I caught the flu in 2001 from my cousin, Katie, who came to our family’s holiday party with a fever and a cold. I remember saying to Katie, “I better not get your germs.”
Sure enough, I caught the virus and spread it to my boyfriend, his family, and several co-workers. Then, shortly after recovering from the flu, I came down with an upper respiratory infection — but I traveled to Oklahoma City on business. I was sick as a dog, and there was one point where my fever was so high that I hallucinated and started thinking that I was in jail and my cats were my cellmates. I wanted to bust out of my apartment — but I couldn’t figure out who was keeping me there.
Christ.
I missed 15 days of work during January 2002, and I have never skipped a flu shot since that time. When the swine flu vaccination rolls around, this year, I will be the first in line.
Unfortunately, I just read that a third of parents oppose the swine flu vaccine and only half of American adults even want the shot. Are you kidding me? I know there are risks to being vaccinated, but 36,000 Americans will die in 2009 because of the plain old flu. The swine flu could kill fewer people — or it could kill more. We just don’t know.
If you oppose the flu shot and the swine flu vaccination, can you please explain your position to me?
I’m on the side of science, staying healthy, and keeping people alive. What’s your position?
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I am in for the flu shots. Both kinds. We give them away free at Publix, and free antibiotics from our pharmacy if you get the flu!
Shots are definitely the way to go, but if you skip the shot and get sick make sure your get one of these as a get well present –
The Swine Flu Microbe Plush Toy – http://shop.neatorama.com/product-info.php?h1n1-swine-flu-virus-giant-microbes-pid569.html.
I am pro flu shot but rarely get them. Fortunately, I rarely get sick. I’m a bit outside the demographic of people that really need them.
In my experience, folks who are committed to getting the flu shot will NEVER understand/appreciate those who are reluctant to do so…consequently, I pose the following not expecting to actually persuade anyone. I’ll also concede that anyone who has ever had the flu (as Laurie explains above – and I have) will doubtless see what follows as an enormous game of health “craps” (no pun intended).
That said, the swine flu is NOT the flu – and there has been a LOT of confusion about things like how many of those shots you need, how good that vaccine is, how quickly it has been brought to market (inference – it hasn’t been fully tested) – and, more recently, a lot of press about FORCING people to take it. And a lot of folks – particularly in the current “we’re going to “fix” healthcare by taking yours away from you” environment aren’t very keen on that notion.
In sum, while I think most are generally supportive of the concept of the annual flu shot (at least when they actually produce enough of it to innoculate folks that want it), people have reason to suspect that the swine flu vaccine is “different” – that it all the “bugs” (pun acknowledged) haven’t been worked out. If you don’t trust the quality of the vaccine – why would you let someone inject it into your body (much less your kids)?
Good post.
p.s. I’m always stunned by that 36,000/annually number. It is, of course, largely composed of the aged and infirm, as well as infants who haven’t had a chance to fully develop body immunities. It is also NOT the swine flu count, which though it gets a LOT of media coverage, is much, much smaller (though it has hit some not in that aged/infirm category, which I suppose makes it scarier).
The agency where I work part time offers us flu shots for $10. We provide counseling services to children and adolescents, many of whom are from families with limited resources and substandard health care. I DEFINITELY take advantage of the shot. Although I have a pretty strong immune system, sitting in a small, poorly ventilated room with a sick kid for an hour does not give me good odds.
We had a “pandemic” meeting yesterday, meaning we were given info from the Health Department as to our responsibilities, should our agency and/or community be faced with a pandemic. I REALLY give our agency credit for doing this. Ironically, there were staff members coughing and hacking during the meeting.
My Facebook page has already lit up with updates from sick coworkers debating on whether or not to go to work. Not sure if they have the flu or some other kind of URI. All I can say is this–if your job is to help people, how are you helping them if you are getting them sick?
I am part time, and I have no health insurance at the moment. Staying home from work directly hits me hard in the pocketbook. Nonetheless, my altruistic spirit and my own selfish needs for comfort lead me to stay home if I am sick. I don’t want to get others sick, and I want to stay home with my cats and moan until I am better.
My advice to coworkers and to anyone else out there–1) Get your flu shot and do anything else you can to protect yourself from the flu. 2) If you do get sick, stay home.
I am pro-flu shot (Actually, I only let my kids get the inhaled type, not the shot) but I will not be participating with the Swine Flu shots…the preservatives and mix they are using in the shots are not tested well on the long term and the results can be detrimental. Did anyone see I am Legend? No, Well, I did.
Anyway – the Swine Flu Vaccine not only has a mercury filler which depending on who you follow has been linked to the massive rise in Autism in our society, but it also has Squalene – which is a naturally occuring oil but when used as in a vaccine has been linked the large number of side effects collectively referred to as “Gulf War Syndrome”.
Finally, the last “Swine flu” vaccine that the government produced and distributed in 1976 was responsible for the death or serious harm of hundreds of Americans while the Swine Flu outbreak its self only killed 1 young army recruit.
No. I’m not a hippie.
http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/health-care/1813
Those who refuse will be forced to read Stephen King’s “The Stand” aloud in one sitting (which is actually his closest work of true literature according to an English Lit professor I had in college).
But I digress. We started getting flu shots last year once we had Bea and we will always get them every year now including the H1N1.
Imperative no matter how healthy you are because you’re doing it for your friends, family and co-workers as well as yourself.
My company offers flu shots for free every year, so I always get them at the office. My husband insists that the only time he’s ever gotten the flu was the time he got a flu shot, so I need my shot to protect myself from him.
I’m all for the seasonal flu shots, get one every year. But swine flu? It just sounds so delicious…
I work for a hospital system that offers the seasonal flu shot but it is voluntary. Last week, I spoke with another HR professional from a different hospital system that mandates the seasonal flu shot. That was very interesting to me!
I’m pro flu shot and I’m thnakful my older brother is a doctor, so he’ll get the first of the flu shots.
From the articles I read, this is more of paranoia that the government wants to turn us to zombies (I’m sorry of saying the zed word) and this is where the government kicks in the “death panel.” It’s a flu shot, you’re suppose to get them. If there is so much concern, then buy a bubble for your family.
I also fall into the “pro-flu shot” category. I contracted the flu in 1996 and it laid me up for nearly a month. Thankfully (I guess) I was newly married and we had just moved to a new city and I wasn’t working yet. I’ll never forget how awful I felt and how exhausted I would get for several weeks after. I never want to go through that again. I’d rather get the shot than get the flu.
I usually get one, and will be this year since my company is providing them to all employees for free and, while not outright requiring them, is strongly suggesting that we all do it. This is just the seasonal one, though; we don’t know what the H1N1 plans are yet.
They don’t provide them for contractors/vendors, though. True, they’re not company employees and thus I understand the issues around giving them to these workers, but from a health/safety standpoint, it’s failtastic. They can get sick and infect others the same as everyone else, after all.
And I agree that everyone should get one who has the means to do so. Unless you can’t afford one (in which case I know there are places that are doing them for free this year) or have a very specific health issue that would interfere, get the shot.
When I began working in the health care industry, I switched sides to the pro-flu shot group. Ours are voluntary, but with heavy pressure to comply. We had two folks in our department decline the shot this year, and both of them have missed days that were work-critical because they caught the flu. I agree in most industries, it should be voluntary, but I agree with mandatory flu-shots for health care companies (providers only, there’s a difference). The thing folks seem to neglect in their uproar over this being mandatory, is that choosing a position in health care is NOT mandatory. If you don’t like it, there are plenty of other industries where you are not heavily immersed in a sea of flu positive customers day in and day out.
I have to say- you have a better memory then me. I do not remember being sick that year but it is a likely occurance.
I am not getting my child the swine flu shot b/c I don’t think it has been fully tested and I am worried about future side effects.
I have never had a flu shot, why break that streak now??
I’m a genealogist. Behind me there’s a big black file cabinet that contains the death records of various children who died from illnesses we can now prevent with vaccines. I think if their mothers were going to haunt me, what they’d say to me is GET THE DAMN SHOTS.
I do understand the concerns of parents over the swine flu vaccine. I’m uncomfortable with the limited testing and some of the contents (mercury? Really?). But my youngest is 24 months old, and I believe that the risk of death from the flu for a child that young is greater than the risk of death from the vaccine.
My husband works for a hospital (as a fundraising executive, not a provider). Their shots are “voluntary,” but there’s so much pressure that you’d have to be a pretty strong person to resist. He wants the vaccine, but I feel for the people there who want to make a different choice.
It is my understanding that there is a very limited supply of the H1N1 vaccine and that it is being reserved for healthcare workers first, and then the most susceptible members of the population next. I don’t know of anyone that is required to get the H1N1 vaccine.
However, I have a question if anyone out there cares to answer it. I work for a company with about 500 employees, mostly in cube farms. One of our employees just called in to say that he has swine flu. I want to inform the employees without causing a panic (or an excuse for a bunch of people to skip work). Any suggestions? My inclination is to inform the employees that worked closely with this employee and advise them to monitor their health very closely. We also would temporarily suspend our attendance points policy for anyone affected by this supposed breakout. Thoughts?
My company pays for flu shots for the employees as well. Actually it is our insurance plan (self insured) that is paying for the shots. Just got one this year for the first time ever and I’ll get the H1N1 when it is available. It all just seems worse this year and since I’ve been doing a lot of travelling lately to Charlotte (looking for an HR job there) I figured I’d be safer having this to cover myself since I’ll be in confined airplanes a lot. I think that companies who pay for the flu shots are doing a service to their employees. Of course the company benefits by having employees not getting sick as much but it really is a way to show employees that their well being is important too.
But I’ll throw this out there for you all. How do you deal with Managers who give a hard time to their employees who are out sick? And what about employees who have zero sick/vacation time to use to get paid while they are out? Do you pay them anyway if they have the flu? Do you advance them sick pay? Not pay them but guarantee them their job (regardless of the gripes of some managers)?
Like you Laurie, I had the real flu once (not the kind when someone gets a bad cold and says they have the flu). It was the week of my son’s 1st birthday. I was flat on my back in bed for over a week – but came out of hibernation to watch him open his presents at his birthday party. Luckily, I didn’t wipe out my entire family and set of friends by doing so (oops), but I have been first in line for a flu shot every year since – and I HATE needles to the point of almost not having children at the thought of having to have blood drawn.
As for the Swine Flu vaccine – I’m not sure. I tend to be a late early adopter with new things – not the first, but after I see that nobody got hurt, I’ll jump on board. Sara White’s comment makes me think I might want to wait for a second batch on the new vaccine – after those who got the first round made it through unscathed. But now I feel all risk avoidant and stuff and that’s not very Punk Rock. I may just have to (wo)man up and go get one as a rebellion against myself.
Deraj—how does he know that he has the swine flu? My understanding is that they’re no longer testing people unless they’re actually hospitalized.
Would you also inform employees if this person had the regular flu?
Every year I get a flu shot, I get the flu just a few months later. Every year I don’t get a flu shot, I get the flu. But I’m not dying from it. When I have a kid, then I’ll think about it.
Our whole family (7 month old included) are getting the seasonal flu vaccine. Not so sure about H1N1… the last time the US vaccinated against a form of the swine flu it caused an unusually high number of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) cases.
It is important to remember that the swine flu is just that… flu, and a mild one. The risk comes in that it is still novel to humans. I dare venture to say that death from the swine flu is just about as likely as serious complications from the vaccine.
I’m actually very interested to see so many people here on board with the shots. Most people I talk to aren’t interested (including me) and we’re based in Queens, NY – one of the hardest hit areas in the country re: swine flu, so far. My employer is offering shots for both swine and regular flu.
I’ve never had a shot, and haven’t had the flu since I was a kid (knock on wood) – and I typically catch every cold bug that goes around. Those I know who get the shot, almost always feel sick immediately afterward, and my fiance said his only bouts with the flu occurred on the only two occasions he had shots. I’m getting married in a few weeks, and I’m just going to keep my fingers crossed that my good luck to date carries on – in addition to upping the vitamins and eating healthy. Right now, getting the shot seems like it might carry the bigger risk, and I’m just hoping those around me that get the shot don’t get sick and pass it on, and I can skate through the next three weeks bug free (though beyond would be nice too
).
Very interesting points on all counts.
My family (me, husband, 4-year old, and 23 month old) all had the regular season flu vaccine last week. The kids have never had it before and need a second round their first year through. To make it stick, I guess?
We will be passing on the H1N1. There are a variety of reasons.
1) We aren’t in any of the earliest levels (healthcare providers, pregnant women, infants) and our local health dept. has a hard time keeping regular flu vaccine stocked, so I don’t think there will be enough H1N1 vaccine to get past those first people in town. Also, for a small town, we have a disproportionate number of healthcare providers. Weird.
2) Though we have small children, they are not in mass day-care. They go to a friends home for 6 hours a week – cheap, safe and idyllic when it comes to germs. The friend will be on maternity leave through the first round of flu season, so I’ll be home with them for 6 weeks and no day care. We are planning to put ourselves in the aforementioned “bubble” as a family. If flu truly breaks out, we are prepared to limit contact with people – stop shaking hands, wear face masks to work, wash up, sanitize, disinfect…all of the things we should do for regular flu, but never do.
3) The vaccine has not been fully tested and I’m not going to be the guinea pig. Neither are my children. It’s not worth the risk…for us anyway.
We have had a diagnosed case of H1N1 already. The employee’s teen-aged child was in the ER, had the test and was confirmed. Home from school for about 4 days. The mom (employee) started displaying signs that night – apparently it comes on very quickly – talked to the ER physician by phone. The medical protocol for testing adults is that they have to be admitted to the hospital. The doc diagnosed her based on symptoms over the phone and told her not to leave the house. Self-imposed quarantine.
I put up communication to our employees over a month before that regarding flu symptoms and protocol if you suspect you have the flu. They were general, but basically said that if you have a fever, persistent cough or feel like you’ve been run over by a truck – DON’T COME TO WORK. We are a small plant. Everyone here knows my kids and knows that I’m not interested in taking this crap home to them.
***NOTE: We do not pay sick time, so employees are not likely to try to scam us to get a little time off faking the swine flu. Plus that, we didn’t get raises (economy, shmeconomy) last year and went from guaranteed OT to regular 40, so everybody is hurting for money. If anything, I have to force people to go/stay home.
When the employee was out, I communicated her situation to everyone, mandated daily disinfecting of equipment & surfaces, told the employees to limit contact and not leave dirty dishes in the lunch room – yuck, and that we would go to face masks with the next case.
I got the regular flu shot as soon as it came out. Like you and others I skipped the vaccine one year and got the flu so bad I never hesitate missing the vaccine again. I’m not sure about the H1N1 yet and I think I have some time since it won’t be offered to me quite yet.
Different vaccine question all together but as an animal lover I wondered what your thought was on animals getting a flu shot? I am out of town this week and before bringing my dog to the kennel I stopped by the vet to get his (required by just about every boarding site out there) kennel cough vaccine booster. I was asked where I was boarding him and they had a list of the local sites where the dogs were also being required to get a doggie flu shot. Apparently there was a big dog flu outbreak last year on the east coast. I skipped the flu shot for him but who knew? Do they make it for cats, does Scrubby get a flu shot?
Kerry – My thoughts exactly. The employee was told by his physician that he had H1N1, but he isn’t being hospitalized so it is not a confirmed case (expensive test by the CDC), it is just suspected based on his symptoms.
Thanks everyone. I just discovered this blog and it’s going in my favorites.
I’m a fan of science and staying healthy, but I’m also anti-flu shot of any form. My husband got one yesterday (standard issue, not H1N1). I have never gotten a flu shot in my life and I don’t intend to start. It’s not really related to ‘taking a stand’ so much as I’ve just never had the flu or any illness for that matter that has actually caused me to miss work, so I don’t really think much about it. I think it makes sense for people who might have a higher risk of exposure – healthcare workers, teachers, people with kids. I’m a contractor myself, but the company I’m working with right now was considering mandatory shots. Ultimately they decided to just do an awareness campaign and “strongly suggest” employees get one.
Swine Flu is serious, but I couldn’t help but post this pic that someone sent me in a an email about the hysteria:
http://bztat.posterous.com/swine-flu-paranoia-getting-out-of-hand-1
Poor Piglet. Even Pooh turned on him.
I am in the second wave of professionals designated to get the Swine Flu shot when it becomes available (mental health worker). I intend to get it when I can. I don’t want Pooh turning on me.
BZ
As someone who has suffered a probable case of swine flu (they are no longer testing in my area unless you have severe symptoms so I’ll really never know,) I would not take the H1N1 vaccine if I fell into one of the groups who were low risk for severe symptoms because it really wasn’t that bad. I’ve known other people (with confirmed cases) who agreed that it wasn’t that bad. In non-high risk populations the symptoms usually only last 4-7 days and most cases are mild. I’ve had the regular flu and it was 5x worse then my suspected swine flu case. So for me, the risk of the untested vaccine is higher than the risk of the actual swine flu.
And for the record, I get a regular flu vaccine every year, including this one.
I always try to be sensitive about this issue but my wife worked for a university research lab that specifically has done years and years of studying of vaccines. The risk factors of any vaccine are always far, far less than any of the diseases they cover. End of story.
Yeah, H1N1 has mercury in it. The amount is minuscule but that’s the price for bringing something to market in such a short time frame (mercury is an easy preservative whereas other modes are time consuming). You know what though? Almost all vaccines had mercury in them 20 years ago and now they don’t. Guess what has happened to the autism rate since 2000 when it was dropped? Jack.
If people are morally or religiously opposed to being forced to do something by the government, I can buy that but the scientific grounds for it are essentially non-existent.
The real concern about the H1N1 vaccine in the scientific community isn’t the chemicals but the fact that a certain percentage of effectiveness is gained from having other people on the vaccine. And when your target group are people my age, that’s going to be tough. The deadliness of the H1N1 flu doesn’t come from the virus itself (which is what traditionally injures the immune compromised) but from the body’s overreaction to the disease (which will come from those with the best immune systems).
Great post Laurie…you always get’em talking.
Unfortunately am one of the few that can no longer get either the regular flu or H1N1 flu vaccine. I suffered from side effects of a flu shot four years ago and developed a case of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Fortunately for me, I recovered after a series of tests including a rather uncomfortable spinal tap. I’m not sure how I’d feel if I weren’t one of those that cannot get the vaccine but I can tell you getting the flu is hell and certainly nothing I look forward to. Lots of anti-bacterial spray and good old fashioned hand-washing will hopefully prevent it but that’s if those experiencing symptoms stay home and out of the general population.
Again…I love the discussion.
I’m with @Ben….regardless of whether or not I get the shot, I inevitably get the flu anyways, so I often don’t see the point.
I’ve never gotten a flu shot. I’d get one if they didn’t cost. I haven’t seen a free/cheap one yet. Remember cheap is relative, folks. $25 is a decent stack of groceries for me. Plus I’m even further behind now since my evil sickness from last week turned out to be not the flu, but a sinus infection. Dr’s office visit + antibiotics. Plus $700 because my car died the same week.
*sigh*
Maybe I should just get the damn flu shot. What’s another $25 on top of the thousands and thousands I’m in debt already?
While I’m pro-flu shot, I’m a little distracted by the rest of the story. Why do people go to holiday parties when they are running a fever? This just seems absurd. I can (sort of) understand going to work sick, but really, if you have a fever you shouldn’t be going anywhere. You’ll just spread it around.
Lance—you bring up a good point there, about the overreaction of the immune system being the deadly part.
One of the reasons the 1918 flu epidemic was so bad was that it was young adults (18-25 year olds) who were most likely to die from it. It seems counterintuitive, but that’s how it played out then.
Obviously we don’t know whether this strain will resemble that one…but people who think “I’m young and healthy, so it’s not a problem” should study that period a bit.
I don’t understand why people object to the flu shot when many of the same people (that I know) use toxic chemical weed killers in their yards, in which their children and pets play, drive vehicles the size of dinosaurs, and feed their kids at McDonald’s. Really?
Why do we get SO focused on a vaccination when we’re all putting our children and each other at risk every day of the week by blabbing on our cell phones while driving or eating tons of processed foods every year? Frankly, I think the stuff we do every single day is far more dangerous than a flu shot. And I’ve NEVER gotten sick from a flu shot. I think this is psycho-somatic.
I’m getting a flu shot, and I’ll get the swine flu shot when there are leftovers thanks to people refusing to get them. And I’ll end up dying of heart disease due to onion rings and bacon. Rock on. (But my yard is nontoxic and full of dandelions & I drive a sedan that runs on regular, so that’s something.)
@Deraj I think that if the sick employees tells you it’s okay to tell others that they have swine flu, there’s no reason not to tell those who share the cube farm with him. Then you’re being proactive, and employees probably appreciate that. But I’d never disclose the details of anyone’s illness without their permission.
@Howie Our managers have been informed of our policy regarding any cold or flu: If your employees are sick encourage them to stay/go home and take care of themselves. The message is: work can wait; get yourself healthy. But if this doesn’t come from the top, that will be hard for you. We also require a return-to-work verification from the doctor for any serious, contagious illness since that’s going to fall under FMLA anyway given what seems to be the length of this illness. We’ve already told our employees that we appreciate that they want to come in, but if their doc says they have to stay home 7 days, then they have to stay home 7 days. We don’t advance sick time, but most of our employees have significant accrued time anyway since we’re a group that doesn’t tend to get sick until the kiddies go back to school.
I Think this swine flue vaccine has been put on the market too quick.
Does it not take 10 years for any medical treatment to get approved.
We are always trying to save the human race, when in actuallity we
are giving strains new potentiality to get stronger. lets excercise
Darwin theory, ” survival of the fittest” We keep trying to help when
were actually making it difficult for humans to move forward on this earth. If we can just sit back w/o creating anymore vaccines & let
death take its toll, the ones to survive will keep getting stronger.
I have never taken any medication let alone a few asparin when I have
a hangover. I have caught the flu, colds, viral strains & other stuff im
not sure what it was. I let my body take care of itself & it did. Im stronger & I have rarely gotton sick around sick people.
let the human race survive, natural selection is neccessary for the
our survival.
This was the first year I got the flu shot because I didn’t last year—got the flu—and couldn’t visit my 93 year old grandma for a month. Now she is 94 and she asked me to get it so I could come for my usualy weekly visits. It made me sick the next day—but hey, if I don’t catch the flu and therefore get to spend time with my grandma–it was worth it.
I do believe that if you are a healthy person that is not likely to die from the flu—you get the shot for other people.
And people who come to work crazy sick are just rude (me included).
I’m currently in the midst of the 20 year crud…..meaning that its apparantly going to last 20 years. Right now if a doctor offered me a shot of anything I would take it. However that being said my roommate works for a doctors office and so far she is the only person on staff who has gotten immunized. What is their reasoning you ask….they are afraid they will get the flu. Suddenly I understand how disease spreads so quickly in hospitals. Now I don’t have a medical degree, but here is what I know.
The H1N1 virus is a subset of flu type A or (non-seasonal) flu. The vaccine has been produced using the same methods as every other flu vaccine in history. Yes there isn’t a lot of data on the shot, however we have tons and tons of data on flu virus vaccinations in general. Guess what the results say….not as many people die when you take the vaccine. Those individuals that do get sick…get a mild form of the virus that lasts 24 hours or less. I don’t know about you, but those are odds I’m willing to take.
@Michael I wish we had Publix in NC.
@Steve I think those are cute!
@Perry You are exceptional, handsome, and multi-talented. Definitely outside the norm. :0
@Nevin I like how you’ve given up arguing but still present some awesome thoughts. Thank you.
@BZTat Not to toot my own horn, but I just wrote a column (and got paid for it) about staying home when you’re sick. How stupid that we don’t compensate people for making good decisions that will positively affect business continuity? We disincent people to make the right choices. Drives me nuts.
@Sarah I know you’re not a hippie. The link between autism and vaccines has not been proven by good science, although I know many in my family have really thought long & hard about this link. They have kids with autism and are looking for a reason to explain the neurodiversity. Sad all around.
@Kevin Priority #1 is keeping Bea healthy, IMHO. She is a doll.
@Average Jane Your husband is crazy!
@Puf Mmmmmmmm…. swine flu.
@lbtat I hate the idea that employers can mandate anything. That bugs me, actually.
@Tracy I had no idea your brother is a doctor. I bet you have all kinds of insight on healthcare reform.
@Kimberley AMEN.
@Katie Hahahahahaha, I was sick up until we went to the Baton Club for our birthdays. (Remember that?) Then Jeffrey got sick and infected his family. Then I got sick again. Then I got back together with Ken. Ah, memories. That was a fun night at the baton. You looked cute.
@Tim We get polio vaccinations, right? I hate that we don’t give flu shots to everyone — regardless of employment status.
@JK A-freaking-men. Especially in healthcare.
@Kerry I suspect the flu wiped out the smartest people in my family. It’s just a clue. The dumb but strong ones survived.
@Deraj Don’t say anything. You don’t know if this person really has swine flu, and it’s not your business to tell.
@Howie all good questions. I like Frank Roche’s take on this: http://knowhr.com
@Jennifer Oh snap, I was waiting for you to go first!
@Ben You don’t get the same flu — you may get a bad cold or bronchitis or another strain of flu, but it’s highly unlikely you get the flu you were vaccinated against.
@David T I do worry about GBS as I have meneire’s disease and I don’t need any additional neurological trouble; however, damnit, sign me up. I don’t want swine flu.
@Deana Don’t jinx yourself.
@HR Instinct Whoa, awesome position. Thank you for sharing.
@Shannon Dog flu is huge and very bad at kennels and boarding facilities. I’ve seen dogs die from it. I would vaccinate.
@Emile Well at least you’re pro-science. We can meet in the middle on that one!
@RealAnon Whoa, well at least you emerged healthy. Glad to hear it.
@Lance I’m only concerned that H1N1 will kill the smart people and leave the dumb people to further procreate and create a culture of Idiocracy.
@TracI oh No! Glad you are okay.
@akabruno C’mon. Throw me a bone.
@MeredithElaine I’ve volunteered to pay for people’s flu shots. You send me your receipt and I’ll send you $25. Seriously.
@Celia Yeah, be mad at my cousin Katie for getting me sick. Boo!
@H.Aria Thank you. Our kids are exposed to BPH and all sorts of toxins and we’re talking about a flu shot. The gap in reasoning is weird to me.
@Alex Whoa that’s a cynical approach. Interesting.
@InkedHR Agree on the rudeness. I also like your Gramma priorities.
@Lori D Oh no! Hoe you feel better soon!
How about getting cancer from the Flu Vaccine 5 or 10 years down the road.
Here are some links to visit:
http://www.newswithviews.com/Tenpenny/sherri123.htm
http://www.drcarley.com/
and
http://www.sayingnotovaccines.com/
I am going with Alex on this one. I think that this has been completely blown out of proportion. (And you know I love ya, Laurie, so it’s not personal.)
If we look at the facts presented by Laurie’s experience:
You were already rundown – you ignored your body’s request to rest so that you could recover properly. Of course you became more ill!! I’m not judging – I’ve done the same thing.
I am not putting my trust in our government – lol, sorry couldn’t even type that with a straight face. They rushed this through and no, I don’t trust it.
That being said, I have never had any flu vaccine. Yes, I get the flu once per year. And yet, I listen to my body, rest it as soon as I have symptoms and I have been just fine.
The years that I was under a great stress – my father’s death/nephew’s suicide – yes, I tried to soldier on. I was sick for nearly 3 months straight with bronchitis, sinusitis, strep, a partially collapsed lung. It was MY fault for not taking the time I needed. It was a great lesson.
If folks want to get the shots, go for it. But don’t force people to do so based on hysterics rather than facts. And encourage people to stay home when they are sick. Have better policies.
To each thier own but stay away from me if you get FluMist(r) as you can expel the live virus everywhere you travel spreading H1N1 as you go. Readers here might like looking at some of the pending lawsuits re H1N1 at http://ahrcanum.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/h1n1-swine-flu-lawsuits-flooding-courts/ also if you hit the search button for vaccine ingredients, up comes the list of toxins in the approved vaccines.
@Daniel Thanks for the links. Uh, I think.
@Angela No probs. We can agree to disagree. I’m just trying to learn.
@ahrcanum Isn’t life toxic?
Because I want to take on swine flu and kick it’s ass. That’s why I don’t want the vaccination.
I’m not anti-regular flu shot but I don’t get them. For one thing I have a rather severe reaction to them – while I’m, of course, not actually getting the flu from them, you’d never be able to tell the difference between the two with me. For another the seasonal flu vaccine is a bit of a crap shoot. Every year some health officials on a panel get together and decide which handful of flu virus varieties will be in the upcoming seasonal shot. A year later said vaccine goes out and if we’re lucky, those same strains are what has actually hit the circuit. Often this is not the case, depending on geographical mutations.
I see the h1n1 vaccine differently as it is targeted to one specific virus (and I would assume a few offshoot strains that may have developed). I know concretely what it is designed to protect me against (which I may have already had last month). The safety concerns I understand but have decided that it is worth the risk for me.
Additionally, swine flu has shown signs in some areas of killing the relatively healthy instead of the very old and young (traditional seasonal flu categories) which might imply a Cytokine storm. That’s how the Spanish Flu killed; it turned healthy people’s bodies against them and left the infirm to survive.
It also developed in three waves of increasing severity, something that is not uncommon with new flu strains. Current infections of h1n1 increased world wide in the flu’s “off season” and now the seasonal varieties are coming back to mingle with what is already a kind of kooky hybrid to begin with. So it may not seem so bad yet, but it could mutate into something much worse. Scientists seem of mixed opinion as to which way it will go: blend into regular seasonal flus or merge with them in a detrimental way.
So for me it’s a better safe than sorry.
In response to the frequently stated 36,000 deaths per year due to flu…how many of them were vaccinated?
I am not pro- or anti- vaccine at this point, but I do have some questions. One of my questions is this. If the vaccine is so effective, and truly provides protection, why are the pro-vaccine people so adamant that anti-vaccine people get vaccinated? By their own reasoning, those who refuse should only be endangering themselves. Thank you.