Comments on: H1N1 Flu Vaccine

By: Print Brochures

Print Brochures — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:14:36 +0000

I too almost lost a friend because of the flu. I'm really glad that he's doing better now.
We really can't tell who is sick or not just by looking at them, neither can we tell if we can easily get infected by some disease. So prevention really is the best cure.

By: Red

Red — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:43:23 +0000

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's skipping on the H1N1 vaccine. I don't know why, but I've always been hesitant when it comes to flu vaccines. I suppose the main reason is just that I think if you take precautions – washing your hands plenty and not sharing drinks, etc. – you'll be fine. But especially with this vaccine, because you have to get two shots three weeks apart…. I don't know. I heard it takes six to eight weeks after the second shot for a person to really be immune. And if that's the case, I don't care to get a vaccine that will not cause immunity to the flu for about three months. I could just as easily become infected with H1N1 in that three months and still get it despite the vaccine.

By: WellHeeled

WellHeeled — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:31:51 +0000

"it's affecting a disproportionate number of people in our generation" – exactly. That's what young adults should understand – I know that I've always thought only the elderly died of the flu. With the H1N1, that's not the case anymore. Anyhow, I realize that vaccines are a touchy subject for some people, but I am generally a big believer in vaccines (and have gotten A LOT of vaccines before I traveled abroad), so if I can, I will get this vaccine. I agree though, that people should take common sense precautions, and then make informed judgments for themselves.

By: Meg

Meg — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:14:28 +0000

I wouldn't consider getting any flu vaccine. Not only do people at higher risk need/deserve it more than I do, but many of the people I know who get the vaccine actually end up getting the flu shortly thereafter, which is a common side affect of the vaccine! I'll take my chances.

Thousands of people die every year from the "regular" flu – the H1N1 version is actually much milder. And while some people can and will get very sick and die from the flu, the vast majority of people recover quickly even with no medical intervention or medication.

And by the way all that hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap is only making viruses stronger. It's needed in hospitals, but regular people should not be using antibacterial sanitizers on everything. It only serves to make more and more viruses and bacteria immune. Good old fashioned soap and water will do the trick without creating super-bugs.

By: Abigail

Abigail — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:19:32 +0000

I think it's important to note this fact from an article I read: "A study of 77 patients who died of the new pandemic H1N1 virus showed 29 percent of them had so called bacterial co-infections, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

About half of these had Streptococcus pneumoniae, which can be prevented with a vaccine, the CDC said. It said doctors may be missing these infections in people severely ill with flu."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,558402,00.htm...

Okay, it's Fox News, but nonetheless it's an important point: These people aren't dying from H1N1 so much as an opportunistic secondary infection. That means that if anyone you know does exhibit flu-like symptoms, they need to be sure to talk to the doctor about other possible infections.

My MIL with congestive heart failure and terrible health overall, got admitted with pneumonia & COPD. The next day she was diagnosed with Swine Flu. She was out 6 days later (part of the time spent there was so that her family could start taking TamiFlu.) Because the doctors caught the pneumonia, she was okay.

It's not always that simple, and I'm sure I'm being a little cavalier, but a few articles have pointed out: H1N1 isn't any deadlier than other strains of the flu. It's just that our generation doesn't seem to have an immunity to it the way we do some others. They're guessing that a similar strain went around 40-50 years ago, which would explain why the elderly aren't seeing a lot of infection.

Don't get me wrong: It's great to be careful. But when you're reading all these numbers, don't forget that the CDC says 36,000 Americans die every year from the flu (226k are hospitalized). So — horrible though it may be — we're still well within normal parameters. It's just that it's affecting a disproportionate number of people in our generation.

If you have underlying health issues, yeah, go get a shot if you are able. If you don't, you are probably safe, but if you develop symptoms get yourself seen by a doctor and check on the secondary infection possibility.

By: missmarisol

missmarisol — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:04:00 +0000

Wow I had no idea it affected so many people my age. I don't have a real comfort level for the flu shot. Most people have told me to get it but there is something holding me back. I have been taking precautions like you and maybe I won't get sick this year.

By: Brittany

Brittany — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:07:30 +0000

Man, I clicked over to the blog you linked to, and have had tears rolling down my face for the past twenty minutes. What a horrrible trauma, I didn't even realize. To be honest, I thought H1N1 was a myth. Thanks for giving me some perspective.

By: Kim

Kim — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:03:20 +0000

I just got the regular old flu vaccine, and so far so good…but I'm gonna keep loading up on the sanitizer as well. Scary stuff.

By: feministfinance

feministfinance — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:50:06 +0000

More non-medicalized medical advice: Gargling with warm saltwater is also supposed to be helpful, as is blowing your nose nice and hard once a day, whether or not you are stuffy. Both things kill or dislodge viruses that have started to make their way into your body but haven’t started to do damage yet. Weird but true, according to my medical historian friend. Of course she didn’t tell me until after I’d had the flu so I can’t speak from experience as to how effective those tips are.