Monday, May 04, 2009

Swine Flu Vaccine: Yes Or No?

I'm beginning to hear people in the alternative health community advising against getting a swine flu vaccination, recommending instead a host of scientifically-unfounded remedies to "strengthen the immune system." This is tricky territory. The Spanish flu killed those with the strongest immune systems:
"The strong immune systems of young adults ravaged the body, whereas the weaker immune systems of children and middle-aged adults caused fewer deaths."
- 1918 Flu Pandemic, Wikipedia
We're seeing the same thing with this H1N1 swine flu:
"In Mexico, nine of the 19 dead were between the ages of 21 and 39, which is unusually high."
- Flu Cases Increase, But There Is Some Optimism, NYTs, May 3
Will you get the vaccine if one is made available?
________

7 comments:

caulfieldkid said...

Normally, I never bother with a vaccine; I would consider it this time around. Considering the current information and the number of people I'm responsible for, it would probably be unjust not to.

- shaun

Bryan - oz4caster said...

From what I have read from independent sources, there is quite a bit of evidence that the effectiveness of vaccines in general is over-rated and the risk of serious side-effects is substantially under-rated by the drug companies and their allies that sell the vaccines at considerable profit. Flu vaccines are especially likely to be ineffective because of the tendency for flu to mutate rather rapidly. Here are links to more independent info: Vaccine Overload.

That said, if a flu bug was killing millions and a vaccine came along that proved effective, I might be tempted because of the high risk of death. So far, this latest flu is nowhere near that high of a death risk. So, I'm sticking with getting plenty of vitamins A and D and minimizing sugar, which I believe are supported by scientific evidence to be effective in reducing risk of getting the flu and colds.

Laura in Arizona said...

I'm with Bryan on this. I have never gotten a flu shot and have not gotten the flu that I can recall in at least 20 or 30 years (I am 50). I have a good immune system and plan on keeping it that way by not consuming sugar, excess alcohol and such as well as increasing A & D.

I am not too much into taking experimental concoctions that have no scientific evidence. That said, I do plan on doing some research as I know there are some things (herbs, mushrooms etc.) that can boost immune function.

That said, if this virus comes back this winter and it is killing millions of people with healthy immune systems then I would have to consider a vaccine if it became available. At that point, as with the 1918 flu, my healthy immune system would not necessarily protect me.

Very informative video clip Bix, thanks for posting it.

Marisela said...

I am sure the 4,000 people who believed all the fear-mongering from the government,health care workers, and even the media and took the swine flu vaccine in 1976 would recommend to people today to NOT be vaccinated with a highly toxic and dangerous vaccine.

You can say that vaccine work and natural methods do not, but the facts speak otherwise!

60 Minutes Swine Flu video (1976)

Marisela said...

Oops, I'm sorry, there were 46 million who took the swine flu vaccine and 4,OOO of those were left crippled, paralyzed, and some even dead.

Now, like then, the swine flu is over-hyped! Watch the video I left a link to in my previous post.

Oh an by the way,
less than 30 people in the U.S. and in Maxico have died from the Swine Flu.

Yet 3,000 people die EVERY DAY, from malaria, but since, no money can be made there with a fancy vaccine, you don't hear about that!

Bix said...

Malaria ... isn't that the truth.

Perovskia said...

Gah.. I hate vaccines. I'm against them and don't believe in them and feel quite strongly. The less I have to inject some superficial crap into my body, the better (and the more, I hope, it would learn to protect itself).

Agreed, scientists, media, government all hype up the flu because it's a money making deal. I don't doubt at all, though, that it does kill some people (seniors, kids), but still, there is NO advocacy for.. how can I say.. natural care (eating a better diet, etc, etc). This is why they don't make something like smoking illegal; because there's money in it for the government for health care. But then, those are just my opinions :)