People all over the world are getting cold feel about the new vaccination for the H1N1 flu. Is it really safe?
Some reports say that complications have developed after some people took the jab. There is even one report that says a boy fell sick and had to be sent to the hospital after having taken the jab.
In the United States, most of the flu cases are H1N1 related. It has been reported that more than a 1000 Americans have died from H1N1. It is probably a good idea to have taken the jab if you intend to travel to the U.S
Three weeks ago, I took the jab myself. Sure enough, there were side effects. I felt light headed, I had some loss of appetite, my arm felt numb but it did not affect my daily routine. I was carrying out my day without much difficulty. The next day, the numbness in my arm was gone and what was left with was a yellow mark. However, it faded off within the next few days. In these three weeks, I have not experienced further side effects.
However, the debate continues as doctors discuss the necessity of the vaccine. Some doctors have decided to not get the vaccine themselves.
In the online portal ChineseMedicineTools.com, a forum is provided to doctors, the topic being ‘What to say to Patients about the Swine Flu vaccination’
A doctor named Ryan says ‘Recently I have been asked on a daily basis "should I get the swine flu vaccination? ".
‘What if anything are you other practitioners saying and passing along. Do you pass along any evidence or research based information to help them make a decision or do you just leave them to make the decision on their own…’
One doctor tells them to be neutral about it and not give their second opinion:
Don't take the risk, be neutral.
The states are requiring all hospital workers in California and New York to get immunize, so don't have much of a choice in this economy
It worries one that doctors would think that way. Doctors are the walking and talking encyclopaedias of medicine. If they are unsure of the H1N1 vaccine, who would be willing to take it?
As a reader however, it seems to me that the chances of having adverse effects seems very rare. Looking at the odds, it seems like many of those who have taken the jab have survived and seemed to have handled things fairly well. As for the reports of those who have suffered the adverse effects from H1N1 jab, well, it seems it is a minority.
Personally, after having gone for the jab, I still feel alright. And of all the comments regarding the H1N1 vaccination, my own experience is most worthy to me.
Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it but you can read about the vaccine yourself from http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_safety_qa.htm
It is true that the H1N1 vaccination contains some mercury; however it is lesser than that of a can of tuna (yup, better take a second look at that can of tuna). Also, there are certain groups, such as pregnant women or people who are have a serious life threatening to substances in the vaccine such as egg, who should not take the jab.
As one concerned mother, a nurse by profession, stated in an online Canadian article, “I'm not going to risk my health, my family's health, or my patients' health because of the small chance of a reaction," she said.
"Honestly, people who don't get vaccinated irk me because the whole principle of vaccines is that they work best when everyone is vaccinated."
Amen to that.
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