H1N1 Vaccine - are you getting one?

[Chuck U. Farlie]

Soon we will have the option of getting a vaccination for the H1N1 Swine Flu virus, and I am wondering if most people plan on getting it.

I have heard a lot of information and mis-information regarding H1N1 as well as vaccines, so I am still trying to decide what to do. I don't trust today's media what-so-ever, so if you have any reputable non-media links to send us to, please share.

I have heard a couple of arguments against getting the vaccine which I don't agree with:

1. "I never get the flu shot, and I never get the flu. I am young and healthy and don't consider myself highly susceptible to contacting diseases".

--- While I might say something similar about the regular flu - I never get the flu or the flu shot and I am under the impression that the regular flu shot is of limited effectiveness since it only covers a small number of flu strains that may be out there.
--- However, I think the H1N1 is different. This strain has been narrowed down, and it has been seen that most of us under 65 years old have little to no natural defense against this strain. With the regular flu we stand a chance of already being immune to it if our body has run into a similar strain in the past. This is not the case with H1N1 - which means we are much more likely to get it if we come in contact with it.

2. "Even if I get the swine flu, I will likely survive since I am young and healthy".

--- Might be true, but is it worth taking the risk to yourself and those around you? Flus are most transferable before any symptoms are present, so you would be spreading the flu to your kids, nephews, nieces, parents, etc, all without knowing. Plus, I would rather not have to fight the flu since I don't get paid sick days at the moment... I can't afford to miss 2 weeks of work.

3. "This vaccine was rushed, and is therefore not safe". Or "Vaccines aren't safe - contents of mercury, lead, blah blah blah all cause autism, diabetes, etc etc...

--- While the vaccine for this strain has been developed quickly, I don't think of it as rushed since it is based on the same science and success of all of the past flu vaccines. It is not as if they created a whole new procedure... they took a common and proven procedure and created a vaccine to protect against a new strain - which they do each and every year in order to protect against the regular flu.
--- I am not an anti-vaccine guy. I have not read a significant number of sources that say they are not safe, and I hold some trust in science/medical science.

So...? Thoughts?

Any strong anti-vaccine people around here with some credible links/reasons as to not get the shot?

Any strong pro-vaccine people around here with some more information or corrections of misconceptions I may have to set the record straight?

[FiReSTaRT]

I'll probably get it for both. Regular flu shots reduced the number of occurrences and their severity in my case. I don't see why the H1N1 wouldn't give me a fighting chance.

[3 Double OH]

When your out in public....shaking hands ....touching other peaple

dont then touch YOUR eyes or face...bite finger nails.....keep hands clean

works for me......havent been sick at all.... for 4 years now

knock on wood......

[CrazyKell]

The flu shot was never designed to prevent you from getting the flu but rather from lessening the impact of the flu.

I have no intentions of getting the flu shot OR the H1N1 shot. I don't feel a serious need for me to get this.

[daught]

The flu is media fabrication. It does not exist.

[El Zilcho]

--- However, I think the H1N1 is different. This strain has been narrowed down, and it has been seen that most of us under 65 years old have little to no natural defense against this strain.

We have an immune system which is a powerful natural defense. The problem is that for the antibodies to be created it needs time during which you will develop the symptoms of the disease. Still, I'm not too scared of that.

I am not sure if I want to get the vaccine. If it requires me to stand in a long line somewhere then probably not.

[twinn]

I fall into the 1st camp, never got a flu shot in the past, thats not going to change. H1N1 or not.

I don;t trust big pharma to put together a really good vaccine in such a short period of time. That and I think given the chance to do things right and produce less vaccine or to take a chance and increase profit, I think the big corps will choose profit. There is no risk for them as laws have already been past limiting their liabilty.


I don;t have any links as I have not researched it enough, already made up my mind years ago not to get any flu shot vaccine.

[RockerGuy]

Maybe some doctors here can chime in, but viruses are constantly mutating and vaccines against viruses are less effective than bacteria. Vaccines are made with killed viruses/bacteria or blanks. They trigger an immune response so when the real thing comes the body will be better prepared for it. More like training troops for a battle. I am not sure but when a dud is introduced into the body, u might be susceptible to other pathogens, thats why some ppl get sick sometimes when they are given a vaccine. Or u might simply overwhelm the defense system.

To answer your question, I dont think I will get a shot. I have never gotten the flu shot.

Oh yeh, if u do get a disease once, u will be tougher when strikes a 2nd time.

Hope a doctor can chime in. I want to know the facts are and what are just media speculations

[AdRath]

I have a pregnant wife and a 2 year old at home. I'll get the vaccine as I can't risk their weaker immune systems taking the full brunt of the flu becauase of my ignorance. The flu shot isn't going to make it worse. Lessening the systems is what its all about.

[ScoTTY88]

I'll pass, I don't really want any more Mercury in my body.

[CrazyKell]

I have a pregnant wife and a 2 year old at home. I'll get the vaccine as I can't risk their weaker immune systems taking the full brunt of the flu becauase of my ignorance. The flu shot isn't going to make it worse. Lessening the systems is what its all about.

That's a good decision for YOU to make. For those of us that don't have anyone near us with an already weaker immune system, it's our choice to have or not have the shot.

In a past life I was a teacher, I would get the shot if that were still the case. But it's just not a necessity for me so for this year I'm not getting it.

[mat2312]

I will NEVER get a flu vaccine. There is absolutely no concrete proof that the H1N1 vaccine will even work.


IMHO, we were born with an immune system for a reason

[Chuck U. Farlie]

I will NEVER get a flu vaccine. There is absolutely no concrete proof that the H1N1 vaccine will even work.


IMHO, we were born with an immune system for a reason

Actually, I have seen a report claiming that early trials indicate a 95% effectiveness rate for the H1N1 vaccine.

Sure we have an immune system for a reason, but sometimes our bodies need some help - or do you hold no value in the past success stories like the irradication of small pox and polio, for example?

[CruisnGrrl]

I'll be getting it, my work place is a call center, it also has policies geared to people coming in when they're sick (no sick days, family emergency days are unpaid, disciplinary action if you're sick more than your 10 feds). I can't afford the unpaid time off if i get it. I had some flu a couple weeks ago and it knocked me into bed for 4 days (2 being a weekend) and i was still feeling the effects later on.

[Rafalski]

Im not getting no shot.
You know i been lucky to not get swine flu yet so ill keep going with it, I think i have been giving my immune system alot to fight about so i shouldnt be worried about it losing to some stupid *** swine flu.

[koFFey]

Actually, I have seen a report claiming that early trials indicate a 95% effectiveness rate for the H1N1 vaccine.

Sure we have an immune system for a reason, but sometimes our bodies need some help - or do you hold no value in the past success stories like the irradication of small pox and polio, for example?

I'd love to see this report that you speak off.

I work in a hospital, and I'm not getting this shot. I never get the flu shots anymore either.

[Chuck U. Farlie]

I'd love to see this report that you speak off.

I work in a hospital, and I'm not getting this shot. I never get the flu shots anymore either.

A quick google search found it:
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/health/86...cases/?rss=yes

Professor Bishop told reporters new information published on Friday in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates promising results from the trial of a vaccine by Australian biopharmaceutical company CSL.

A single 15 milligram dose of the vaccine produced antibody levels consistent with preventing infection in 95 per cent of participants.

Now, the question is how statistically accurate is that number?

Here is the original article in the New England Journal of Medicine: http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa0907413

[koFFey]

A quick google search found it:
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/health/86...cases/?rss=yes



Now, the question is how statistically accurate is that number?

Here is the original article in the New England Journal of Medicine: http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa0907413

And everything on the internet and the news broadcasts is correct. Media is only allowed to show you what you want to see or what they provided with. 95% of this report is BS. How did they come to the conclusion that this is effective? I don't see anywhere were it says...

"We gave 100 people the shot, put them in a room with sick people. They sneezed and kissed and licked the faces of the 100 people. Only 5 died."

[yettiman121]

Yetti kills the flu with hate.


Hate is a powerful drug.

[Chuck U. Farlie]

And everything on the internet and the news broadcasts is correct. Media is only allowed to show you what you want to see or what they provided with. 95% of this report is BS. How did they come to the conclusion that this is effective? I don't see anywhere were it says...

"We gave 100 people the shot, put them in a room with sick people. They sneezed and kissed and licked the faces of the 100 people. Only 5 died."

I didn't say it was correct or significant, and I also take the content from the ninemsn website with a grain of salt. I do, however, give more weight to the New England Journal of Medicine - where the report was written by scientists and peer reviewed.

Anyway, I am not trying to convince anyone... if you are convinced that the vaccine is not worth the risk, or won't do anything, fine... don't take it... no skin off my back.

I am not asking for your opinion, what I am looking for is informed people on either side to direct me to credible information to help aid my decision - you working at a hospital doesn't necessarily make you informed or uninformed... direct me to some credible sources that suggest I should not get the H1N1 vaccine.

So far I have found the above posted link that seems credible on the positive side, but I have only seen conspiracy pages in relation to the negative side.