Poll: H1N1 Flu Vaccination, Life or Death?

Right now the vaccination is being given to pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months, health care workers, and 4-6 year old children.
That priority group is pretty broad and I'm sure some people are stretching the truth a tad out of fear of getting H1N1.
How necessary is the vaccine for healthy older kids and healthy adults? I guess some would argue that it's better to be safe than sorry.
How about you?
Do you plan on getting the H1N1 Flu Vaccination?
More like this in Health · Oct 18, 2009
I am still very skeptical of the H1N1 vaccine. It is so new and we really do not know if there are any side effects.
ReplyNo way, no hell, no how.
ReplyThis is a position that always makes me wonder why. I know why I never did; I never really got sick enough that it was a real inconvenience to me.
ReplyNot for me...I never get sick. I haven't had even a cold since 2000, so I doubt this year will be any different. I have an immune system of steel, thanks to the probiotics I have going on in there. Remember, more than half your immune system is in your guts...eat LOTS of fruits, veggies, yogurt, etc. so you can grow a good culture of bacteria in there.
As for the regular flu shot, I'm required to get one because I work at a hospital, so even if I don't get sick, there's a possibility of me giving it to one of the inpatients.
ReplyDon't ever assume you are immune to sickness. Ah, hubris thy name is Spectra.
ReplyOh, I don't assume anything. I'm a microbiologist; so I'm pretty aware of what germs can do to you...I just also happen to know that they are ubiquitous and defense starts in your own body. Germophobia is a completely useless thing for the most part. When I see people disinfecting everything they touch, I have to just shake my head. Don't wash the items you touch; wash your HANDS.
ReplyProps to that. I get sick, but it's a mealy-mouthed, half-hearted assault on my Roman Legion of an immune system. Take care of yourself, wash your hands and keep them off your mucus membranes (out of your mouth, eyes...nose...) and you'll generally be pretty well off.
Having said that, I will be getting the H1N1 shot. I don't normally get the regular flu shot, but I did this year. I don't need my 8 month old daughter getting sick, and whatever I can do to prevent that is on me; it's one thing for me to feel a but sucky for a day, it's quite another for her to *make* me feel sucky because she feels like crap. Also, my wife is a health care professional and is compelled to have the shots.
ReplyI really don't see what's the point of some people getting H1N1 shots and the rest of us not. Either it should be everyone or no one.
ReplyHow are you going to force the 'everyone' aspect of that equation? No one is certainly not advisable. So there will be some haves and have-not's with regard to immunity. After seeing how this disproportionately affects younger folks, and after hearing that the vaccine is just like other flu vaccines, I'm well convinced. Got the vaccine for my 21 month old yesterday.
ReplyAlso I will be upping my Greek yogurt consumption.
ReplyYogurt is coming from the Turkish word Yoğurt. Historically, there's no such thing as Greek yogurt.
ReplyInteresting history lesson. I just had some greek-style turkish yogurt today, then.
ReplyAs a Type 2 diabetic I'm NOT taking the H1N1 vaccine.
ReplyIm in Health Care....and Im NOT taking the H1N1..
ReplyNo. And I'm 39 weeks pregnant. I did get the (preservative-free) seasonal flu shot, but H1N1 is too new and I don't think the vaccine has been tested thoroughly enough. 36x as many people die from the seasonal flu every year as have died from H1N1 so I'm covering the bigger risk.
I plan on keeping my daughter out of public as much as possible for the first 3 months (which is as long as the vaccine would protect her if I got it) and requiring anyone who touches her to sanitize/wash their hands first.
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