H1N1 vaccine?
Here in Switzerland the H1N1 vaccine has become available, but people are not rushing out to get it, even though infection numbers here have tripled over the past week and people here have died. In general it seems that they are either wary of the vaccine (indeed vaccines of all sort) for fear of side-effects or fail to see the need for the vaccine when swine flu deaths are not being reported at higher numbers than normal flu deaths.
We have not had the vaccine because we have been sick since it became available and have not decided whether or not to have it once we are well again. There is also a chance that what we have had is swine flu, in which case we’ll not need the vaccine.
Have you had the vaccine? If it’s not yet available to you, will you have it when it is? Why or Why not?
Tags: 2009, H1N1, Health, November, Switzerland, vaccine
Hi Athena! Just found your blog — very nice! In response to this post, yes, I did get the H1N1 vaccine. I am in health care and have a young child at home, so it was an easy decision to protect her. As far as the fears about the vaccine go, I think they are unfounded in any worthwhile scientific evidence. Most of the concerns have to do with older vaccines from years ago that are unrelated to the current version.
I hope you and your family are happy and well in CH! It’s an amazing country.
I’m so glad you found it Russell – I hope you’ll return.
You of course made the best choice. Is it a choice for health care in the US? Or mandatory? How about the rest of the family? Have they had the vaccine?
We have still not gotten the vaccine, although have the test result back that what we had last week was not swine flu. So we don’t have the antibodies and still need to make the decision… I am not sure what we will do.
The vaccine was made so quickly – no concerns there?
Athena, yes the rest of the family has had the vaccine, including Mom and all the grandparents who spend lots of time around the little one. That was their decision, not mine.
While the vaccine was manufactured quickly, so is every flu vaccine. The seasonal vaccine varies substantially year to year to keep up with the virus, so this really isn’t much different. The last time there was a large swine flu epidemic many years ago, the vaccine technology was different. More people had reactions, and there were several cases of guillain barre, which is the most feared neurologic complication. While I’m sure there will be scattered cases, you have to weigh that against the very real possibility of death from H1N1. I’m currently taking care of a young woman who has severe myocarditis from her swine flu, and she will be lucky to survive.
This is just my 2 cents, and it’s only one of many opinions out there. Happy holidays to you and your family. I hope all of these discussions are just hypothetical for us all!