posted August 19, 2009 06:35 AM
Unfortunately H1N1 has gained infamy.It is just another virus, there are far worse bugs out there than swine flu, for instance I took care of a patient for 2 days who now may have meningitis, great...just what I want to bring home to my family. (would rather have been exposed to the pig bug!)
H1N1 gets media cause it supposedly originated from some pig, what the media does not tell you is the other forms of influenza are just as deadly in the right folks. But, they do not get press, nor the people they kill, cause they are just the flu afterall!
H1N1 will not kill you, necessarially, however, the secondary infections could, as in all viruses, one gets you down, others come along with the immune system already depressed.
I do not support the flu vaccine, swine or the good old fashioned seasonal for the general public, but I have seen enough death and bodily destruction for those who are health-comprimised already that I think those who have been taking the seasonal flu vaccine should consider the H1N1 vaccine, "consider" being the operative word, do your own research and make your own decisions.
Being a healtcare professional, when offered, I most likely will. Have only taken a few flu vaccines in the past, have had the flu once and it really sucks, but one does get over it, a healthy individual anyway. I have 2 heart patients in my life, my 17 year old daughter and my bfriend and the flu (of any name) could set them up for life-threatning pneumonia, so I will offer up my triceps to be jabbed cause the risk of reactions to the vaccine is well worth keeping my loved-ones healthy.
I work on a dirty side of town with sick, unhealty, dirty people and when the swine flu gained infamy last spring, we had only 2 documented cases (most of our patients either come from Mexico or have close contact with people from Mexico or people who travel back and forth.)
As far as Guillan Barre is concerned it is rare, vaccine related or not. In 10 years of nursing, have seen it once.
The media is great about finding fault and focusing on the negative, rather than what the vaccine could do to help.
Healthy kids, healty adults should probably not take this vaccine, nor the seasonal flu vaccine.
We shall see what the outcome will be!
What ever happened to good old fashioned hygiene anyway?