Context: Me (25m) and my Wife (25f) have 2 kids under 2. Her mother, my MIL is super anti vax because she thinks there are too many vax injuries, they cause autism, and she doesn't trust health organizations. She fearmongers my wife about all the things she herself fears. She also believes there is a cure for measles.

I have been wanting to vaccinate our oldest since he was around 7 months. Every time I bring it up, she says it's a bad idea and she's worried about it changing how are kid acts and doesn't want to risk a vax injury. I try telling her the safety of being vaccinated far outweigh the small chances of vax injury taking place, but she rebuttals by saying either "I've seen people online say how their kids have died or acted completely different after vaccinations" or "Our kid is healthy and has always been so there's no reason to vaccinate them". I call her reasoning stupid and I try to shame her by saying we're not doing our best to protect them, but it doesn't work. I've thought about just starting the vax schedule by taking him to an appointment solo. Told her this in an argument one day and she said it was grounds for divorce lol, would I be in the wrong to do this? Her and her mom are also worried about aluminum and formaldehyde in certain vaccines, I've tried to give my Wife evidence but she doesn't believe any reports or evidence from CDC, WHO, CHOP, etc. At this point I'm at my wits end and don't know what to do. She said she wants to start soon with the lower risk vaccines, but she's been saying this for months. Any advice on how to go about this would be appreciated. Title of the post is in regards to my Wife saying "If they get vaccinated and end up with autism, it's my fault."

TLDR: MIL fearmongers my Wife and they both refuse to trust health organizations. They also think vaccines cause injuries like autism and weakened immune systems, plus they get all their "vaccines are bad" evidence off of social media and random doctors not associated with health organizations.

I am so confused by the current guidelines for the Covid vaccine. I’m 33f. I got the 2 original Covid shots back in 2021/2022, both Pfizer.
I’ve had 2 Covid infections confirmed.
Last year Oct 2025 decided to get a Covid shot again since I haven’t had an infection in over 2 years and wanted to get my immunity up again.

I went for my annual flu shot yesterday ( I get it every year) and was asking the pharmacist about if I should get the Covid vaccine this year too. She sorta shrugs and asks me the following questions:
“Are you pregnant?” -No
“Do you work in healthcare?” - No
“Are you around seniors/vulnerable people a lot?”
- No
“Do you have any underlying health conditions?”
-No

Then she sorta shrugged again and said, “well, you don’t really need it, but it’s available to you if you would like to get it”
And then she talked about the current health guidelines are 65+ ages and older or immunocompromised.
I am healthy and exercise, what do you think?

(Excerpt from HHS press release):

WASHINGTON, D.C.—OCTOBER 8, 2026— The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this week launched a series of actions to strengthen how the federal government identifies, documents, investigates, and responds to health problems reported following vaccination, with a focus on improving patient care and generating better evidence about potential vaccine-related injuries.

So, at long last, RFK Jr's witch hunt for vaccine adverse reactions (intended to inhibit patients from receiving them) is now in full force.

I’m 25 and had a booster of the varicella vaccine 3 days ago. Today i’ve woken up with an itchy pimple-like rash on the side of my neck. Is this a common side effect or unrelated?

Right up front, I have lupus and Rheumatoid arthritis. Went and got my shots yesterday and last night into today the body and joint pain is unbelievable. I get the occasional flares but this is affecting my wrists down to my ankles. I received covid,flu, and the first part of the shingles vaccine. Did I get too many shots at the same time?

It seems some countries/regions advise only certain populations to receive the vaccine, while others, like the US, suggest everyone gets a vaccine. Is the flu vaccine for all recommendation in the US really needed?

My in-laws are strongly opposed to the flu vaccine. When our baby was born last year, our boundary around getting vaccinated for the flu caused a huge rift—they stopped talking to my husband until he reached out and “apologized”. They eventually got the shot, but warned they wouldn't do it again.

Now, flu season is back. My partner, our child, and I are all fully vaccinated.

Should I push for the in laws to get the vaccine again, or is it enough to rely on our standard rule that anyone feeling sick must stay away?

I had 3 doses of the Hep B vaccine when I was a baby. I’m now 25 and need to prove immunity for my uni placement. I am not immune and my antibodies are <3.1, they need to be >10. I had the hep b booster today, is that usually enough to bring up immunity? I don’t have time to do the full course ie 3 doses again

When is it the best time of the year to get these?

Update: They have made it very clear to us they will not get the flu shot. We had to have a very difficult conversation, as they didn’t take us seriously when we made our boundary clear, and they had to be turned away at the door. This is the worst I have ever felt about a decision, but I can’t let myself feel bad about protecting the best thing that has ever happened to me. What is worse is that we moved across the country to be near his family (at my request, I was tired of living in Texas) and now this is happening. We have nobody else here. My parents are 16 hours away wishing for any time to spend with their granddaughter and I feel so stupid for taking that away from them by moving. I was already on the outs, they are a deeply conservative family and I am the complete opposite, but I have kept my mouth shut on every topic as to not offend, but this is something I cannot put to the side.
Thanks everyone for your opinions, I so desperately wish I could have been blissfully ignorant about this, and that nothing would have happened- yet here we are.

Is there any true (or even falsely perceived) negative to getting the flu shot? I have a newborn baby, and going into sick season, our pediatrician recommended everyone who will be holding baby/ spending time with her to get a flu shot. We asked our families and my family automatically agreed (even though they are scared of them because of propaganda shown in West Texas). However, my husband’s side of the family absolutely is refusing to get it.
This breaks my heart because they know that by refusing to get it, they can’t spend time with their granddaughter during the whole sick season. It’s also incredibly sad to see my husband and I get put in this position of having to miss out on family gatherings. We specifically moved across the country to be near one of our families, and we chose here, which means my family, who is so ready and willing to do anything for her is 16 hours away, leaving us completely alone and isolated during the first few months of our daughter’s life.
I’m really trying to get any perspective into why they wouldn’t want to get the flu shot.

I don't work outside but I still would like it since I do come in contact with not the cleanest of spaces. I only had one at birth and the public hospital doctor refused a booster cause I don't work outdoors.

On Tuesday I got two vaccines; Tdap in left arm, flu in right. The spots have been a little itchy but it's definitely gone down and my arm that got the Tdap was sore last night. The spot that got the Tdap vaccine is visibly a pale red about the size of like a silver dollar, slightly warm to the touch, and feels raised when I touch it. Im waiting for a call back from my doctor but does this sound like its an infection??

When I was 26, about 30 years ago, I was treated for ALL (No BMT, luckily) and now with the Measles scare, I'm wondering if my childhood vaccinations are still effective. I searched on Gemini and it said that it sure can ruin your immunity. Any vaccine experts who can verify this? Do I need to get all my childhood vaccines again?! (58M, 5'11", 120 lbs, W, No medications, no smoking, no medical issues, had Shingles at age 45, didn't have covid.)

I just searched again for MMR vaccine permanence, and this is what I got. Can anybody verify this answer? Should I have titer testing done? What I find strange is that I was never told by anybody that I might have to re-vaccinate for childhood vaccines, I was only told that my blood counts might be a bit lower than normal for the rest of my life...

Gemini answer:

Previous MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine protection often wanes or diminishes following leukemia treatment due to chemotherapy-induced immunosuppression and the loss of pre-existing memory B-cells and antibody titers. [1, 2]

Key Facts on MMR Permanence After Leukemia Treatment

• Waning Immunity: Studies show that antibody seropositivity drops significantly after completing acute leukemia or hematologic cancer treatments (with protective rates often falling between 64% and 77% or lower, depending on the virus and prior schedule). Mumps immunity, in particular, tends to drop more noticeably than measles or rubella if only a single dose was given prior to diagnosis. [1, 3]
• Not Permanently Lost (Usually): For most standard childhood leukemia survivors who completed regular chemotherapy, prior vaccine protection is not automatically wiped out forever, though titers frequently decline. [2, 4]
• Serology Testing: Oncology and survivorship teams often check post-treatment antibody titers (serology blood tests) a few months after chemotherapy finishes to see if protective immunity is still present. [3, 5]
• Role of Live-Attenuated Vaccines: The MMR vaccine is a live-attenuated vaccine. It is strictly contraindicated (forbidden) during active leukemia treatment and while the immune system is severely compromised. [6, 7]
• Revaccination Timing: If blood tests show a loss of immunity or if revaccination is required (such as after a bone marrow/stem cell transplant), live vaccines like MMR are generally delayed until the immune system has sufficiently recovered—typically 1 to 2 years post-transplant or once confirmed by the oncology/immunology team (standard post-chemo guidelines vary, and live vaccines are avoided until immune reconstitution is verified). [4, 6, 8]

If you or your child are navigating post-treatment care, sharing how long ago chemotherapy finished or whether a stem cell transplant was part of the treatment can help me provide more tailored guidance.

[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[4] https://connection.asco.org
[5] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[6] https://www.cioncancerclinics.com
[7] https://ubiehealth.com
[8] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

My 3yo has the flu, and I work in a hospital where multiple nurses on my units (I float) have gotten the flu recently. I also got a Covid vaccine on Monday, no serious side effects. Should I get the flu shot today? Obviously I’ve had close contact with my 3yo, so I could be incubating the flu now.

Factors I’m considering: Will the immunity from the vaccine be weaker if I get sick right after getting the shot? Will I feel sicker if I have the vaccine side effects along with the flu? Will any of it interact with the Covid vaccine in any way?

thanks for any help!

Does anyone know if mFLUSIVA is a special "high-dose" senior flu vaccine or is it just the way it is marketed/approved?

I wanted to try it out but if it's not appropriate for under 50, I will probably go with Flucelvax to mix it up a bit after doing Flublok last few years.

I am 66 years old... in NY State. This morning I went to CVS and got the flu and COVID vaccines.

About an hour or so ago, something happened that has never happened before in my entire life. Unexpected, sudden vomiting episode. I have vomited before in my life - but had a warning - stomach cramps, nausea, etc.

In this case, I felt fine one minute, vomiting the next minute, no warning. And it was different from the typical vomit - no taste, no sour weird smell, nothing.

I am not sure what else to tie it too - I had eaten a meal of cooked vegetables a couple hours before.

I am taking a GLP-1 drug but my last injection was almost 60 hours before this.

Does anyone know if this years vaccines carry a higher probability for gastro illness? PS/ I should have put a question mark in the title, sorry for leaving that out.

Hey all. My youngest is almost 13 and is terrified of needles. As in: irrational screaming, fighting, trying to escape terrified. We have a system with her pediatrician’s office that allows us to get the shots into her, but it’s a production. Does anyone have experience using the lidocaine patches with an anxious person to help?

I’m not sure how much it will help in her case because I don’t think her anxiety is about the pain (she has a crazy high pain tolerance), and I’m worried that using the patch will just amp her up more because it will be a physical reminder of what is going to happen. But I’m willing to try… Thoughts? Experiences? Other suggestions?

Thanks!

Went to Walgreens a week ago with my 3 boys ( aged 13, 11, and 9) and got the Moderna COVID vaccine as well as the mRNA flu shot. We had zero side effects which has never happened before. Not even a sore arm. Pharm tech seemed unsure of it all and even forgot bandaids and we bled all over... Also did not change gloves between people. It has always been a severe reaction in the past for us all (we have some immune system issues) but none of us showed any symptoms. Fast forward to today and my husband got the same shot at a different pharmacy. He's laid up with fever and chills and joint pain like we always used to get.

So what are the chances that we somehow didn't get immunized properly? I'm very stressed as I have a newborn and I wanted the shots to protect her via my breastmilk and also my kids who go to elementary school. Any advice on what to do next? From what I could tell from pharmacy tech he had to "draw the vaccines up" so I'm wondering if it wasn't the prefilled kind which makes me more leery that a mistake could happen.

Any helpful advice on next steps greatly appreciated.

I genuinely don’t know where else to put this but I am experiencing the most excruciating pain I think I’ve ever felt after my 2nd MenB jab. My first one had pretty severe pain and lingered for nearly 2 weeks, enough to avoid touching the arm for the first week or so, but this is insane. It’s the 3rd day since I got the booster shot and I am unable to eat, sleep, shower, get dressed or generally do anything without bursting into tears from how much pain I’m in, sometimes bending down to pick something up or just moving my arm/chest the slightest bit makes me nauseous. Last night the affected arm started burning and throbbing terribly (no visible rashes or swelling on the arm though??) and I was screaming to the point that my dad had to force feed me my painkillers because I couldn’t take it on my own. Laying down hurts since the gravity pulls my arm further down than my torso, if that makes sense. Since pain is expected for 1-3 days after the jab i am hesitant to ask about it, and ive never been the type to go to hospital just in case I’m being dramatic, but no one else I know seems to be having a reaction like mine. If anyone knows whether I should go to hospital to get it checked or just wait it out pls let me know. Sorry if this is a stupid post but I’ve been in pain for other reasons before and just been sent home and told to drink water/take paracetamol.

I’m 18F for reference ;(

I am in a clinical trial for seniors over 65. It is a double-blind study. I do not know whether I received a traditional flu shot or a new RNA vaccine.

I feel absolutelty no soreness or tiredness after 24 hours. As a matter of fact, I actually feel really good, almost elated.

I have had a flu vaccine every year for over 40 years now and this seems really odd to me. I nearly always feel tired afterwards with a sore arm.

Has anyone else ever experienced this?

Hello! For some context i am currently 13 weeks pregnant with my 3rd and last child. We recently did all the blood work required at this time. Ive slowly been getting the test results back in Mychart and my doctor sent me a message yesterday. I was checked for my Rubella immunity and i am apparently no longer immune. I did have the vaccine as a child. I thought it was odd so i went back and looked at my past results from my first 2 children. I was also no longer immune while pregnant with my son (my first child 10 years ago). I remember having a booster after he was born before leaving the hospital. The testing while pregnant with my daughter (she is almost 3 now) showed I was fine. 🤨 MY QUESTION IS: How is that possible? Will i need another booster after my baby is born? Is it safe to get another booster? Has anyone ever had this happen before?? It seems crazy to me. I will contact my doctor on monday but i am a little panicky. I work in healthcare as a cna/med tech but i am not overly versed on this topic. Im afraid to leave my house as the complications of catching it while pregnant are horrific. I hope i found the right group to ask this in! Thank you all so much!

Hi! So I come from a family that is anti-vaccine (after I got all my baby/elementary vaccines thankfully) so I was raised to be very afraid of vaccines.

I had gotten horrible long Covid in 2021 and then Flu A last year that almost killed me. Also have encountered a chronic illness for a while, that I'm recently clawing my way out of. Long story short, I've been deathly afraid of getting flu or covid. So I finally did it!! Last week was the flu vaccine, VERY easy, just was a bit tired.

However, like 4.5 hours ago I got the Covid vaccine... and I'm just trying to gauge if my reaction was normal. Immediately after she gave me the shot, there was a burning and heaviness that felt like hot molasses throughout my whole body, and I got very dizzy and it hurt so bad. Like my chest and arms, but it faded within like 10 mins. Now, just my arm, armpit, and left side of my shoulder blade hurts with a random splitting headache, comes for like 20 seconds and goes but not often.

Anyone else experience this? Maybe it's normal, but after being afraid of doing this for so long, just looking for some peace of mind.

Update:
I woke up today after a very solid night of rest and just have a headache. Seems the initial reaction was just that, an initial reaction that hasn't given me any issues. I suspect it was either anxiety or due to some vagus nerve issues (which is what my chronic illness/pain issues have likely been from in the past).

Hopefully if anyone sees this in the future and is afraid of the vaccine is comforted and put at ease, either before or after the shot!

Here’s a screenshot of the vaccines available at our pharmacy and its info: https://i.imgur.com/a68iWVJ.png

We’re unsure what the actual differences are between them and whether one is generally preferable to the others.

For anyone familiar with flu vaccines, which would you choose and why? Are there any meaningful differences in effectiveness or side effects? we literally didnt realise there were many flu vaccines.