Flu Shot advice

This is not a vaccine debate. I generally vaccinate but on my own schedule and I wait until my children are a year old.

My 4 year old is up to date on her vaccines aside from the flu shot and MMR. My 7 month old has not yet been vaccinated.

With this whole flu epidemic and us living in Massachusetts, I am on the fence if I should get it. In my state alone, there have been 700 reported flu cases and 18 deaths. Last year, we had 70 flu cases at this time of year.

We are a stay at home family, aside from my Mother who works at an airport. I'm afraid of what bugs she can bring home. Although, in the last 29 years I have never had the flu and neither has she, even after 11 years of working in the airport.

I'm concerned for my kids. So I guess my question is, should we all get it? I don't want to but I don't want to risk my kids getting sick either. It's a lose/lose situation in my eyes.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

My aunt is a nurse and she doesn't recommend the flu shot for anyone under 18. They are made from last year's strains, and only against the ones they "predict" will be prevalent this year.

I'd get it. I'm actually planning on getting a flu shot for myself because I work in the public and I cannot afford to get sick.

I definitely wouldn't for your youngest. And I personally wouldn't do it for your oldest either. Your risk of getting the flu is about the same with or without the shot. If you mostly stay at home I wouldn't bother. My SOs dad is a nurse and hasn't brought anything home to any of us. I don't think it is worth the risk to get the shot, and still end up getting the flu. And you will more than likely deal with flu like symptoms with the vaccine also.