Swine Flu/H1N1 Vaccination - Yes or No?

[wickedfrags]

I work in health care (not direct patient care), 35M, and will not be getting a flue shot for my own reasons. That being said, I do not have children.

And FYI.....don't believe what the TV/newspapers and even the government advise about the importance of hand washing to prevent the flu, despite what is portrayed in the media, the vast majority to flu is transfered via airborne inhallation and not hand contact. Clean hands does however makes sense, it just wont prevent the flu.

[kien]

So many conflicting reports and stories.. As I understand it, this is just a flu virus. Granted a new one, but any well bodied person with healthy immunity should be able to kick it like any other flu virus. I realize that complications come in when people with depressed immune systems get it and can get sicker or worse, but that is no different than the seasonal flu. I think a vaccine is a good idea, but I also think that there's a lot of hysteria right now among the population, thanks in part to the media and the interwebs. Don't Panic!

P.S. My 2 year old son and I had the flu last week, wasn't fun, but we're over it now. Ironically, because my son goes to daycare he gets all sorts of nasty daycare illnesses at least once a month since he started going to daycare a year ago. I attribute his naturally built up immunity to his quick recovery. After having a fever and laboured breathing for a day, he was fine the next and out and about playing, while I was out for three days! It is not pleasant to see our children ill, but it is natural that they get ill so that they can build up their immunity. Just feed them well.

[wickedfrags]

Honestly, for most healthy adults this may not be a bad flu to get as it is not that severe, and it may very well assist your immune system in defending against the next H1 mutation which may be much more severe in terms of loss of life.

I am testing our health centre staff on N95 respirators today as part of our emergency prepardeness plan...

Originally Posted by kien

So many conflicting reports and stories.. As I understand it, this is just a flu virus. Granted a new one, but any well bodied person with healthy immunity should be able to kick it like any other flu virus. I realize that complications come in when people with depressed immune systems get it and can get sicker or worse, but that is no different than the seasonal flu. I think a vaccine is a good idea, but I also think that there's a lot of hysteria right now among the population, thanks in part to the media and the interwebs. Don't Panic!