3 ms·

Who gets a yearly flu shot? Genuinely curious.

baddox 7y ago
I'm sure it depends a lot on your location and peer group. In San Francisco, where I live, it's very common for healthy 20- and 30-somethings to get the flu shot every year. I try to remember to get it every year, and there's always friends or coworkers reminding everyone about it every year.
el_benhameen 7y ago
Lots of people, I think. My extended family group chat always has a "did you get your flu shots?" thread around October of every year. Last year when I took my family for the shots, there was a line of probably 100 people on a weekday afternoon.
vardump 7y ago
Most of the people I know at least? It probably varies a lot by location, subcultures and socio-economic groups.
gus_massa 7y ago
It depends on the country https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_vaccine#Recommendations https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_vaccine#Recommendati... Oversimplifying, it is recommended for people with more than 65(50) years, people with chronic diseases or HIV, and pregnant women and babies from 6 month to 5(2) years. Also people that work or live with them. But each country has it's own rules and recommendations.
- YokoZar 7y ago
  In the US, it's recommended for everyone who's not allergic or under 6 months old.
undersuit 7y ago
I read about the 2017 and 2018 US vaccination rates on the CDC website recently, those years we got an estimated low 40% range vaccination on adults and in the 60% range for children vaccinated.
- james-skemp 7y ago
  Last year I was told that we were at risk of, or no longer had, herd immunity due to that. I don't recall if it was specific to our university, city, or other geographical region. I stopped getting the flu shots in my 20s because I would always get sick despite the shot. I was convinced in my mid-30s to start getting them again. I still get sick, but it's not as bad as when I skipped the shots. (I know at least a couple times I ended up getting the shot that prevented a variant that we didn't get. There's enough of a time gap that the shot isn't causing the symptoms.)
asdf123wtf 7y ago
Well, anyone who has regular visits to a doctor at all, or has prescriptions filled regularly at a pharmacies, will probably pestered about getting flu shots yearly, at least. If you are young and healthy, I don't think they are pestering you for your sake, but to build immunity and prevent its spread. Healthy people should really look at flu shots as a kind of duty to their fellow citizens, who may be more vulnerable.
- gjs278 7y ago
  the only people that get the flu and are young are the ones who get that shot
Marsymars 7y ago
Every grocery store pharmacy here gives them out for free, so it's pretty easy to do so.
goalieca 7y ago
I do as I am around people with suppressed immune systems for various reasons
smnrchrds 7y ago
Around a third of Canadians [1]. Although the statistics are a bit old. [1] https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-624-x/2015001/article/14218-eng.htm https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-624-x/2015001/article...
waterside81 7y ago
I do. It's free in Canada, just walk into any pharmacy and you're out in 10 mins.
- Majromax 7y ago
  Depends on the province. In Quebec, for example, the flu vaccine is (currently) only free for at-risk individuals (https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/advice-and-prevention/vaccination/flu-vaccination-program/ https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/advice-and-prevention/vaccin...). Ontario, however, has a universal program.
RockIslandLine 7y ago
I and most of my siblings try to get it every year. It's recommended for anyone with frequent contact with children.

I'm sure it depends a lot on your location and peer group. In San Francisco, where I live, it's very common for healthy 20- and 30-somethings to get the flu shot every year. I try to remember to get it every year, and there's always friends or coworkers reminding everyone about it every year.

el_benhameen 7y ago

Lots of people, I think. My extended family group chat always has a "did you get your flu shots?" thread around October of every year. Last year when I took my family for the shots, there was a line of probably 100 people on a weekday afternoon.

vardump 7y ago

Most of the people I know at least? It probably varies a lot by location, subcultures and socio-economic groups.

gus_massa 7y ago

It depends on the country https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_vaccine#Recommendations https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_vaccine#Recommendati... Oversimplifying, it is recommended for people with more than 65(50) years, people with chronic diseases or HIV, and pregnant women and babies from 6 month to 5(2) years. Also people that work or live with them. But each country has it's own rules and recommendations.

YokoZar 7y ago
In the US, it's recommended for everyone who's not allergic or under 6 months old.

undersuit 7y ago

I read about the 2017 and 2018 US vaccination rates on the CDC website recently, those years we got an estimated low 40% range vaccination on adults and in the 60% range for children vaccinated.

james-skemp 7y ago
Last year I was told that we were at risk of, or no longer had, herd immunity due to that. I don't recall if it was specific to our university, city, or other geographical region. I stopped getting the flu shots in my 20s because I would always get sick despite the shot. I was convinced in my mid-30s to start getting them again. I still get sick, but it's not as bad as when I skipped the shots. (I know at least a couple times I ended up getting the shot that prevented a variant that we didn't get. There's enough of a time gap that the shot isn't causing the symptoms.)

asdf123wtf 7y ago

Well, anyone who has regular visits to a doctor at all, or has prescriptions filled regularly at a pharmacies, will probably pestered about getting flu shots yearly, at least. If you are young and healthy, I don't think they are pestering you for your sake, but to build immunity and prevent its spread. Healthy people should really look at flu shots as a kind of duty to their fellow citizens, who may be more vulnerable.

gjs278 7y ago
the only people that get the flu and are young are the ones who get that shot

Marsymars 7y ago

Every grocery store pharmacy here gives them out for free, so it's pretty easy to do so.

goalieca 7y ago

I do as I am around people with suppressed immune systems for various reasons

smnrchrds 7y ago

Around a third of Canadians [1]. Although the statistics are a bit old. [1] https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-624-x/2015001/article/14218-eng.htm https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-624-x/2015001/article...

waterside81 7y ago

I do. It's free in Canada, just walk into any pharmacy and you're out in 10 mins.

Majromax 7y ago
Depends on the province. In Quebec, for example, the flu vaccine is (currently) only free for at-risk individuals (https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/advice-and-prevention/vaccination/flu-vaccination-program/ https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/advice-and-prevention/vaccin...). Ontario, however, has a universal program.

RockIslandLine 7y ago

I and most of my siblings try to get it every year. It's recommended for anyone with frequent contact with children.