If you have kids, will you give them the H1N1 Vaccine?

[Liesje]

I still don't understand the reason for not getting the vaccine....? Just because it's a new vaccine?

I can wash my hands 10 times a day but if some infected person sneezes on me, I'm still screwed.

I work in IT and our student workers wipe everything with Clorox wipes multiple times a day, and one of our employees already has it.

 

[redhotswami]

Well, I'll be able to tell you what I find after I finish reading all these damn articles.

 

[Galeongirl]

If they were in a risk group, like being asthmatic or in bad health, I would let them have it. Otherwise, no. It's not worth it anyway, a flu shot is useless when you're healthy. It changes so quickly that it'll be resisting the vaccine soon enough, and bird flu/swine flu/whatever flu they come up with now is more mild than regular flu.

 

[Liesje]

and bird flu/swine flu/whatever flu they come up with now is more mild than regular flu.

I keep reading this but from people who have had it this hasn't really been the case. Some healthy people are getting flattened for over a week. Otherwise healthy kids and young adults dying. Doesn't sound really "mild" to me.

 

[Bonoa]

I don't have kids, but I know quite a few people who are very leery of the vaccine because they can't find enough definitive information about the ingredients and side effects.

Like me for example. I don't know what the long term effects are if you take the vaccine. The problem is that flu viruses tend to rapidly mutate into other flu viruses. I know people who get a regular flu vaccine every year, but still get struck by another flu virus.

If they were in a risk group, like being asthmatic or in bad health, I would let them have it. Otherwise, no. It's not worth it anyway, a flu shot is useless when you're healthy. It changes so quickly that it'll be resisting the vaccine soon enough, and bird flu/swine flu/whatever flu they come up with now is more mild than regular flu.

I agree. A lot of people die of regular flu every year! And they are not mentioned in the media..it all looks like some sort of hype to me.

I'm not surprised that there are people who claim that governments are trying to kill people by giving them certain vaccines. :S

 

[trojanchick99]

I keep reading this but from people who have had it this hasn't really been the case. Some healthy people are getting flattened for over a week. Otherwise healthy kids and young adults dying. Doesn't sound really "mild" to me.

Exactly, for some reason the combo of influenza and pneumonia is more common with this flu. Does this mean it's as virulent as the Spanish Flu, no, but I'm not taking chances.

Like me for example. I don't know what the long term effects are if you take the vaccine. The problem is that flu viruses tend to rapidly mutate into other flu viruses. I know people who get a regular flu vaccine every year, but still get struck by another flu virus.

Yes, they do, this vaccine is exactly the same as the regular flu vaccine, which has been given for many, many years.

I agree. A lot of people die of regular flu every year! And they are not mentioned in the media..it all looks like some sort of hype to me.

I'm not surprised that there are people who claim that governments are trying to kill people by giving them certain vaccines. :S

The reason the CDC and the WHO are so concerned is because no one really has natural immunity to this flu. While you are right, people die from influenza every year, a lot more people are going to die from H1N1 because a lot more people are going to get sick. Hence, why I will most certainly be getting the vaccine and I will be urging everyone I know to get it too.

 

[Angela Harlem]

I still don't understand the reason for not getting the vaccine....? Just because it's a new vaccine?

Kids under 10 can't get it here, it hasn't passed enough clinical trialling to pass yet. There's no shortage of reasons.
http://www.healthemergency.gov.au/internet/healthemergency/publishing.nsf/Content/2723D54E78BF5739CA2576400027E1E9/$File/090928%20-%20%20Summary%20sheet%20GPs%20and%20pharmacies%20-%20v.4.pdf

I'm personally unsure of what to do. I need to speak to my obstetrician, but I experienced a mild constriction of my airways with my last allergic reaction to penicillin. I've had it 3 times in my life, and each reaction has been substantially worse than the last. It's predicted the next will be 'rather serious', according to the doctor who saw me in emergency last time when my throat tightened but breathing was not cut off entirely, thankfully.

When it comes down to it though, I'm not against doing anything I can to protect my children from risk. This is just another risk among many life already has. I'm not willing though to rush off to get them immunised for every latest disease until I'm absolutely sure. I've always thought the regular flu vaccs were little more than a waste of time as there are so many strains. This isn't a regular flu, but there will always be infections and diseases that are a risk to the vulnerable. Either way, I can't do anything for my kids anyway, but I guess by deep's and others standards I'm irresponsible.

 

[Liesje]

I've been watching the local news at night and the school closings ticker is busier than it is during a blizzard! The small elementary school where my aunt teaches had 140 cases of H1N1 as of Monday. Since Phil teaches in these schools and carries all their cooties home, I'll be first in line for this vaccine! I was already sick for over three weeks, don't need anything else this season. I am in the group recommended for the vaccine and have no other medical conditions/reactions to vaccine. So in my case it would seem far more risky not to do it....

 

[AliEnvy]

Bah, I didn't even get the opportunity. The vaccine isn't available yet over here and both me and my 5 year old are now symptomatic - loading up on vitamin C & D. Apparently they don't even test for H1N1 unless you are hospitalized.

 

[redhotswami]

Well natch, there's going to be a LOT of cases of the H1N1 flu, because it spreads similarly to the seasonal flu. 200something people have died from the H1N1 flu, whereas 30,000something die in the US every year. The flu is only really dangerous if you have a compromised immune system, hence why a vaccination would be beneficial in that case. The symptoms seem to be the same, so there's really no need to be so fearful of catching it (unless, your immunity is compromised, like I stated above.)

The media have turned this into some huge scare.

Right now, there's major controversy where I am. Apparently NY is the only state requiring everyone working in health care to get the H1N1 vaccine. It sucks because our hospital rotations are obviously required for graduation, so we'd have to do it, whether we like it or not. It sucks even worse because there was a swine flu outbreak in the 1970s, and NY also required practitioners and students to get the vaccination. In turn there were all these lawsuits that popped up because people got seriously ill from it. So now, there's some sort of agreement we'd also have to sign saying we wouldn't sue for getting the H1N1 vaccine.

Anyway, this was the latest discussion among my peers and faculty. I haven't looked up any articles yet, I just thought I'd share.

 

[U2Mama]

I agree that the media has definitely put the scare factor into play, however, the biggest scare factor for me was a family friend losing their 5 year old to the virus. I immediately called my pediatrician who had to put my kids on a waiting list for both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 vaccines--apparently they have already run out and are waiting for more.

 

[BVS]

In all my life I've known one person die from the regular flu, but they were 88 years old, and I've known one die from H1N1 he was 8. Which one's been around longer?

I think the screaming over media hype has now become overhyped.

 

[Liesje]

In all my life I've known one person die from the regular flu, but they were 88 years old, and I've known one die from H1N1 he was 8. Which one's been around longer?

I think the screaming over media hype has now become overhyped.

I agree. What I was told is that this is different from regular seasonal flu in that people that are young and healthhy are being hospitalized and even dying. So in order to decide whether to get the virus, I would definitely examine H1N1 on its own and not lump it in with "the flu".

 

[Irvine511]

i really don't know what to do. i have a lung, erm, condition, and though i rarely get sick, nor have i ever had a flu shot before, the mortality rate for young adults (though how young? i'm now an ancient 32) does give me pause.

 

[redhotswami]

200something people have died from the H1N1 flu, whereas 30,000something die in the US every year.

In all my life I've known one person die from the regular flu, but they were 88 years old, and I've known one die from H1N1 he was 8. Which one's been around longer?

I've not known anybody to die from the regular flu. Though I know a number of people who have had H1N1 and are still alive. Odds are odds are odds. They can be different from our own experiences. That's not to lessen your experience, though. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Liesje]

i really don't know what to do. i have a lung, erm, condition, and though i rarely get sick, nor have i ever had a flu shot before, the mortality rate for young adults (though how young? i'm now an ancient 32) does give me pause.

Check w/ Dr.? I've heard some people say "oh I cannot get my kid this shot b/c he has XXXXX!" but then other people say, "My kid has XXXX so he definitely needs to get the vaccine rather than the actual flu."

 

[maycocksean]

Well, my cousin's son wasn't media hype. I don't think he was on the news at all.

 

[deep]

I've not known anybody to die from the regular flu. Though I know a number of people who have had H1N1 and are still alive. Odds are odds are odds.

at my age I have had the flu a few times, and managed to pull them all ok
some bouts were worse

I have probably had 10 + flu vaccines over the years, I never got the flu the seasons I got vaccinated, I do not believe all the vaccines were bullet-proof

but I do believe they helped me avoided a few flus.


I don't recall if I got the one swine flu vaccine in 76, that was a problem so many people

the new strain of swine flu, h1n1, is not the same as the 76 one

this new h1n1 vaccine is much different than the 76 one

I believe the manufacture of this vaccine is much different than in 76

yes, I do trust the CDC more than Glenn Beck of Rush Limbaugh


also, if a vaccine can help one or a child avoid being terribly sick and maybe even being hospitalize, and spreading this to dozens of more people,
than why not just get the vaccine?

 

[U2Mama]

^^To everything you said!!

 

[Galeongirl]

I keep reading this but from people who have had it this hasn't really been the case. Some healthy people are getting flattened for over a week. Otherwise healthy kids and young adults dying. Doesn't sound really "mild" to me.

Well if that's the case that makes sense, but what I heard is that the people that get 'caught' by this flu all had already been weakened by other diseases. Besides that, the regular flu victims, old people and young children, aren't affected by this disease much. Which I still think is rather strange.

 

[Liesje]

Well if that's the case that makes sense, but what I heard is that the people that get 'caught' by this flu all had already been weakened by other diseases. Besides that, the regular flu victims, old people and young children, aren't affected by this disease much.

Not sure how to respond, since this is still contrary to what I've been told. The CDC recommends the vaccine for pregnant women, anyone with babies 6 months or under (presumably because the baby itself cannot get the vaccine, but it's to protect them), and people 6 months to 24 years. These are all young people. The only mention of people who are already have compromised immune systems is the older age group (25-64).

 

[Galeongirl]

Which is what confuses me. There are so many contradictory statements it makes either of them hard to believe for me. It's all so vague.

Lately there's no news at all about H1N1 in my country..though I'm not sure if that means it's not around or it's no longer newsworthy...

 

[Liesje]

Which is what confuses me. There are so many contradictory statements it makes either of them hard to believe for me. It's all so vague.

Exactly, which is why I trust the CDC and doctors rather than media hype and .com articles.

 

[achtung_girl]

Which is what confuses me. There are so many contradictory statements it makes either of them hard to believe for me. It's all so vague.

Lately there's no news at all about H1N1 in my country..though I'm not sure if that means it's not around or it's no longer newsworthy...

Our news is full of H1N1 and I'm so confused. I have never had a vaccine for the normal flu but when I have the flu the symptoms are pretty severe. ( when I was a child a had a bad pneumonia and I suffered so many years from it). So I think I could be one of those persons who get a very bad form of the swine flu. But I still dunno what to do.

 

[Liesje]

But I still dunno what to do.

I plan to just ask my Doc. If I didn't trust my Doc, I wouldn't be paying her for health services I have to go in soon anyway so I'll see what vacc's are recommended. Last year I needed a tetanus and she recommended I get one that is also for whooping cough/pertussis.

 

[achtung_girl]

gah, I just came back from the hospital ( i have an insect sting) and while waiting two people with swine flu came in and a lot of people on phone were asking if they are still testing h1n1. but they don't do it anymore you just have have to come in and get the medcine. I decided to wait a few weeks cause i want to know more about the side effects but I'm scared now haaha!

 

[redhotswami]

I'm finding a bit more clarity with this issue. I was confused because I didn't understand why people healthy people were dying from this flu.

From what I've read, quite a number of the deaths were actually from pneumonia. If left untreated, this flu compromises the immune system, allowing for other opportunistic microorganisms to invade. The h1n1 flu isn't more deadly than the seasonal flu (which is why I had said "media hype" earlier, I didn't mean to offend), but this is a particular strain that virtually nobody (unless they were born before the 1950s) has immunity to.

So, some of these deaths are from the pneumonia complications. What really freaked me out was that, see, people typically get pneumonia from the Streptococcus virus. But now I've read that Staph aureus and MRSA had also been a cause of the pneumonia infection leading to death as well. S. aureus is some serious shit.

This has really changed my view of the H1N1 vaccine. Now I'm leaning toward getting it. I don't want no S. aureus.

 

[Irvine511]

i was informed by my doctor that i am a "high risk" person due to my shredded lungs, so i should absolutely get the H1N1 vaccination.

now, if i could only find it ...

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

i hope you can find a vaccine, irvine.

i hope doctor's offices have been screening those who request the vaccine and giving it to high risk groups first, somehow.

 

[Liesje]

Our H1N1 vaccine clinics have all been cancelled except for those at high risk.