Squeal like a pig!

[Bird]

Originally Posted by bpattie

from what I had heard and read, "us older folks" were exposed to a similar strain back in the late 50's or early 60's

Yep, Bill, we get the seasonal flu shot each year, but there probably won't be enough of the H1N1 vaccine for us old folks, but they claim we probably don't need it, and I'm inclined to think they're right.

[jnjpream]

I've never had a flu shot in my life.. I guess I'm of the mind set that if I get sick my body will probably do a better job of building an immunity towards other similar strains than if I was given immunity towards just a couple.

Maybe that's not how it works, but I don't like the idea of somebody messing with my immune system.. Have you seen "I Am Legend", yeah it's only a movie but you get the general creepy idea.

Up until two weeks ago, I hadn't been sick in years.

[MossRoad]

Originally Posted by jnjpream

I've never had a flu shot in my life.. I guess I'm of the mind set that if I get sick my body will probably do a better job of building an immunity towards other similar strains than if I was given immunity towards just a couple.

Maybe that's not how it works, but I don't like the idea of somebody messing with my immune system.. Have you seen "I Am Legend", yeah it's only a movie but you get the general creepy idea.

Up until two weeks ago, I hadn't been sick in years.

Yeah, you kind of wonder if you should or shouldn't get the shot. They say something like 35,000 people die from the seasonal flu each year and are expecting more than that from the H1N1. I haven't had the flu in decades. I had it real bad once as a kid. Down for a couple weeks. I usually don't get a seasonal flu shot but this year I got the seasonal one. We will get our kids the H1N1 when it becomes available.

Best of luck to all of you weather you get the shot or not.

[Bird]

The first time I took a flu shot was in 1960 or 1961. Three days later, I went to see a doctor because I had the flu. I didn't think I was going to be able to drive myself home, but I made it home and didn't get out of bed except to go to the bathroom for 5 days. So I decided to not take flu shots. I got the flu once every year or two bad enough to see a doctor, but never as bad as after that shot. However, they changed the formula, of course, and the way the vaccine is made, over the years, so my wife and I have both gotten the seasonal flu shot every year for over 20 years and I haven't even had a bad cold since.

I can understand people being afraid to take the flu shots, but I reckon I'll keep on taking them. The last few years, my wife and I have gotten ours the first day they were available.

[IslandTractor]

Originally Posted by jnjpream

I've never had a flu shot in my life.. I guess I'm of the mind set that if I get sick my body will probably do a better job of building an immunity towards other similar strains than if I was given immunity towards just a couple.

Maybe that's not how it works, but I don't like the idea of somebody messing with my immune system..

No, that is not the way it works. Your immune system will do a better job if it has seen a similar or related virus via vaccination than if you are immunologically "naive". Both the seasonal influenza and the added H1N1 vaccines are valuable allies to your immune system.

It is sad that in a country that can afford to provide public health services, like vaccination, that so many are confused about the value of vaccines like those for influenza. It is a tragedy that for the country with the world's premier public health organization (CDC) that so many listen to self proclaimed experts on the internet who discourage people from following CDC's advice. Kinda like choosing to look up fighting fires on the internet instead of listening to trained firemen in my opinion.

[MossRoad]

Originally Posted by IslandTractor

No, that is not the way it works. Your immune system will do a better job if it has seen a similar or related virus via vaccination than if you are immunologically "naive". Both the seasonal influenza and the added H1N1 vaccines are valuable allies to your immune system.

Well, now, see... that is helpful information!

Hey, maybe we should move this post to the related topics forum?

Any objections?

[arrow]

Regular flu is also an H1N1 variety. The pork industry was worried that it would impinge on their sales with the "swine flu" connotation as it has in the past so the government put the good old H1N1 tag on it. This H1N1 carries quite a few variants however but its basic structure is still H1N1.

[Bird]

I was talking to a local doctor this afternoon and asked him if he'd gotten any of the H1N1 vaccine. He had not. He said he ordered 600 doses and the whole state of Texas got 500.

[Bird]

I moved this thread from the Owning/Operating forum to this forum where it might be seen by more people and left a one month redirect in the old location.

[IslandTractor]

Originally Posted by Bird

I was talking to a local doctor this afternoon and asked him if he'd gotten any of the H1N1 vaccine. He had not. He said he ordered 600 doses and the whole state of Texas got 500.

Initially there is limited availability but that should change over the next month or so. Pregnant women, children and healthcare workers will be prioritized for the first lots of vaccine so most people won't really be able to get the H1N1 vaccine for another month or more. In the meantime, the regular seasonal flu vaccine is readily available so don't delay in getting that one.

Take your kids (especially the young ones) to the pediatrician soon as they probably will have both vaccines (shortly if not already).

I'm pretty sure the Republic of Texas has received more than 500 doses by now but they may not have been distributing them to local docs very efficiently or may be sending them to pediatricians and OB/GYN practices and hospitals first.