No, you're more or less on the money with your explanation, atlhough I'm not sure the mortality rates support the idea that young people are going to start dropping dead en masse. The comparison is always made to the 1918 Spanish Flu in how it disproportionately killed young people, but what's forgotten is that prior to the Spanish Flu there had been a previous minor epidemic that the old folks had been around for, and so had acquired some immunity to the new virus, and thus, did not die. On another note, I've got to ask - why the anti-vaccine scare running around? The number of people saying they won't get immunized is kind of disturbing. I totally get being afraid of vaccines or not caring enough, but what gets me is the people coming out of the woodwork thinking that all of a sudden scientists aren't competent enough to make safe vaccines (nevermind that you've all received about a dozen vaccines over the course of your life, which only had the effect of helping you not die of whooping cough or be paralyzed by measles). If anyone wants to explain themselves, I'd really like to hear it.
I can't find any links right now, but there were some public arguments regarding the safety of the vaccine in the Canadian press, between government health officials and some medical experts. I believe the argument was that it was rushed, not fully tested, and it was unknown whether or not it was going to be safe and/or effective. I also believe there were some early reports about some bad reactions to the vaccine as well. I remember reading the articles (I think they appeared in the BC newspapers), and it seemed (on the surface, at least) that each side was equally qualified to talk about it, but they had differing opinions. Again, I have no links, but there was enough controversy around it to cause more than a few people to say "now just hold on a second" when it comes to getting the flu shot. I also have no doubt that a major part of the problem was shit reporting by the "professional" journalists.
I do know for a fact that the Spanish Flu of 1918 killed a lot of young, healthy people that way and that it was a strain of H1N1 so I wouldn't be surprised if this is true. On an anecdotal level I'd also say that statement is accurate. My brother and I both have great immune systems and both of us got our vaccine the hard way a few weeks ago. I was bedridden for a week and he was hospitalized with respiratory complications and is just now recovering. Focus: I thought along the lines of Pascal's Wager and planned to get my vaccine but as you can read above Nature beat me to the punch.
My wife is a physician and she has to be vaccinated in order to continue working. Unfortunately the hospital she works for rant out of vaccine the first day it was available. I don't plan on getting vaccinated just because I'm not that worried about having to experience the flu. Obviously the recent reports that there is a higher mortality rate for younger people is concerning, but I am not immuno-compromised, and am therefore not too worried about it killing me if I get it. Apparently though, the elderly are in an uproar about being turned away for vaccinations because the clinics are trying to save the vaccine for young people. My great grandfather died in the influenza epidemics in 1918, let's hope I don't repeat.
It is hard to talk about this without mentioning politics. Others might feel the same way. Odd to leave that tid bit out, but I will try. Anyways, this is media hype, just like the avian flu/bird flu or sars. Funny how they have a vaccine so quickly, when the common cold can't even be cured. It is also odd how it is a struggle to meet demand with the normal flu vaccination, but suddenly, there will be swine flu vaccinations for all that need them. That is what is being claimed so far. I will not take it, with all the BS ingredients found in the normal vaccination. From what I have heard, the symptoms are less severe then the seasonal flu and most people recover without a problem. In fact, a significantly higher amount of people die from the seasonal flu, than people who die from the swine flu, on a yearly basis. People who claim they have had it, generally mention that is a weaker version of the seasonal flu. I feel if a person does enough research, they are just qualified as the average pill pusher, I mean, doctor, to make their own decision about their own body. Sadly, some health care workers are already being forced to get the vaccination, against their will. Welcome to the MIC (medical industrial complex).
H1N1 killed around 5000 people IN THE WORLD, IN A YEAR. That's almost as much as malaria... in two fucking days. How people can talk about this and not laugh is beyond my understanding.
Because it's somewhat relevant to us. When was the last time you knew somebody that had malaria, never mind died from it? It's right up there with scurvy. Well, actually, I know someone who was diagnosed with scurvy last year because she was a moron and didn't understand basic nutrition, but that's another story. Sure, the media and everyone else is over-hyping it, but it's having a direct affect on my life right now. I was sick for almost a week, as were a large number of people at my office. And part of this thread is to see if there IS anything under all that media crap that's worth knowing, instead of just dismissing it out of hand.
I was going to refute both of these statements, but each of them does the job perfectly for the other.
When I came to Singapore in July I was quarantined for 1 week (except they called it "social distancing", like I'm going to need any help with that) and was not allowed into any university buildings. Staying in my bare room quickly became boring so I skipped out and went sightseeing most days. They still do weekly temperature self-checks over here, but they've stopped placing nurses at the doorways ready to attack you with a thermometer before you try get into any campus buildings. I sometimes see people on the MRT wearing masks but as a whole they don't seem to be too bothered.
I traveled to Thailand and Philippines in places at risk of malaria and I know a friend who caught it in Africa. It's relevant to me. I won't get the vaccine and I'm dismissing it because I think it's a big big waste of money (and also because my immune system is worth something, my wife caught it and it didn't have any effect on me). It could have been a serious threat to us (see: spanish flu) but so far, nothing happened. The money could have been invested in pretty much anything else and would have been way more profitable. Research on cancer or AIDS, building parks for kids, teaching basic nutrition to the general population, whatever. I see fat and unhealthy people everyday at my university, and the potential effects for them are way worse than two weeks feeling like shit and having to stay in bed. They won't move off their fat asses, but they freak out because I don't wash my hands every five minutes. Thanks bacon flu.
I haven't had the flu since I had mono about 7 years ago (thankful). I got a delightful taste of every sickness with that, though. I know I'm not alone in my thoughts that the elderly don't need to be getting vaccinated for shit. If you're over 50, you're not supposed to be alive anyway. Death by flu isn't nearly as bad as what's likely to kill you anyway, so stop with the vaccinations, old folks. I've had a few friends tell me they've been diagnosed with the swine. I've also shared cigarettes and drinks with them, and I've been alright so far. I did have a bitching case of bronchitis about a month ago, though, so I think I'm set as far as being sick this year.
I had it. I was basically K.O.'d for 4 or 5 days (I'm not sure because, funny thing, being unconscious for a majority of the time I didn't really keep track of time). Worse yet the second day I was out of commission just happened to be the day of my French final in a class I was doing poorly in and NEEDED a stellar grade to improve my GPA. This basically means I spent the night before the final chugging coffee while dripping it back out again in the form of mucous and attempting to remain incredibly focused while passing out, and the next day struggling to stay awake and running to the bathroom 5 times during the exam because my nose started dripping on the test if I didn't blast it clear every 15 minutes. On the plus side after i finished the exam my roommates were gone for the week, so I had the whole house to myself. I basically arrived home, collapsed on the reclining couch, put on a weekend-long marathon of MSNBC's Lockup, and spent 72 hours fading in and out of consciousness on that couch while pedophiles, rapists, drug addicts, pimps, and gang members stabbed each other out of sheer boredom. I think I also ate some corn dogs at one point. Corn dogs kick ass. It was a fairly good conclusion to a bad situation. Plus I somehow wrangled a B in the class, which wasn't exactly what I was hoping for but given the situation I think is medal-worthy. The whole media situation is totally nonsensical since H1N1 has a lower mortality rate than the regular flu. I don't really see what the worry is. It's like an army makes a tank that has less armor, less firepower, and less speed and suddenly everybody starts panicking about certain death. What the fuck. Also fuck yeah, MS paint.
I think the hype has fueled the spread of it. In my town, 400 of the 1700 students in one of the high schools is out with it. In one of the junior highs, 100 of the 800 students are out with it. I have never gotten a flu shot and I never plan on it. My immune system has never let me down, and I have a hunch that I won't be bothered by this flu. I'm a youth group leader for junior high and high school students, so weekly I am in the presence of kids from age 12-18, and although some of them claim to have it and most claim to have spent time around people that have it, I'm not worried about this one more than any flu/cold. I blame the immune systems of children nowadays. They are raised like pussies and can't handle the smallest problems.
I'm not an expert either, but take a look at this: http://www.newscientist.com/article...ed-swine-flu-still-poses-a-deadly-threat.html. And this. You're a moron. Please provide a credible source on the "BS ingredients" in vaccines or shut the hell up. This kind of scaremongering is helping no one. (And no, Jenny McCarthy et al. aren't credible sources.)
Wow. There is a lot of people who are saying they won't be getting the vaccine. Which is odd. I'm not getting it because I already had the swine. But what are your reasons? Are you a) just really, really lazy?, b) without health insurance and unwilling to get it/unwilling to pay for it, or c) stupid like our friend carl24?
Unlike most of you, I'm old enough to remember the last time the Swine flu caused an uproar, back in the mid seventies. Then, as now, there were dire predictions of deaths from the flu, as well as a controversy over the safety of the vaccine. Anyone read about in their history books? See the PBS documentary? Attend the fundraising concert for Swine flu victims? Of course not, because then, as now, the hype greatly exceeded the risk. I haven't had H1N1, but will be getting the vaccine when available, just as I get the standard flu vaccine every year. No panic here- this just what I would consider normal preventative care.
The #1 ingredient in all vaccines is Dihydrogen Monoxide. http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html With a name that scary it has to be bad for you.
Yah, how so? Straw man attacks (Ad hominem)!! If you don't know of the toxic ingredients, then I implore you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions.
Misanthropic beat me to it, but basically this has all happened before in 1976. Back then, the vaccine was rushed and turned out to be more dangerous than the disease itself. I doubt this vaccine will have the same problems, but the parallels are disturbing.
I never get flu vaccinations because I'm not in the high-risk group and, like another person on the board mentioned, it is just a guess of which virus will be prevalent for the year. The reason I am not getting the swine flu vaccine are relatively the same. Yes, this vaccine is specific for this virus, but there are already strains out that this vaccine cannot cover. I don't know where the info is coming from concerning the major target group being young, healthy adults (all pages, including the CDC show that the same risk group - young children and the elderly - are still considered high risk), other than the fact that it is widely reported on the sensational news networks. It also seems to be weaker than the seasonal flu, as well, which you can either immunize yourself from artificially or naturally. Some people believe in building their immune system up naturally, and I don't think it's necessary to call people lazy or stupid because of it. Everyone bases their decision off of what information they are receptive to, and there seems to be just as many people running out to get the vaccine than there are people that don't want it - just like every flu season. It's not a big deal normally, so why make it a big deal by putting an animal name in front of it? It's still the flu. It will still infect thousands of people. It will still kill some of them (typically, less than 1%), and there will be just as many people getting the flu vaccine and getting sick, getting the flu vaccine and not getting sick, not getting the vaccine and getting sick, and not getting the vaccine and not getting sick. The biggest fear that I have seen for this is that there was not a decent vaccine developed for it (even though we've had outbreaks in the recent history - if it were that deadly, you'd think there would have been some development in that department), and that having thousands of people out of the workplace, potentially, is a somewhat scary thought during a recession. It's not because this is a super-killer. It's because it is something that can easily be sensationalized. So, get the vaccine, don't get the vaccine, close yourself off in a bubble if you wish, or - you know - just practice good hygiene. Chances are, most of us will live through it. Besides, if I am ever going to reach my dream of being a Washington Redskins Cheerleader (seriously? At least push to be a Cowgirls Cheerleader if that's your dream. Aim high), I cannot take a chance of being jacked up like sweetheart on the news clip.