H1N1 Vaccination! Are you getting it or not? Why?

[aduidarnenye]

I am curious to know who here is getting, has gotten, or is not getting the H1N1 vaccine. Why or why not? (Sorry, no idea how to do a poll)

I've always gotten a flu shot and don't see the big deal. I also have a lot of other immunizations due to travelling all over the world and have never had an issue. But I know lots of people who are absolutely refusing to get the H1N1 shot because they think it was rushed to market and is dangerous.

I saw this article in a local paper today, which prompted this thread. This paper is known for being very left-wing and open minded and I've never seen them stoop to parental scare tactics before:

Anti antigens: the H1N1 refusers | Lowefiles | Halifax, Nova Scotia | THE COAST

Rachael Smith-Bakhache won't be dragging around her kids for H1N1 shots this week. And not anytime after that, either.

"It's my choice," says the 38-year-old mother of two. "And I don't think I have to stand up and tell you why it's my choice."

But she will, if you ask.

And explaining why her family won't be vaccinated against H1N1 influenza is easy for Smith-Bakhache, because her reasons aren't the most obvious and easily refuted---too busy to stand in line, too pissed off about the seeming lack of organization, too lame to Google clinic locations and times.

Smith-Bakhache says, simply: "There are other ways."

Neither of Smith-Bakhache's kids---an 11-year-old girl and a boy just past one---has ever been vaccinated. Not for mumps, rubella, polio. None of it.

"We are a holistic family. We have been right from the get-go."

Smith-Bakhache replaces immunizations with a host of other tactics; the same ones she'll keep up, or even ramp up, instead of lining up for an H1N1 poke. She does homeopathy, uses natural remedies and practices homegrown immunity-boosting---she lists breastfeeding her one-year-old, giving her daughter limited amounts of sugar and dairy products, plus supplements like garlic pills and feeding everyone fresh vegetables and natural meats.

"Some parents think that's not going to matter," says Smith-Bakhache. "But it's little steps. [It's like] saving the environment---turn your lights off. It adds up."

Smith-Bakhache can't understand why parents will pony up their kids for a vaccination when they don't bother with everyday measures to keep them healthy---she cites sending them to school without proper clothing, "with a lunch that is full of sugar. Even dairy products, that is something I do not do. Sending your children to school with a healthy lunch is very important. They need fresh vegetables. They need lots of fresh water."

But there's a bigger piece of pandemic preparedness that goes along with all of Smith-Bakhache's baby steps and everyday actions.

"I am always keyed into my children," she says. "I have watched [my daughter's] behaviour, her diet, just keying into, and being focused on, my children and not being too busy within my own life."

That's what people should be spending time thinking about, Smith-Bakhache says. "I mean, why are people putting so much thought into [the vaccine]?"

If you ask other parents to answer that question, they will likely cite the H1N1 deaths of 10-year-old Vanetia Warner and 13-year-old Evan Frustaglio, two otherwise healthy Ontarians who died after contracting the virus. Frustaglio, a minor league hockey player in grade eight, was sick for only 48 hours. A friend told me yesterday it's outright terror from hearing of those deaths that is driving the rolled sleeves of her and her kids to the closest clinic. Before she heard about Warner and Frustaglio, she didn't really see the point of getting the shots.

And those mind-rending deaths aren't the only thing to think about: a Journal of the American Medical Association study last month found two-thirds of Canadians who fall gravely ill or die from H1N1 are young, healthy women---exactly the profile of Smith-Bakhache.

But Smith-Bakhache has run through the what-ifs.

What if she is a vector---someone who doesn't get sick but passes the virus along?

She says the best way to avoid that is to steer clear of the virus in the first place, which she's already doing.

What if one of her kids gets sick?

"I will feel horrible," she says. "Definitely. And like maybe it wasn't the right choice for me to make."

But she still thinks it is the right one, in the context of the way she raises her family. And, after all, according to the Centres for Disease Control, the regular flu kills 36,000 people a year in the US alone.

Smith-Bakhache's husband works in the armed forces, and was vaccinated at work this week. Still, he told his non-vaccinating wife, "I trust your judgment." Smith-Bakhache's mom reserved opinion, telling her daughter (who, yes, was immunized by her parents as a child), "You do what you want to do." Smith-Bakhache admits: "A girlfriend of mine, she is going to be outraged."

But Smith-Bakhache can let it roll off her back. That's kind of her style, really: taking matters into her own hands, despite what the rest of the world is telling her. That, and reiterating that vaccination is her choice.

"My children are healthy," she says, "because of other choices I have made."

[Tyche]

She gonna feed her child water from the river thebes when they get cancer too? Billions go into advanced medical research for people to consume, and she relies on...holistic medicine...

They don't offer it here yet, stupid really, but soon as it's available, I'm all for it.

[Jodwahh]

Wow that's one dumb bitch right there.

[Abandon]

They have it where I am. But it's not available to active duty, rofl, only our dependents. Awesome.

[Vuitton]

I would get it if it was available. I have gotten the regular vaccine.

I work for a medium size law firm and one of our attorney's 25 year old son just died from H1N1 complications. He had respiratory failure which caused him to be put into an induced coma and hooked up to a respirator, and then his kidneys stopped functioning and they had to put him on dialysis, and then his heart failed a few days later...

Now my supervisor's husband is in the hospital with H1N1 complications. He also had respiratory failure and is hooked up to machines breathing for him.

Both of these guys though had previous respiratory issues, so I am not sure how worried I should be....

[Mirage]

Not really worried tbh. I don't think I'm going to bother with a vaccine unless the virus suddenly is discovered to be a zillion times more dangerous than it currently is thought to be.

[Kaisha]

I don't really care to be honest. Not getting it here unless what Mirage mentioned occurs. I would prefer the actual prioritized folks get it instead.

[Correction]

I don't interact with a lot of people to do my job and none of my friends are elderly or juveniles, so no.

[Blabj]

Fuck no I hate needles. Plus I've already had "symptoms" of the virus, and went through a week quarantine.

[Pikarya]

I don't really care to be honest. Not getting it here unless what Mirage mentioned occurs. I would prefer the actual prioritized folks get it instead.

This, also not bothering.

[AoE]

[Bugpop]

I may have had H1N1 this past May. My son tested positive for the flu and I cought it from him. My son was tested for H1N1 but we are told the backlong is so great that it hasn't been done yet (first week of May to now? inexcusable!) The pediatrician said that the odds are that my son had the swine flu since that was the only flu going around in my area at that time. I haven't been able to find anyone who has the vaccine in the Houston area. Kroger pharmacy has told me they were told to expect it at the end of Nov.

[Vuitton]

I wouldn't worry either if it wasn't for everyone dying around me from it, rofl.

[Nirokun!]

I'm out and about because of nursing school, and I go places where people pass through with the virus (I was just somewhere today where a little girl's "bronchitis" magically [hah] turned into h1n1 the day before.) The only issue with getting it is that the clinic is being held on a clinical day where it would be an issue with me being able to access it But I want to get it, because I don't trust other people and I have to be all up in their faces for assessment purposes.

[Pikarya]

Thought this was a little interesting for pet owners, not sure if it has been posted yet.

The Cat Who Got Swine Flu - Well Blog - NYTimes.com

[Bugpop]

I wouldn't worry either if it wasn't for everyone dying around me from it, rofl.

Yeah, but then it would be too late, dont you think? I was taking tamiflu and my symptoms weren't as bad as what people had in the news but I still felt like crap. The vaccine would be worth it even if it were $200.

[Shenrien]

It was available last week and I got the shot, and that was it lol, it didn't kill me like all my friends said it would, yay for paranoia!

[Eliseos]

I have to get it, since I work in a hospital. Plus I'm in a higher at-risk category, since my school was projected that 40% of students would get it.

My sister has it now, been trying to avoid going near her at all.

[Bugpop]

It was available last week and I got the shot, and that was it lol, it didn't kill me like all my friends said it would, yay for paranoia!

I was at home for a week using vacation days that I didn't want to use. I'm not paranoid about getting the flu, I would rather not deal with the inconvenience of it. The swine flu hits harder than the seasonal flu and I would rather not deal with missing work because of it. I have better things to do than be miserable for a week.

[Nibe]

A