H1N1 Vaccine

stevenmd

Expedition Leader
Would you get the vaccine and why (yes or no)?

The company I work for is giving it free to all our employees. I still on the fence whether or not to proceed with getting it myself. Opinions welcome but I would prefer some feedback based upon actual empirical data.:ylsmoke:

Thanks!
 

lwg

Member
No I wouldn't.

1) They haven't fully tested it, not sure if it even works. Don't know the side effects of the vaccine if there are any.

2) I generally don't trust the Government to put things unknown to me into my bloodstrean. To many X-Files episodes I suppose...

3) I think I may have just gotten over some sort of Flu the last week, thus my immune system should be in good shape now.
 

chrismc

Adventurer
The H1N1 vax is made using EXACTLY the same method as the seasonal flu vaccine, and has received EXACTLY as much testing (and is just as safe). If you normally get the flu vaccine, then you should definitely get the H1N1 vaccine. If you don't normally get it, then its probably a decision you should discuss with your doctor. Whatever you do, make sure you get your information about it from a licensed healthcare provider, not from the TV or Internet. Personally, I do volunteer work in coordination with the County Health Dept, and my girlfriend is finishing up med school. Based on the informed people I've discussed it with, I'm getting it (and haven't even thought twice about it).
 

chrismc

Adventurer
There was actually a good 60 Minutes segment about the vaccine tonight. When they asked an expert what the effect will be if people are afraid of the vaccine and don't get it, he responded very frankly: "More dead people". That pretty much sums it up.
Another nice tidbit (just for you, lwg): 10 million doses have been administered, and they have had zero reports of major side effect. Side effect reports have only included standard vax issues (sore arm, etc...).

The vaccine does not come from "The Goverment". It was developed by research institutions, and is manufactured by pharmaceutical companies. In fact, one of the six institutions that created the vaccine is my hometown St Louis University- a private, Jesuit school with an outstanding medical program. Much of the vaccine testing was done here in St Louis. Lay off the X-Files before bedtime. ;)
 

6Pins

Adventurer
I will be I plan on it. Vaccines are safe. Yes, there was a problem in the 70's with 400 people having and adverse reaction, out of 40,000,0000 doses. Those are pretty good odds in my book.

There was a really good article this month in Wired about vaccines and the impact of people not getting them. Scary stuff is starting to come back.
 
My wife is a receptionist at a walk in medical clinic. Guess who has checked in all 20+ confirmed case of H1N1 patients to walk through there....you got it, my wife. The clinic has limited supplies right now, but as soon as they get more we will both be getting the vaccine.

Honestly, if your company has the vaccine and is giving them out for free, then there is really no reason not to. Remember, if your not on the high-priority list it will be very hard to get it another way.
 
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DurangoSteve

Adventurer
I won't be getting the vaccine. I have experienced H1N1 upclose and personal. It sucked. A week of hideous chills, body aches, awful respiratory crap, a cough that hurt my heart. A hacking cough that lasted for weeks afterwards. Bad news.

If you're a pretty robust person, I wouldn't bother...IF you don't mind the possibility of a week of hell. If you are not healthy, I would absolutely get the vaccine. This is an especially nasty strain of the flu. If you have any serious health issues, don't hesitate. Glenn Beck is an idiot. Ignore him.

lwg, you mentioned that you just got over "some kind of flu." H1N1 isn't run of the mill. Besides the aforementioned symptoms, the incredibly rapid onset is a real differentiator from other types of flu. I had the sniffles and some post nasal drip, and within 4 hours I was sick as a dog. Never had anything like that before.
 
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7wt

Expedition Leader
I won't get it. Every time I get a normal flu vaccine, I get the flu. I don't see any reason to add something into me that doesn't belong there. As far as the doctor on 60 minutes goes, that is what he does so of course he will suggest getting one. I am quite positive if you ask an chiropractor, he will suggest an alignment for the same ailment.
 

PathfinderTR

Observer
One has to wonder what is going to happen next year (or even next week perhaps), when there is the possibility that this thing slightly mutates, and the current shot is useless. I see this becoming a yearly thing from here on out.

BTW, no I currently do not plan on getting one.
 

RttH

Member
My wife and I both got the H1N1 vaccine. I got the nasal spray and she got the injection. We are both Registered Nurses and in the ER. Some of our colleagues did not get it.

I guess what pushed me "over the fence" was seeing (2) patients in their 20's and (1) in his 30's be admitted to the hospital with H1N1 and they eventually died. Now there were many admitted that eventually went home, but the fact that these were young healthy adults was the surprise. As a previous poster stated, the vaccine is produced just like the seasonal vaccine and many have been given without incident.

Some years I get the flu vaccine, others I don't. Sometimes I get the flu even if I had the shot, it just means that I picked up a different strain, or I was exposed just about the time I was vaccinated.

Everyone has their reasons/beliefs. To each their own!:coffeedrink:
 
One thing needs to be cleared up here

Many people believe the flu/H1N1 shot can cause the flu. There is no live virus in the vaccine so it truly cannot cause the flu. However, some people do experience one of the common fall or winter viruses shortly after vaccination and will simply mistake those infections for the flu. Other times they have picked up a different strain then what the shot was for or have been infected around the time of the shot so they mistake it for the shot giving them the flu.

I poo pooed the H1N1 Virus like many others and payed no attention to it...that was until Jenn started to check in infected patients daily. She started working there back in October 2008 and since that time she has brought home and given me 2 different strains of flu, 3 Upper respiratory infections, and 2 multi day stomach bugs.
 
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RttH

Member
You are correct! (The nasal spray for H1N1 is considered "live" but attenuated, meaning it has lost its virility).
 

Desolation

Adventurer
Went to the Dr'z last week a follow up visit.
He asks me if I am going to get a flue shot, actually advised it.
I asked which I should get and he says I have to get the shot and that even if I wanted it, I could not get it, because there isn't any available.
I said fine because I didn't really plan on getting one, but if I change my mind... The reply was by the time we get enough, you wont need to get one. RIP:Wow1:
 

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