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suzd688 suzd688
 
M$2 November 10, 2009 06:19 PM

Should I get the H1N1 vaccination when it becomes available in my country? It will become widely available here soon.How safe is it really?

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION.

The Ministry of Health in my country recently issued a status update that said that we are in the second wave of the H1N1 2009 pandemic. There have been 215 confirmed cases and 5 deaths.

The ministry of health also announced that the first batch of H1N1 vaccines (50,000 doses) will arrive in the country on November 16th with another 210,000 doses expected in the following weeks.

Ministry of Health update
http://www.health.gov.tt/news/newsitem.aspx?id=89

I am hearing conflicting information on the safety / dangers of getting the H1N1 vaccine. Also, what about the swine flu vaccinations of 1976 that left some dead and others paralyzed?

Should I take the vaccination when it becomes available here? What do you think? Is it available in you country and have you taken it. What side affects have you had?

EDIT
I am also looking for personal accounts of those who have had the vaccine and what side affects if any you have had.

A video that was sent to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhQ-Tu4ljEo
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awesome222 awesome222
 
 November 11, 2009 01:43 PM
I don`t think there is a right answer for this. We will only be seeing the effects in the long term, and then it will be too late. Think about why you want to get it. Do you have a chronic illness? Do you work in healthcare? etc.. Most people in those categories want to ensure they do not get sick because they are more likely to get the flu and/or have serious consquences which could lead to death. The usual flu kills hundreds of thousands a year yet the swine flu has only killed a few thousand. Many people have recovered from it like any other flu. I personally think it has been hyped up to the point where people are so afraid that they will go against their own ideas and values, which just shows how easily mass hysteria can have effect. Noone can say which will be more fatal, getting the vaccine and dying from it, or not getting it and dying from the flu. There are cases of both and they will continue. Now I am personally not getting the flu shot because It doesn`t gel with me. I think it is impossible to perfect a vaccine in a few months and it is sad that it is administered to the whole population when its long term side effects have not been determined. If everything thing goes awry and people start dying in 6 months and up, it will be too late.

I watched these videos and I think they are pretty interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61ySNSQTR-Q
Asker's Rating:
• See my comment and thanks for your information.


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suzd688 suzd688
 
November 14, 2009 02:36 AM
Thanks for your information. Will keep it in mind when i make my decision.

Don't know yet what that decision will be. I live in a country where getting a flu shot is not the norm like it is in the USA. This is not a decision that I have ever had to make. Will take all that I have seen and heard from everyone into consideration before I make my decision.

I guess no one can tell what will happen 6 months down the line and there is an element of danger to any shot. I will not take this decision lightly.

Very interesting videos by the way.

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opher opher
 
November 10, 2009 06:27 PM
Here are some related Q&A's on this topic.

http://www.mahalo.com/answers/from-twitter/disturbing-news-on-swine-flu-from-cdc-how-bad-is-it-really-http-www-cdc-gov-h1n1flu-updates-us

http://www.mahalo.com/answers/health/do-you-think-h1n1-swine-flu-is-a-real-health-risk

http://www.mahalo.com/answers/public-health-concerns/what-are-the-parameters-for-a-h1n1-swine-flu-pandemic-how-many-need-to-vaccinated

http://www.mahalo.com/answers/science/is-there-a-difference-between-a-regular-seasonal-flu-shot-and-the-h1n1-vaccine-from-a-safety-standpoint

After reading the above I believe you'll have the information you're seeking.

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suzd688 suzd688
 
November 10, 2009 10:13 PM
One of your links was to a question with no answers but Thanks for answering. Can you tell me though, have you taken the vaccine and if yes; what side effects if any did you experience.

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opher opher
 
November 10, 2009 11:11 PM
I did not. The side effects are described by the CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_safety_qa.htm as:

- quote -
The flu shot: The viruses in the flu shot are killed (inactivated), so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. Some minor side effects that could occur are:

* Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
* Fever (low grade)
* Aches
* Nausea

If these problems occur, they begin soon after the shot and usually last 1 to 2 days. Almost all people who receive influenza vaccine have no serious problems from it. However, on rare occasions, flu vaccination can cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. A federal program has been created to help pay for the medical care and other specific expenses of certain persons who have a serious reaction to this vaccine. For more information about this program, call 1-888-275-4772 or visit the program’s website at: http://www.hrsa.gov/countermeasurescomp/default.htmExternal Web Site Icon.
- end quote -

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suzd688 suzd688
 
November 14, 2009 01:49 AM
Thanks for your information. Will keep it in mind when I make my decision.

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rondata rondata
 
November 10, 2009 06:31 PM
H1N1 Vaccination is created the same way as other flu vaccinations. They couldn't put it in the regular flu dose because it was not ready yet.

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=5619de481d26c1cc9bc0dd9caaffd6c9
Source(s):
http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2009/11/09/58076897/index.xml


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suzd688 suzd688
 
November 10, 2009 10:07 PM
Thanks for answering. Can you tell me though, have you taken the vaccine and if yes; what side effects if any did you experience.

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rondata rondata
 
November 11, 2009 02:56 AM
We have not taken it yet but we plan to. I have friends that have had it and they say there's nothing bad about it, and that they didn't experience anything bad from taking it.

8 people in Orange County died recently because of issues related to this flu, plus heart issues, and/or asthma and compromised systems.

I say, if you are in a high risk category it is in your best interest to get it. If not, you may be able to fight it off fine.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/high-218526-school-thompson.html

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suzd688 suzd688
 
November 14, 2009 01:50 AM
Thanks for your information. Will keep it in mind when i make my decision.

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tboz tboz
 
November 11, 2009 03:32 AM
The issue is not the immediate side effects of talking the vcaccine. The danger is in the preservative thiomerisol which contains mercury, mercury is not something that usually reacts immediatly in the body. Mercury toxicity is a cummulative effect, so if you are a person who eats fish regularly and gets flu vaccines every year and has mercury fillings in your mouth than you will develop mercury toxicity sooner than someone who has not done all that. you are not going to get any useful responses by asking if anyone has had a reaction to the vaccine. There are generally very minimal reactions immediatly to a vaccine. There is always the ongoing debate about the link of thiomerisol to autism, this debate keeps going back and forth with no conclusive evidence on either side yet. The h1n1 flu is actuall killing less people than the normal flu does, you are not at a greater risk this year than any other year, it is a hyped up vaccine that pharmacuetical companies were hoping would be much worse so they produced a lot ov vaccine and arenow trying to create a huge demand for it by limiting its distribution which seems to be a very effective approach. The usual testing for this vaccine was not done as the swine flu was falsley elevated to a "pandemic" status. when we are in pandemic status companies can bypass the usual round of testing for safety, the truth is it is never the same flu strain so it needs top be tested every single year. I would not risk it, eat healthy keep your immune system in shape and you will not get it.

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suzd688 suzd688
 
November 14, 2009 02:35 AM
Thanks for your information. Will keep it in mind when i make my decision.

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lrig lrig
 
November 11, 2009 11:14 AM
The vaccine in 1976 was highly untested. It was administered out of a panic. Back then, people didn't regularly receive flu shots the way they do today. Since the mid-1990s, the technology has been pretty stable. But you could argue that we are still in a panic. Even though the normal flu and H1N1 affect different populations, the number of deaths are still the same.

From personal experience, I have only had a normal flu shot. The only side effect was a sore arm for a couple of days. However, I eventually did up getting a completely new strain of flu not contained in the shot. I realize the new strain experience I had may not apply to the H1N1 shot, but I personally will not receive it. However, if I do start feeling any symptoms, I will seek treatment immediately.

So you have to ask yourself...do the fears outweigh the benefits? Do you have other health problems? Will you need severe medical care if you are infected? If you choose not to receive the vaccine, will you be vigilant about symptoms? Do you have access to proper care?

It's a personal decision, what's right for some people may not be right for you. Whatever you decide, don't take this decision lightly.
Source(s):
http://coldflu.about.com/od/flu/qt/swinefluhighrisk.htm
http://healthandsurvival.com/2009/04/26/swine-flu-vaccine-of-1976-more-harm...


Tags: h1n1

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suzd688 suzd688
 
November 14, 2009 02:23 AM
Thanks for your information. Will keep it in mind when i make my decision.

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