Seriously. I’ve had it with the H1N1 news already. I am really getting sick and tired of hearing about H1N1 and about “you need to get vaccinated”.
People here in the US are freaking the ‘eff’ out. When I drove to work this morning, I was listening to NPR and they were talking about the vaccine shortage and how angry people get at the health care workers who give out the vaccine. But they were also bringing up questions like what are the risks of getting or not getting vaccinated.
If you ask me, the whole H1N1 hype is just scare tactics to keep people afraid.
As far as I know, in Germany the vaccine is not even widely available to the public yet (correct me if I am wrong – sometimes the channels of communication are slow.)
Maybe I am treating this too lightly, maybe not.
I honestly think that whole scaremongering is really not helping. I personally am not planning on getting vaccinated. First of all, I am not even sure the vaccine – whose production has been fast tracked because of the fear of a pandemic – is doing it’s job and what about potential side effects? Secondly, I am not in any of the risk groups, so I would probably stand in line somewhere for hours only to be sent away unvaccinated at the end of the day.
I am also a little concerned: is this just one big scam in favor of the vaccine manufactures who have the potential to make windfall profits with little risk? The government has already awarded 2 billion dollars to the companies that make the H1N1 vaccine. The Congress has also passed a law that protects vaccine manufacturers from being sued for damages, if they had ‘no willful knowledge’ of potential side effects.
That screams “gain for the pharmaceutical industry”, does it not?
I am not trying to play down the threat of the swine flu. However, I am still not convinced that it is any more dangerous than the regular flu (which annually on average costs 40,000 people their lives in the US).
I still believe that common sense and a healthy lifestyle are the best way to prevent (or fight) a virus like the flu.
- Exercise. Regularly. Period.
- Eat healthy. Whole grains, vegetables, unprocessed food, a fruit a day. It’s fairly simple.
- Drink more water (or tea – I can only do it with more tea!)
- Avoid salt and high fructose corn syrup ( = all processed foods!).
- Get enough sleep. That seems like a no-brainer, but most people function on too little sleep. That extra hour every night might just give your immune system the rest that it needs.
It also won’t hurt if your practice simple precautions like washing your hands regularly and avoiding contact with people who are sick.
How about you? Are you planning to get vaccinated?
Antje
November 2, 2009 at 11:45 pmI’m totally agreeing with you on this and would probably do the same thing as you if it wasn’t for that little “if” this year. And IF everything goes well in december or later, I don’t want to get the vaccine then with all the potential side effects… So yes, I called my Medical Center to see if I can get the shot soon, before the next round.
.-= Antje´s last blog ..I’M UP FOR IT =-.
Steffi
November 3, 2009 at 12:47 amI will definitely NOT get the shot!!
Most of the doctors over here recommend to not get it.
Our doctor here at work said she is in trouble because there are only about a handful of people who want to get the shot and they only hand out the vaccine only in packs of 10. And, to make it worse, it only is usable for about 10 days – at least that’s what she told us.
So, no, I will not get it.
.-= Steffi´s last blog ..House and horses =-.
kim
November 3, 2009 at 2:39 amwhat the two girls before me said. it’s albern…
.-= kim´s last blog ..NaBloPoMo 2009 =-.
Maribeth
November 3, 2009 at 5:04 amI am torn about it. Both Hubby and I are in high risk groups. He is a diabetic with high blood pressure and heart problems and I am an asthmatic.
I also had a Great Aunt, who at the age of 22 died during the 1918 epidemic. So, I get a little nervous.
One thing is for sure though, since there is no vaccine to be had here in NH, I won’t be getting it anytime soon.
.-= Maribeth´s last blog ..The Crazy Old Dackel Lady On The Hill =-.
Tanja
November 3, 2009 at 5:54 amI’m not getting the shot and I think it’s a lot of fear mongering. Anyway, it’s kind of scary when you know somebody close to you, who got the swine flu. But the daughter (16) of my friend is not anymore contagious and feels much better…
.-= Tanja´s last blog ..Trick or Treat – a lot of candys for us ;) =-.
Stefanie
November 3, 2009 at 5:58 amI think H1N1 is overrated. I have never gotten a regular flu shot and won’t get the H1N1 shot either. Collin, however, is required to have one because he is in the Army. This is a little unrelated but he also got an Anthrax shot a few years ago.
.-= Stefanie´s last blog ..Jumping on the bandwagon. =-.
Kristi
November 3, 2009 at 9:59 amI love this post San. We actually had H1N1 at our house (me and my 5 & 7-yr olds) and truthfully, I’ve been through worse flus with them. Although, that is the sickest I’ve been in years.
Even before then, I would not get the vaccine and don’t understand why in the world the government and media are creating such a hyped frenzy. It is so unnecessary!
.-= Kristi´s last blog ..Me So Literary =-.
kaylen
November 3, 2009 at 10:54 amIs this not like anything else?? I don’t understand the big uproar over it—we’ve had the flu forever. There is scare about a link with autism and baby shots. There was the 3 decade long scare about razors in halloween candy….I think people just like to have something to be afraid about. :)
I’m not getting the shot.
If I get sick, I get sick–and then I get better.
I guess if I was really frail of health, I would consider it. If my child was high risk of death if he got the flu–yes he would have it.
But we’re not. And I don’t think there are that many people at a genuine high risk so I agree—the media and the gov’t needs to just sit back and relax!!!
.-= kaylen´s last blog ..Who Says The Earth Is Round?? They Are A Liar! =-.
ToBeAnnounced
November 3, 2009 at 2:23 pmI’m going to try to get the shot, though doctors in MA haven’t received them yet. I started getting the seasonal flu shot a few years ago, and haven’t had the flu since. Working closely with 40 8-9 year olds (and 350 kids in the school), I think it makes sense to do everything you can to protect yourself.
You’re totally right about the healthy lifestyle tips, though – those are definitely the best way to protect yourself! :)
.-= ToBeAnnounced´s last blog ..November 2 =-.
Jen L.
November 3, 2009 at 3:30 pmPopped over from NaBloPoMo.
I hear you! I’m not getting the shot and neither are my husband and shot. We asked our pediatrician about it and her exact words were “It was put together a little too quickly for my liking.” I teach at a university and they sent out an email, which is now biting them in the butt, saying everyone with flu-like symptoms could miss class and didn’t have to have an excuse. Guess what all our kids with hangovers are doing?
Susanne
November 3, 2009 at 5:14 pmSince I am pregnant I got the shot. I get my regular flu shot every year. Since I am working with kids (not so much right now), and with my husband as a teacher exposed to hundreds of people a week I got the H1N1 too. And I do not think that it is too much to talk about. Yes, the media makes it scary. Because it is. Never did so many people die over a flu. 22 children(19 from H1N1) died this WEEK alone. As a nurse I would recommend it for the risk groups; like anyone under 24, over 65 and anyone pregnant. Doesn’t hurt. Better late than sorry. You never know.
ilka
November 4, 2009 at 6:50 amthe whole hysteria is the same over here and yes the vaccine is out for the public now. but i might fit in to one of those risk groops but i mean you can get it everywhere. on a shopping card, if you’re using public transportation… like every other flu also. and when i asked my doc a couple of weeks ago when i had another vaccine refreshed , he said first of all he wouldn’t be sure if he would get the shot and he said there are still the same number of people who get infected with the bird flew, besides all of those thousands of people who die from the “normal” flu every year. just nobody talks about it.