Get Vs take a vaccination

[Xavier da Silva]

Hello everyone,

I learned that the correct verb to be used with "vaccination" (inoculation with a vaccine) is ''get'' (be given, receive it on your body by a doctor, nurse, etc). Recently I've been told (by a friend of mine) that "take" a "vaccination" is also correct in the same context I've just described. I searched Google and there are lots of hits with "take". My question: Is "take a vaccination" also correct/natural in the examples I made below?

a. I took a polio vaccination when I was a child.
b. Our son is going to take a measles vaccination.
c. Did you take a vaccination against yellow fever?

* I think only "get" is correct in (a), (b) and (c). What do you think?

Thank you in advance!

 

[sound shift]

Hello,

I don't say "take a vaccination" or "get a vaccination". I don't know if others use these phrases, but they sound unfamiliar to me. I say "I was vaccinated" and "I'm going to get vaccinated".

 

[Sparky Malarky]

I've never heard "take a vaccination." I agree with you that only "get" is correct.

We do speak of "taking medicine." But this usually refers to oral medication and it always refers to medicine we administer to ourselves. Vaccines are given to use by professionals.

 

[DonnyB]

No: "take" a vaccination sounds odd in BE: we normally use "have/had" with vaccinations. Although "get" would probably do instead, at least informally.

[cross-posted]

 

[PaulQ]

a. I took had a polio vaccination when I was a child.
b. Our son is going to take have a measles vaccination.
c. Did you take have a vaccination against yellow fever?

* I think only "get" is correct in (a), (b) and (c). What do you think?

I think they are all wrong.

 

[Xavier da Silva]

Thank you all very much.

I see that there is an AmE vs BrE difference here:

In AmE: get
In BrE: Have

Both in AmE and in BrE: take

 

[Myridon]

I agree that they are all wrong in AmE as well. A medical professional gives/administers the vaccination to you. You take a pill yourself, but you don't take a vaccination.
I could use either "get" or "have." (No AmE speaker has actually negatively replied to "have." It wasn't introduced until #4.)
Have you had your flu shot yet?

 

[Dale Texas]

I've never heard "take a vaccination." I agree with you that only "get" is correct.

We do speak of "taking medicine."But this usually refers to oral medication and it always refers to medicine we administer to ourselves. Vaccines are given to use by professionals.

to get vaccinated is perfectly acceptable, even standard -- not informal -- in AE, and of course in the past tense would be "I got vaccinated" (I got my polio shots, etc.)

sound shift's #2 post, "I was vaccinated" is also said in AE.)

(cross-posted with others)

 

[Xavier da Silva]

One last question:

I know the word "vaccine" is pretty similar to "vaccination". Oxford says "vaccine" collocates with "have" and "receive". All answers on this thread said "vaccination" doesn't collocate with "take". My question: Does "vaccine" collocate with "take" meaning "have" (receive), as in "Did you take a vaccine against yellow fever?''

Thank you in advance!

 

[PaulQ]

Does "vaccine" collocate with "take" meaning "have" (receive), as in "Did you take a vaccine against yellow fever?''

No.

 

[DonnyB]

My question: Does "vaccine" collocate with "take" meaning "have" (receive), as in "Did you take a vaccine against yellow fever?''

I don't think so: that sounds really odd to me. Or at least, I've never heard anyone say it.

A vaccine is more or less the active ingredient in a vaccination. I suppose if a vaccine were available in the form of a pill you could just swallow, someone could conceivably ask "Did you take a vaccine against yellow fever?''. But not otherwise.

 

[Packard]

I agree that they are all wrong in AmE as well. A medical professional gives/administers the vaccination to you. You take a pill yourself, but you don't take a vaccination.
I could use either "get" or "have." (No AmE speaker has actually negatively replied to "have." It wasn't introduced until #4.)
Have you had your flu shot yet?

Mostly I would use "Get/Got" for vaccines, but in the example below, "have".

Have you been vaccinated?

Yes, I have.

 

[Ivan_I]

How about:
Have you been given the/a vaccination?

 

[S1m0n]

That's fine.