The perennial question I am always asked here: should I have the flu jab? Of course, now that also applies to the Covid vaccine. As the booster texts are rolling out now, some of you are asking should you have it, or not?
It’s always a tricky one to answer, not least because it is a personal choice. Plus, it all depends on your current state of health and your individual vulnerability.
Two articles crossed my inbox this week that might help you decide. The first is a ultimately a plea from the medics for people to get the Covid booster – although check out the comments from the professionals here and you can see there is still much debate!
Is Another COVID-19 Booster Really Needed?
The author concludes:
Vaccinate the elderly (and some middle-aged too, if possible) and the frail as soon as possible with any version of the booster you have available, if you want to keep hospital pressure to the minimum and save a fair number of complications and deaths over the next months. This regimen of yearly boosters for some may be the scenario for the upcoming years, similar to what we already do for the flu, so we should get used to it.
The second is from the always well-informed and reasonable Patrick Holford on the flu jab:
Essentially, I tend to agree partly with both. Helpful, I know! I think it really does come down to how healthy you are and, as Patrick says, that is largely down to your levels of Vitamin D and Vitamin C immune-wise. The flu vaccine effectiveness is reported as 44% last year. As Patrick explains, we can get that level simply ensuring our vitamin levels are high enough.
More than a third of health care workers do not have the flu jab. I’m in that category largely because I know that high dose vitamin C at the immediate onset of cold or flu symptoms, reduces duration and severity of flu symptoms often to 24 max 48 hours. A comprehensive review of vitamin C shows up to 46% reduction in duration of colds, and also reduction in severity, reported in those taking 8 grams of vitamin C in the first day of a cold/flu, although there is some evidence than 15-20 grams within 24 hours of first symptoms would be more effective [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5409678/]. This is what I do, and recommend, taking around 1 gram an hour, or 2 grams every two hours.
If your vitamin C also has zinc and black elderberry, like Immune C, it is likely to be even more effective. I very much doubt flu would ever be fatal if all ‘at risk’ eg elderly people did this on first signs of symptoms.
The other critical factor is getting your blood vitamin D up above 100nmol/l by taking 3,000iu a day. [I’ve added a 4000iu product here for you as I’ve found that most people need more than that, Ed]. The Grassroots Health study reports a 43% reduction in flu-like illness between those with blood vitamin D levels of 50 versus 150nmol/l. That’s about the same level of effectiveness of a vaccine.
Patrick Holford
However, I also agree with this statement:
But I entirely respect someone who chooses to, perhaps because they are older, more vulnerable, with more compromised immune systems or/and don’t trust or don’t know about vitamin C and how to use it in high doses or don’t know about vitamin D and has a low level.
That’s a lot of people. We need an education campaign (hence me writing this!).
As for the Covid vaccine, we know that the virus will continue to evolve, much the same as the flu virus does, which is why we have updated vaccines every year. The argument is very much about protecting others, of course, and I think vulnerable and older people should definitely consider it, at least for the time being whilst we are still learning about this new infection. It generally is quite effective at reducing the severity of the illness so that has to be good for vulnerable people. We must not ignore the risk of Long Covid either, which I am coming across quite a lot. It is debilitating, and not just for older people.
It really is a choice and a decision for each individual. Personally, I have never had the flu jab, preferring to keep my immunity strong in other ways and I don’t class myself as high risk. With Covid, I shall probably have the booster for a while until I feel comfortable I can offset it. So far, I can’t tolerate supplements so that’s my individual need. If I could, I’d be going the Vitamin D, Vitamin C route to up my body’s own protection. See my free Covid factsheet for more suggestions on this.
What do you think? Are you going to have them/not have them? Why? I’m interested to see how others think (but no conspiracy theories, please!).
Retiring, but loads of help still here!
I have now retired from Purehealth, but I have left my site, books, newsletters etc all up so that you can still access all this lovely info from the last 30 years! I won’t be updating it now, but there is a LOT of really good info here still. Check My Favourites page for where to find info, supplements, tests, practitioners, courses and more. Anything I think could help. And Start Here if you’re not sure where to start with your symptom or condition.
Please continue to support me by using the links, which might give me a bit of commission and you some discounts, and you can buy me a coffee here if you feel moved to.
You can still follow me here.
Bless your cotton socks from me. Thanks for all your love, support and fun over the past 30-odd years. I will miss you, Micki x
Hi Micki, funnily enough I was literally just about to ask you this exact same thing! I have just had covid for the first time and it really knocked me. It’s taken me 2 weeks solid to feel anywhere near normal with many system wide symptoms. I know that I’ll now carry some level of immunity from this going into winter. However, given the fact I’ve had 3 covid vaccines and it still hit me as it did (I have high vit D and do take vit C although only 1.5g a day – clearly not enough) I will def take the covid booster if offered. Flu jab not so much. Never had it, feel like I could manage it and take the homeopathic flu pills you provide. I am going to increase my vit c to 3g per day though over winter and I am taking Hifas de terra mico-corio for immune support too. I like balance so for me to take the covid vac and then do as much as I can myself is where I’m at. Cheers for helping me decide though. Super valuable and timely advice as per 😊 Deb
Sorry you felt rough, then Debbie. As you say, the positive is some nice antibodies and T cell immunity for a good while as we go into Winter! Like the idea of the myco immune support too. Glad my musings help and thank you for sharing your thoughts – it helps me and others 🙂
Thank you for sharing this. I’ve been pondering the same thing myself. As a healthy 49 year old I really don’t think I need either the flu or covid jab. I still feel uncomfortable about what’s in these vaccines and despite having all three earlier covid injections, I just don’t want to have any more. It’s a lot for the body to keep being injected like this, if we are healthy, why do we need it? I don’t know. I’m so wary of medicine. i’m off to boost my vitamin c levels
Know just how you feel, Ruth. I feel a bit like I’ve had three, what now, you know. As I say, if I could tolerate supplements, I’d deffo be going that route now. Depends too on what happens to the virus strains in future, doesn’t it? If they get more severe again, I’ll vaccinate! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It’s an interesting debate, for sure!
Thanks so much Micki. As always you answered my questions before I asked them. As a 75 year old with some health issues, my decision to get my 3rd Covid booster and the strong dose flu shot has been confirmed in your article. Much appreciated from Canada.
Glad it helped, Betty. That’s nice to know. Keep well.
Thank you for this information. I didn’t want to get another booster but I am classed as vulnerable, having been diagnosed as coeliac. However I just had covid last week, caught on my way back from working in Egypt. As a nutritional therapist of many years (I remember you Micki, from Lawrence Plaskett weekends in London), I look after myself and the symptoms were so mild as to be hardly noticeable – similar to when I had it at Christmas. Just hoping I don’t get lingering after effects. I expect it is best for truly vulnerable people to get the vaccine but if one looks after one’s health with supplement and homeopathic, then it is less of a risk.
PS love your website and offers
Thanks Helen, that’s lovely to hear – re the site, not the Covid! I’m glad you are sufficiently well enough to have got off lightly. Coeliac? Ugh. Check the TGF section out if you haven’t already and check those cross-reactive foods out – was a game changer for me (and many coeliacs). https://purehealthclinic.co.uk/trulyglutenfree/. Remember me: oh dear, I must have made an impression lol! Lovely times, I miss all the learning from then with Dr P, fab weren’t they? Although the learning never actually stops, does it? I recall your name – send me a pic so I can recognise you x