The H1N1 Vaccine – Will You Get It?

Will you be getting it for you and your family when it becomes available? I’m not sure I will and here’s why I have my reservations. I do not get the normal flu shot yearly and it is the only shot I refused to allow my son to get. I do believe in regular vaccinations, just not this one. I just don’t think they are that effective since the shot may only be effective against one strain. The potential of the side effects, some being severe are not worth it to me.

The swine flu is scary. There have been deaths here in this area, two of them teenage brother and sister. (My heart goes out to that family, losing both children.) There is so much hype over this vaccine though, like it’s a miracle cure all coming out. Makes you wonder if the drug companies, looking to make millions of dollars off of this vaccine, are using the fear of the swine flu as propaganda to heighten people’s fears. Also, because of the push to get it out as soon as possible makes me ask, what shortcuts are they taking? I worry that the vaccine may be harmful to some and due to the rush to get it out, we may not find that out till it’s too late.

We need to inform ourselves before we rush out and inject ourselves and our children with a new, potentially dangerous drug. Questions to ask would be what are the ingredients? Will it contain mercury? What side effects have been reported? How many tests were done and what are the percentages of the vaccine working?

Right now, since nothing is available yet and many questions remain unanswered, I am taking a wait and see approach. It will be this fall before it will be available, so I am trying not to fret over it or the illness too much. That being said however, I am taking steps for prevention. If the suspected cases in our area continue to rise, I may set some limits on visiting places that could mean a high chance of exposure to the virus. I will continue to teach good hygiene practices like hand washing, wiping shopping carts down with disinfecting wipes and using hand sanitizer. I believe prevention and keeping your immune system healthy is key to preventing this virus and others as well.

If you would like to read more on what well know pediatrician, Dr. Sears thinks about this subject then check out his article HERE