FLU JABS

[boycott]

It appears that the NHS is not efficient and that is from the Royal College of Surgeons!

A watchdog has found that 280,000 more non-emergency operations could be carried out by NHS hospitals a year if schedules were better organised, it has been reported.

Analysis of operating theatres in 100 NHS Trusts in England found more than two hours a day were wasted on the average procedure list.

The study by NHS Improvement said time was lost on avoidable factors, such as late starts for operations that had been planned in advance.A total of 1.64 million routine operations were carried out in 2016, the period analysed by the watchdog.

They included surgical procedures on the ear, nose and throat, eye operations and orthopaedic medicine.

The study reportedly says improvements could be found in more effective planning, reducing late starts and early finishes and is not a case of getting surgeons to work harder.

Richard Kerr, of the Royal College of Surgeons, told the BBC: "I think the NHS can always be more efficient and I think people have worked very hard to try to make it more efficient, but I don't think those savings are going to resolve the ever-increasing demand that is being put on the health service."NHS Improvement researchers did not include operation lists that were cancelled or any unused time that was less than average for a surgeon.

The study also allowed for five per cent of time to be lost due to last-minute cancellations.
Source - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10 ... schedules/

[WHL]

http://www.life4fitmama.com/2017/09/kno ... year-show/

Good post, at the end of the day its everyone's personal choice to have/not have these jabs, my personal opinion is these jabs break down your natural resistance to all types of ailments, if you look hard enough im sure the pharmaceutical company's have a jab for everything.

[Dominic]

Here's a link to a more reputable site saying pretty much the opposite.

https://www.livescience.com/24354-6-flu ... myths.html

Why are they more reputable? Well, for a start, if you look up (do a whois) of livescience, you get the details of the company behind it. If you look up life4fitmama.com, you find they have paid to hide their details.

Secondly, if you look at the contact page of livescience.com, you get an address, and a phone number. If you look at the contact page of life4fitmama.com, you just get a disclaimer. There is no information about the site owners at all. They are completely hidden.

In short, it is the difference between believing your doctor versus believing a stranger you bumped into in a pub.

[Uncle D]

How can it be a more reputable site when unlike Austin 7's link there aren't any pictures of semi naked women at the bottom of the page.

[Varky]

Forget about the mealy mouthed curmudgeons, they contribute nothing.

Now, now, Varky, don't be so hard on yourself. I'm sure there will be some who appreciate your gruffish, downbeat posts.

Never one to miss an opportunity! Don't be so deprecating. There have been several occasions where I have agreed with you and have posted as such. Surprisingly enough I wasn't referring to you with the word curmudgeon, but if the cap fits, wear it.

[Firefly]

Personally I cannot see the difference between having vaccinations, for the prevention of anything, and taking prescribed medication. You are putting a foreign substance into or on to your body. How can you differentiate between prevention and cure i.e. one being acceptable the other not ? Surely if you will not accept the prevention, why would you then accept the cure, or would you rather die ? many deadly diseases have been eliminated by the use of vaccine, God help us if they ever return.

Jackie

[Kili01]

Well, while people arguing about whether they personally will have a free jab, I've had mine. Just caused a sore arm for a few days and slight lethargy , nothing worse.
After 10 - 14 days my immune system should be producing flu antibodies which will give me some protection through the winter months. If I can avoid getting flu particularly the Aussie strain it will all be worthwhile.... I hope that I don't have to sit next to someone on a flight who has or is developing flu and didn't want to accept the flu jab!!
Dee

[Poppy]

Well we have just had ours Dee so you can sit beside us on a flight!! The Nurse here told me that it depended on which country you lived in as to which vaccine you have. I asked her if this one covered the Aussie flu and she confirmed that it did,in fact it covers Phuket,Hong Kong and Brisbain strains.

[Firefly]

And just to add fuel to the fire, I'm having my Shingles jab next week too

[Kili01]

I have read both refs. I prefer the more optimistic note struck by the first reference, to the 2nd one which was more pessimistic. It really comes down to personal beliefs, I would rather be a least partially protected than have no protection to any of the flu varients. Usually, the vaccine seems to work well for me. I try to eat a healthy diet, maintain high levels of Vit C and zinc in my body as these help the immune system, also to get adiquate rest and sleep at night and exercise in the day, usually a brisk walk. All these factors help me to usually avoid the common winter infections..

Touch wood and fingers crossed!

Dee

[Kili01]

Think you will have to make enquiries, Hudswell. I don’t know if Polis hospital run flu clinics.
I would enquire at Paphos General as to whether they have any flu vaccine left.

Dee

[Kili01]

Well isn’t some protection better than none at all?
Of course avoiding or lowering your chance of getting infected is another option.... stay away from crowded indoor places as much as possible, washing hands frequently might also help.

Dee

[garry&jill]

Yes Hudwell had mine done just before Christmas not sure if it's only on certain days though
go through the door by the x-ray and turn left last door before the exit
garry

[Poppy]

The current vaccination does protect against the H3N2 virus which aussie flu is classed under and whilst Australia reports it has not been as effective as they hoped it is certainly better than not having it as I believe all experts agree.People,whether in Cyprus or UK,need to take some personal responsibility to relieve the pressure on Hospitals.

[Aargent]

Does anyone know if Polis Hospital are giving Flu Jabs, if so when...thanks.

We got ours done in A&E but that was over 2 months ago. Just walked in they had the book and we had the cards.

[Rita Sherry]

This is my experience. I had my flu injection mid November all without incident. As some of you will be aware I was taking a cruise over the Christmas period. Well this went well until Boxing Day when I felt rather ill with a nasty cough so rested up. On 27th December was taken to the medical centre on board (we were on our return lap to Southampton) where it was suspected I had pneumonia with chronic Atrial Fiblliration(later confirmed). I was kept in isolation for the remainder of the journey. On arrival in Southampton I was transferred to University Hospital (ambulance awaiting the ship) and underwent what seemed an eternity of tests and again in isolation. The diagnosis was Influenza A (Primary) and Influenza B (infection) together with pneumonia and Atrial Fibrillation with fast ventricular rate but otherwise no symptoms of heart failure. I was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday 3rd January 2018. The senior doctor informed me it would be about 6 weeks before I was back to normal strength but cleared me to travel back to Cyprus on 8th January as they had done all they could and I was free from infection but required rest etc. He also said my flu injection had given me at least 45% protection from the normal strain of flu but insufficient against both types of influenza.

In all the years I have had the normal flu jab (30 years) this is the first occasion I have succumbed to the dreaded flu and it was not pleasant. I am black and blue from injections and intravenous drips etc but I am alive and it is all thanks to the wonderful ship's medical personnel and the truly wonderful staff at University Hospital Southampton who worked their butts off for all those admitted during this period. I was very fortunate in that they were waiting for me when I arrived and was in a bed within two minutes of crossing the threshold and whilst most of what then occurred is something of a blur the treatment was second to none. Whilst on board ship (Cunard) I was a private patient (hopefully my insurers are going to be helpful) but at the University Hospital I was a NHS patient. My goodness when the system works it really does work and I am eternally grateful to all concerned in that establishment. Big thank you also to British Airways for their kind attention and special assistance they provided at Heathrow and Larnaca

Please do get your flu jabs it does give protection even of sorts in some cases and I am still here to testify to that.

Happy & Healthy New year to you all. I missed it.

Best wishes

Rita

Ria

[Poppy]

Oh goodness Rita so sorry to hear this and pleased you have recovered . Have you had the pneumonia vaccine? I had one just after I had a very
serious bout of pneumonia and a further one in Cyprus.My consultant in Cyprus recommended every 5 years but here in the UK they are now saying once you have had one you don't need another. As you say thank goodness you at least had the flu vaccine which did help somewhat. You must now look after yourself as it takes time to recover from pneumonia!!
PS Also good to hear such a good report of your NHS hospital experience.It is a pity that the media only report the bad news!

[Alewfin]

Rita,

I took ill 14 days into a cruise in December with a fever, the shakes, chest pains, extremely sore throat and headaches even though I had a flu jab in October in Cyprus.

In the ship's surgery the doctors performed several tests including tests to identify the type of flu. I was subsequently prescribed antibiotics to try and prevent bronchitis and/or pneumonia (which some onboard had succumbed to).

The doctors onboard said that without my flu jab things could have been much worse.

[Anarita John]

So sorry to hear about your illness on your cruise. My experience of the NHS at the end of December and January last year was excellent. Although I had to wait for a bed in the Cardiac Care Unit I was in a side ward in A and E for two days, but was monitored 24hrs by the Cardiac Team. When I was transferred to Liverpool I was in a state of the art hospital.
I would urge everyone to get a flu vaccine, as this flu is particularly nasty. We went out last night, an old staff reunion, and one lady had had flu and even though it was three weeks ago, to us, who had not seen her for some time, she still looked awful.

[Poppy]

I think you may have heard that incorrectly HIC as my understanding was that 60% of NHS staff have had the vaccination and that the chief medical officer has written to staff encouraging them to have it but if you think you know better than the medical profession then so be it - yet another case of burying your head in the sand ?