’t notice anything, really.
I never even felt the moderna shots. Those must’ve been the sharpest needles to ever hit me.
Each time has been the same, I’m down for a day. I don’t feel siiiick…just…off. like I can’t shake the morning fog no matter how much coffee I drink, so I just call it a catday and stay in bed for 30 hours.
Note: If you caught covid in this last wave, as I did in August, you should wait 3-6 months for the covid vaccine. This is due to the nature of our bodies immune response.
Got both of mine a week ago and was a bit sleepy that evening and the next but nothing too bad.
I got mine two days ago. That evening I was tired and sore and felt slightly feverish. Felt better the next day.
Got mine today. Hoping for gentle side effects…
The side effects are your immune system creating protection. So you definitely want some side effects.
Have an appointment to get it Friday. I’ve stuck with Moderna every time because my reaction has always been mild, just a sore arm and some fatigue the next day.
ITT: Stockholm syndrome
