New FLU SHOT Protocol

[Squealers]

Was in Walgreens this past week mentioning that I get my flu shot at the VA, and the lady in pharmacy said there is a new policy that VA carded vets can get a free flu shot at Walgreens and they charge the VA.  So I did, and it saved me a 39 mile trip to Fayetteville to get my shot.

Pretty Cool!

[Vantage 8 dude]

Was in Walgreens this past week mentioning that I get my flu shot at the VA, and the lady in pharmacy said there is a new policy that VA carded vets can get a free flu shot at Walgreens and they charge the VA.  So I did, and it saved me a 39 mile trip to Fayetteville to get my shot.

Pretty Cool!

Usually try to get my flu shot at Walgreens. Not necessarily because of the VA benefits; my wife, a former RN, always insists on our getting our vaccinations there because their flu vaccines do NOT contain mercury as a preservative. While that fact may not sound like any big deal, anyone else aware of what build ups of mercury, even small amounts, can do to the human body over time?

[kodiakisland]

Usually try to get my flu shot at Walgreens. Not necessarily because of the VA benefits; my wife, a former RN, always insists on our getting our vaccinations there because their flu vaccines do NOT contain mercury as a preservative. While that fact may not sound like any big deal, anyone else aware of what build ups of mercury, even small amounts, can do to the human body over time?

Well, first off, as a VA pharmacist I'm going to ask this, but what makes your wife think the vaccines at Walgreens are any different than the ones at the VA?  Very few vaccines in the US contain detectable amounts of mercury in them.  Most have none.  Almost all vaccines made for use in the US are single dose and do not contain preservatives.  Just in the fridge behind me at work, we have 14 different vaccines.  One of those 14 contains thimerosal.  Although multi-dose Flu vaccines are made, I haven't seen one in years.

And really, as far as mercury goes, it is important to consider it.  A far greater danger to people is eating fish.  I can assure you someone who consumes fish regularly has consumed more mercury than they ever got from vaccines.  I love swordfish.  It is on the never eat list due to the amount of mercury in it.  I still eat it once a year.  I limit my fresh tuna to a couple times a month and eat more Mahi mahi and pacific salmon.  I avoid canned tuna.  I'm quite sure my fish mercury has far exceeded my vaccine mercury, even though I got most of mine in the 70s and 80s when thimerosal was regularly used.

If you are concerned about the VA flu shot, here is a link to this years approved flu shots:  https://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/UCM096228#table
The VA in Fayetteville has the single dose Afluria quadrivalent dose

[Boll Hawg]

I'm in the Nat'l Guard and we still haven't gotten ours.  It's looking like it may be December.  We have the option to get ours at a local pharmacy,  but then we have to bring in paperwork showing we got it done someplace else and it often gets misplaced and our records don't get updated.  So, most guys in my unit just wait until drill weekend to get it done.