H1N1...to vaccinate your kids or not????

[robinb]

Our entire family always gets the regular flu shot. We will all get the H1N1 shot when it's available. The vaccine has the same side effects as a regular vaccine and I am not the least bit worried by it.

 

[jfoofj]

And the FDA is so trust worthy as is the rest of the government.

Exactly... how many things have been approved by the FDA only later to be recalled? How many "FDA approved" drugs have harmed and killed people? Just because the FDA says its ok, doesn't make it so, and sometimes the drugs you take today can have complications that arise down the road. This vaccine IS being rushed out, the government is under a lot of pressure to come up with something to hopefully stop the spread of this flu... I don't trust it.

 

[lukenick1]

Found this on Dr. Sears

The seasonal flu causes about 20 infant and 100 total pediatric deaths each year in the U.S. The swine flu has so far caused 112 pediatric deaths. So, that’s about the same as the regular flu. From April through the end of July, there were about 43,000 confirmed swine flu cases, with 5000 hospitalizations and about 300 deaths in all ages according to the CDC website. More deaths have occurred since then. This is no different from the regular flu. They’ve stopped officially counting the number of cases because it’s now too widespread to keep track of. But the bottom line is that the swine flu is about the same level of seriousness as the regular flu. So, take your pick which to do first. You may want to start with the regular flu shot since it’s available right now.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Absolutely, as soon as it is available. They(and DH and I) already got the seasonal influenza vaccine, and I hope will get the H1N1 as a nasal mist. I wanted them spaced apart a few weeks.

I am hoping the schools/universities here will offer the H1N1 vaccine, but no one seems to know anything yet. Our Ped does not know if they will get any.

 

[Pennykay]

Found this on Dr. Sears

The seasonal flu causes about 20 infant and 100 total pediatric deaths each year in the U.S. The swine flu has so far caused 112 pediatric deaths. So, that’s about the same as the regular flu. From April through the end of July, there were about 43,000 confirmed swine flu cases, with 5000 hospitalizations and about 300 deaths in all ages according to the CDC website. More deaths have occurred since then. This is no different from the regular flu. They’ve stopped officially counting the number of cases because it’s now too widespread to keep track of. But the bottom line is that the swine flu is about the same level of seriousness as the regular flu. So, take your pick which to do first. You may want to start with the regular flu shot since it’s available right now.

I think you are forgetting that flu season hasn't even started yet. Quoting numbers from the first wave of the pandemic and comparing them to a normal flu season is misleading. Once we get into Oct. and beyond here in the US the numbers are going to go way up. The seasonal flu does not kill normal healthy children as the swine flu does.

 

[Free4Life11]

I don't have kids but I plan to get myself vaccinated with H1N1 and regular flu shot vaccine. I can't afford to miss ANY days of work.

 

[sbell111]

I'm still on the fence about it for the kids.

My Perinatologist is pushing me to get it, but I worry about the effects it might have on my growing embryo(s) (we saw 2 sacs at our 1st u/s Monday). I would hate to get it and then find out 10-20 years later that it damaged my baby(ies) somehow.....

I would hate for the three of you to die from H1N1 because you failed to get vaccinated, but it's your choice. It should be noted that pregnant women have been vaccinated for the flu for years without it causing damage to their unborn children.

You can ask for thimiserol (now I know how to spell it, thanks!) free vaccine, like any other vaccine. It may cost more, but if you are concerned about it then it's probably worth the cost.

The cost of all H1N1 vaccines and supplies is being picked up by the government. The only cost to patients is for administration. Therefore, there should be no cost difference between the two vaccines.

All flu vaccines are new, every single year. This vaccine was produced in the exact same manner as the seasonal vaccine.The vaccine underwent testing on both adults and children.It uses the same ingrediants as the regular seasonal flu vaccine and has been approved by the FDA.

And the FDA is so trust worthy as is the rest of the government.

My comment regarding FDA approval was in response to one poster stating that it hadn't been approved. Frankly, I don't get the 'how can you trust the government' type replies. Either FDA approval is important to you or not. Either way, it has been approved.

 

[luvwinnie]

The person who said adjuvants are added is wrong. They may be added in the future, but they haven't been yet.

 

[luvwinnie]

National News, Swine Flu »
U.S. decides it won't use adjuvants to enhance swine flu vaccine
By Plain Dealer wire services
September 21, 2009, 9:38PM

Children ages 10 to 17, who are among those facing the greatest risk from the swine flu, appear to need just one dose of the new vaccine, but younger children will probably need two, federal health officials reported Monday.

Preliminary results from tests involving about 600 subjects ages 6 months to 17 years found that 76 percent of those age 10 and older who received a standard single shot experienced a strong enough response within eight to 10 days to assume they would be protected. But only 25 percent to 36 percent of the younger children had a strong response, indicating that they will need two shots.

The findings mark the second piece of good news about the new swine flu vaccine. Officials reported Sept. 14 that adults would probably need only one shot, despite expectations that all ages would need two doses in order to prime the immune system against a new virus.

However, a debate is raging over the use of adjuvants -- a class of substances that somewhat mysteriously increase the potency of vaccines. Early studies suggest that adjuvants (pronounced AD-joo-vants) could allow four times as many people to be immunized against the H1N1 pandemic influenza with a given amount of vaccine. So with the world facing possibly severe shortages of vaccine, the World Health Organization and some health experts have been calling for the use of adjuvants to stretch the vaccine supply.

Wealthy nations have contracted for much of the expected pandemic vaccine production, leaving little for poorer countries.

But while Canada and some European nations will use vaccines containing adjuvants, American officials have decided against it for now. They say that they have enough vaccine and that the safety of the additives has not been proven.

"These are products that potentially can be given to millions of healthy people," said Dr. Jesse Goodman, chief scientist at the Food and Drug Administration. "There is not a known, specific safety danger or issue" with the adjuvants, Goodman acknowledged. "There's just more uncertainty."

Officials also fear that using an adjuvant would raise public fears about vaccine safety at a time when their challenge might be about to shift from procuring enough vaccine to persuading people to use it.

 

[kiddo76]

No kids, but I am considering getting vaccinated when it becomes available to the general public. I work in town government and they are strongly recommending us to get both the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine.

It’s crazy how much misinformation is out there concerning the H1N1 vaccine. I received a few documents at work from the Director of the Maine CDC, Dr. Dora Mills, that I think are excellent in addressing many of the rumors floating around. I did some searching and found them posted online.

Apparently I can’t post links. The articles can be found here
knoxcounty. midcoast. com
Click on H1N1 Informational Article and H1N1 Truth vs Fiction

Some of the info is specific to Maine, but most of it is general information.

From the articles

Is the H1N1 vaccine fast tracked?
• Vaccines against novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection are being produced using methods similar to those used for seasonal influenza vaccines.

• Licensure of vaccines against novel influenza A (H1N1) virus is based on the same licensure standards used for seasonal influenza vaccines, as is done routinely each year when strains are changed in the seasonal vaccine.

• Both live, attenuated and inactivated influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine formulations will be available initially; as with seasonal influenza vaccines, neither of these vaccines will contain adjuvants.

Will the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine contain thimerosal?
• The 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines that FDA is licensing (approving) will be manufactured in several formulations. Some will come in multi-dose vials and will contain thimerosal as a preservative. Multi-dose vials of seasonal influenza vaccine also contain thimerosal to prevent potential contamination after the vial is opened.
• Some 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines will be available in single-dose units, which will not require the use of thimerosal as a preservative. In addition, the live-attenuated version of the vaccine, which is administered intranasally (through the nose), is produced in single-units and will not contain thimerosal.

I prefer to listend to the CDC Director over a TV doctor.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

I prefer to listend to the CDC Director over a TV doctor.

ITA!

I am amazed at the misinformation out there and how even many medical personnel are misinformed!

 

[sbell111]

ITA!

I am amazed at the misinformation out there and how even many medical personnel are misinformed!

I think that some doctors get so busy that they can't (don't?) take the time to actually research issues like this. Instead, they either fall back on the misinformation that is going around or they succumb to indecision.

 

[Tinkerbelle'sMOM]

If the vaccine had been available 6 months sooner, it would have been the 3rd component of the regular flu shot. Just food for thought.

As a healthcare provider, I have to get it or wear a horrible mask for 12 hours a day when I work. Yuck. I will be getting my teenager the shot also as we have several very sick teens up in our PICU right now and about 10 moms in L/D that tested positive...2 of the babies are in NICU in isolation right now. We had a mom die 2 weeks ago not long after giving birth to her baby...she was positive for H1N1. This flu seems to go to pneumonia pretty quick.

 

[mickeyboat]

DDs 9 & 10 will be getting it.

 

[disney1990]

If the vaccine had been available 6 months sooner, it would have been the 3rd component of the regular flu shot. Just food for thought.

I just read through all the postings looking to see if somebody brought this up. Yes, if H1N1 had been detected just a little sooner, it would be in the regular flu shot and nobody would have given it a 2nd thought.

I am glad that my DD has decided to give my 2 granddaughters (9 & 11) both the regular and the H1N1 flu shots. I would hate for something to happen to them - they are both asthmatic.

 

[livie1205]

No kids, but I am considering getting vaccinated when it becomes available to the general public. I work in town government and they are strongly recommending us to get both the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine.

It’s crazy how much misinformation is out there concerning the H1N1 vaccine. I received a few documents at work from the Director of the Maine CDC, Dr. Dora Mills, that I think are excellent in addressing many of the rumors floating around. I did some searching and found them posted online.

Apparently I can’t post links. The articles can be found here
knoxcounty. midcoast. com
Click on H1N1 Informational Article and H1N1 Truth vs Fiction

Some of the info is specific to Maine, but most of it is general information.

From the articles





I prefer to listend to the CDC Director over a TV doctor.

100% correct!! There is NO WAY I would risk my kids because of what a T.V. dr said! nope...We all use the same dr and He has been my doc for 13 yrs and has never give me cause to not trust him, he says get it..

 

[justhat]

My kids will get the vaccine when it is out, as will I since I am pregnant, and for my husband it will be mandatory (hospital physician) or he will not be allowed to report to work.

 

[mhsjax]

I would hate for the three of you to die from H1N1 because you failed to get vaccinated, but it's your choice. It should be noted that pregnant women have been vaccinated for the flu for years without it causing damage to their unborn children.

The cost of all H1N1 vaccines and supplies is being picked up by the government. The only cost to patients is for administration. Therefore, there should be no cost difference between the two vaccines.
My comment regarding FDA approval was in response to one poster stating that it hadn't been approved. Frankly, I don't get the 'how can you trust the government' type replies. Either FDA approval is important to you or not. Either way, it has been approved.

Why would you assume that the person would die because they didn't get vaccinated, wow, do you work for the company. I don't know why you are so quick to think everyone should get vaccinated, I just can't believe that you actually said that. And my statement about the FDA and the government not being trustworthy is pretty self explantory, They aren't trust worthy and just because the FDA deems it safe doesn't mean that it is. I don't know what is so hard to understand about that.

 

[klj27]

I just thought of a new concern. My husband works in a school and he said they will be administering the mist and the shot. None of us can get the mist because my ten year old has asthma. Is he going to be safe at school if a lot of the kids he is with all day long get the mist?

 

[CowboyCO]

We will not vaccinate our son. This vaccine was rushed out way too quickly to be tested. To me, the cure is worse than the disease.

My cousin is an MD and just had a conference call with the CDC about the H1N1 vaccine. According to him, this vaccine was developed usin the exact same process as the seasonal flu vaccine. It is a different process than the one used in the 1970s when more people died from the vaccine than from the flu itself. He said this flu is not especially virulent, but that because of the way if effects the pulmonary system, that children up to 24 years and anyone with asthma or other lung problem should get the vaccine. He said CDC is estimated 30,000 deaths from the H1N1, in additional to deaths from the seasonal flu. He said the vaccine should be out in the next week or two.

So, my DW, who has asthma and my two sons will get it and I won't since I am not at significant risk.