Swine Flu

[Jaron]

Both Jake and Melanie are scheduled for H1N1 shots this Saturday.

They aren't happy about it either.

When are you scheduled for your overreacting parent shot?

[merithyn]

But what does your doctor(s) say?

The pediatrician encourages it because he doesn't see the point in anyone getting any illnesses if they can be prevented by a shot. If there were a shot for a stubbed toe, he'd encourage it. *shrugs*

At the same time, he agreed that most likely it's not necessary, even for Jeremy. What he is strongly suggesting for with Jeremy, though, is the seasonal flu shot, since those flus haven't shown up yet and Jeremy may have a harder time of it due to the diabetes and asthma combination. I will most likely take him in for that once they're available next week.

He suggested it for the other kids, too, but that's not going to happen. I strongly disagree with flu shots for people who do not need it, i.e. those with normal immune systems.

[Razgovory]

What with the government putting tracking chips in them and all.

[katmai]

I imagine next drill wekend I'll be stuck with some kind of flu vaccine.

at least that is what they will tell you it is for 

[Drakken]

Absolutely. Got the flu vaccine each year for the last three years, will certainly take that one.

My girlfriend having only one kidney and being immunodepressed, I have the excuse to go get the flu shot next week. 

[Drakken]

At the same time, he agreed that most likely it's not necessary, even for Jeremy. What he is strongly suggesting for with Jeremy, though, is the seasonal flu shot, since those flus haven't shown up yet and Jeremy may have a harder time of it due to the diabetes and asthma combination. I will most likely take him in for that once they're available next week.

He suggested it for the other kids, too, but that's not going to happen. I strongly disagree with flu shots for people who do not need it, i.e. those with normal immune systems.

WTF?

A perfectly healthy 13-year old boy, with no known medical complications, died of the h1n1 flu yesterday in Ontario. He got the flu during a hockey tournament, and was ill only for 48 hours before dying. 48 hours. Imagine what risk a child with asthma and diabetes can encounter catching that shit. These are among the first in line to get the vaccine, for obvious reasons!

Kids are vulnerable to all flu strains, but especially h1n1 because they have no immunity and their immune system is still in developement. In fact, younger people, i.e. children and teenagers, are one of the main groups more likely to develop more severe complications from h1n1 infection, because that the flu spreads very easily in schools.

Besides shielding oneself, the whole point in getting the vaccine even if you do not need it is to prevent transmitting to others, and thus help create herd immunity: children, old people, the diseased, other vulnerable people. And this vaccine is very efficient, according to all testing reports.

And nothing stops you for giving both h1n1 and seasonal flu vaccines to your children. In Canada the only advice is to wait 21 days between the two shots to allow the h1n1 antigen full time to provoke a sufficient immune response in the receiver, which takes between 7 to 14, and sometimes all the way up to 21 days.

[Jaron]

At the same time, he agreed that most likely it's not necessary, even for Jeremy. What he is strongly suggesting for with Jeremy, though, is the seasonal flu shot, since those flus haven't shown up yet and Jeremy may have a harder time of it due to the diabetes and asthma combination. I will most likely take him in for that once they're available next week.

He suggested it for the other kids, too, but that's not going to happen. I strongly disagree with flu shots for people who do not need it, i.e. those with normal immune systems.

WTF?

A perfectly healthy 13-year old boy, with no known medical complications, died of the h1n1 flu yesterday in Ontario. He got the flu during a hockey tournament, and was ill only for 48 hours before dying. 48 hours. Imagine what risk a child with asthma and diabetes can encounter catching that shit. These are among the first in line to get the vaccine, for obvious reasons!

Kids are vulnerable to all flu strains, but especially h1n1 because they have no immunity and their immune system is still in developement. In fact, younger people, i.e. children and teenagers, are one of the main groups more likely to develop more severe complications from h1n1 infection, because that the flu spreads very easily in schools.

Besides shielding oneself, the whole point in getting the vaccine even if you do not need it is to prevent transmitting to others, and thus help create herd immunity: children, old people, the diseased, other vulnerable people. And this vaccine is very efficient, according to all testing reports.

And nothing stops you for giving both h1n1 and seasonal flu vaccines to your children. In Canada the only advice is to wait 21 days between the two shots to allow the h1n1 antigen full time to provoke an immune response in the receiver.

So, when did you graduate medical school?

[Barrister]

He suggested it for the other kids, too, but that's not going to happen. I strongly disagree with flu shots for people who do not need it, i.e. those with normal immune systems.

Look, if your doctor says you don't need the flu shot, then fine.  But if he recommends it, I think you're foolish not to get it.

[Jaron]

He suggested it for the other kids, too, but that's not going to happen. I strongly disagree with flu shots for people who do not need it, i.e. those with normal immune systems.

Look, if your doctor says you don't need the flu shot, then fine.  But if he recommends it, I think you're foolish not to get it.

If she wants her child to die, its her business. I'll have my waiting.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

I haven't decided/ and strangely there's no option in the poll for that. I want to discuss it with my doctor first. odds are she'll say yes, due to my high blood pressure. but I'm waiting til then (sometime in the next couple weeks)

[Valdemar]

Viper, The H1N1 vac isn't exactly the same as the seasonal.

The H1N1 has an additional "booster" that triggers the immune system. For anyone with autoimmune symptoms like me or CK that should be considered before accepting

V

I don't know how it's called in english, but the "booster" you are referring too his already present in the seasonal flu vaccine distributed in Europe to about 45 million people without problems.

Of course if you have health problems you shouldn't rush to get any vaccine without speaking to your doctor.  I'm assuming people are healthy without chronical disease, and without allergies to eggs.

There are vaccines without the "booster" for pregnant women, and some other people.

I have actually no technical knowledge on either flu, I was refering one of Denmark's leading doctors in the MS field,

According to his replies, MS patients are ordinarily recommended seasonal flu vaccine, because the effects of ordinary flu is a heigthened risk of a MS attack due to the activity of the immune system.

However, the H1N1 vaccine is containing a booster NOT present in ordinary seasonal flu vacine, and as such that booster may trigger the immune system in a different way than the flu would, and as such heighten the risk of an MS attack.

Thus, his recommendation is NOT to get the H1N1, DO get the seasonal one IF you are in a stable MS state, and DO get the H1N1 IF you, due to MS or otherwise, fall into the ordinary H1N1 risk groups (respiratory, fat, immobility).

I have no idea if the he is right, but i do trust that he should know best. I've heard on other issues that the seasonal vaccine here in DEN at least do not contain boosters. (possibly it is not the SAME kind of booster?)

V

[citizen k]

I've heard of regular flu shots causing exacerbations as well (although ms patients can be susceptible to wild rumor). I also have had the flu and have had a temporary exacerbation. I'm going to wait and see. I saw my neurologist a few weeks ago and he never mentioned it and I forgot to ask. I guess I'll just avoid people like I usually do.

[Grey Fox]

Absolutely. Got the flu vaccine each year for the last three years, will certainly take that one.

My girlfriend having only one kidney and being immunodepressed, I have the excuse to go get the flu shot next week. 

They won't believe you! 

[Berkut]

He suggested it for the other kids, too, but that's not going to happen. I strongly disagree with flu shots for people who do not need it, i.e. those with normal immune systems.

So people with normal immune systems "do not need" the flu shot?

Uhhh, ok Dr. meri.

[Drakken]

Viper, The H1N1 vac isn't exactly the same as the seasonal.

The H1N1 has an additional "booster" that triggers the immune system. For anyone with autoimmune symptoms like me or CK that should be considered before accepting

V

I don't know how it's called in english, but the "booster" you are referring too his already present in the seasonal flu vaccine distributed in Europe to about 45 million people without problems.

Of course if you have health problems you shouldn't rush to get any vaccine without speaking to your doctor.  I'm assuming people are healthy without chronical disease, and without allergies to eggs.

There are vaccines without the "booster" for pregnant women, and some other people.

I have actually no technical knowledge on either flu, I was refering one of Denmark's leading doctors in the MS field,

According to his replies, MS patients are ordinarily recommended seasonal flu vaccine, because the effects of ordinary flu is a heigthened risk of a MS attack due to the activity of the immune system.

However, the H1N1 vaccine is containing a booster NOT present in ordinary seasonal flu vacine, and as such that booster may trigger the immune system in a different way than the flu would, and as such heighten the risk of an MS attack.

The H1N1 flu vaccine does not contain any new adjuvant (aka your booster). Squalene is used in seasonal flu vaccines in Europe since 1997, and is still used today.

Both flu vaccines are the same, nothing more, nothing less. The only thing different is the antigen (the dead virus that has ceased to be and is gone to meet its maker) used.