Is there a difference between a regular seasonal "flu shot" and the H1N1 vaccine from a safety standpoint?
I have received a seasonal flu shot vaccination every year since 1995 and have never had a single negative health or safety issue (never came down with the flu) and was wondering what the difference was between the two vaccinations from a safety standpoint.
I have already received my seasonal flu vaccination.
I have already received my seasonal flu vaccination.
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With any medical procedure, drug, or shot, there are some risks involved. Everything is done to minimize those risks, but there are residual risks remaining. The decision as to proceeding or not should be based on the relative risk of not going through with it (e.g. not getting the shot) compared with going through with it (i.e. getting the shot). In this case the CDC assures us that the risks of the shot are minimal (see below). An August 2009 report in USA Today quoted a report from the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology which estimated 30,000 to 90,000 expected H1N1 fatalities, with nearly half the population of the US expected to be infected - http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-08-24-swine-flu-vaccine_N.htm.
The CDC says that "We expect the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine to have a similar safety profile as seasonal flu vaccines, which have a very good safety track record. Over the years, hundreds of millions of Americans have received seasonal flu vaccines" - http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_safety_qa.htm. Since the vaccine is developed using the same techniques, with the same materials (except obviously with the different dead viruses), there should not be any elevated risks. The CDC further says that "The viruses in the flu shot are killed (inactivated), so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot."
The balance of risks thus seems to clearly favor getting the H1N1 flu vaccine.
The CDC says that "We expect the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine to have a similar safety profile as seasonal flu vaccines, which have a very good safety track record. Over the years, hundreds of millions of Americans have received seasonal flu vaccines" - http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_safety_qa.htm. Since the vaccine is developed using the same techniques, with the same materials (except obviously with the different dead viruses), there should not be any elevated risks. The CDC further says that "The viruses in the flu shot are killed (inactivated), so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot."
The balance of risks thus seems to clearly favor getting the H1N1 flu vaccine.
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