President Obama declared Swine flu a national emergency on Saturday. My family will get the vaccine if it is available to us on time, despite the overblown warnings against it. I won’t legitimize those concerns by linking to them.
I’ve been getting seasonal flu shots for years now and I promise you they’re no fun. There is the initial pain, stiffness the next morning, and a week or two later minor aches and pains and sniffles for a day or two; all minor compared to flu symptoms. There is also a risk with flu vaccines, and I have no trouble believing that the risk might be higher with this vaccine, but then, so is the risk for not getting the vaccine.
Look folks, I disagree with just about everything President Obama and his administration say and do, but I have to be reasonable in my criticism. The administration is not putting some chemical into the mix that will turn our children into socialists through some twisted plot worthy of the Manchurian Candidate Returns. It’s a flu shot. That’s all.
And an additional point. I wrote that my family will get the vaccine if it is available to us on time. You’re probably well aware by now that production is way too slow relative to the speed the flu is spreading. It is tempting to get angry but I really like the comment by CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden, “Even if you yell at them, they don’t grow faster.” Yelling won’t do any good but critical thought could help avoid these problems next time. There will be a next time.
The vaccine is made by private companies but all of this is coordinated by the CDC, a government organization that absolutely should receive more than adequate funding and support. Think about that the next time you cheer your member of Congress for bringing home the pork. Everything that government does has a cost. This is a case where that cost is not measured by the money wasted on pork barrel spending that should have gone to the CDC preparation for the nation’s defense against diseases and bio warfare. The cost of pork barrel spending over the years will now be measured in H1N1 vaccine delayed, and unfortunately in the resulting deaths.
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I have never gotten a seasonal flu shot as it always sounded ludicrous that they could guess what strain of virus would be coming. It has been over 10 years since I have had the flu. I think it would be a good time for everyone to assess their eating habits as a healthy body is the best protection for a multitude of ills. Luckily I do not have children to decide for, but at least make an informed decision and decide is this the best way to hedge your bets.
Here is a link to Mike Adams at Natural News regarding this “emergency declaration”. http://www.naturalnews.com/027330_fema_pandemic_H1N1.html
I’m with you on this one, Bob. People are rewarded for skipping the shot, since the risk of complications is rare, but H1N1 seems to be killing (in small numbers) young, healthy people. My kids and I will get the vaccine, if we don’t get the flu first! Nancy: why not eat well, manage stress, AND get the shot?