Flu Prevention and Vaccination Safety Concerns

Weighing the Risk of Influenza Infection vs Vaccine Associated Risk

Sep 1, 2009 Dawn M. Smith

Growing concern over vaccine side effects and incomplete testing are causing people, including some health care professionals, to decide against the influenza injection.

Vaccination against disease has long been a mainstay of preventative health care but in recent years the side effects of vaccines have caused concern regarding their relative effectiveness. With swine and avian influenza outbreaks rapidly spreading around the world, it is important to understand the risks involved in being vaccinated as balanced against the individual’s risk of contracting influenza.

New Swine Flu Vaccine Not Completely Tested

The swine flu vaccine being given in 2009 has not gone through full testing before being distributed. Yet even the World Health Organization admits that the swine influenza has been a mild form to date. It bases its recommendations for vaccination on the potential for the virus to become more serious rather than the actual deadliness of flu’s present form.

Vaccine Safety an Increasing Health Concern

For many the risk of a bout of the flu is much less than the potential for developing Guillain Barre Syndrome or being exposed to the thimersol (a form of mercury) that is often used as a preservative. In 1976 a mass swine flu vaccine program in the United States actually resulted in more deaths from the vaccine than the disease, yet the 2009 mass vaccination program will use a product that has not been fully tested.

A Mayo Clinic retrospective study of trivalent inactivated flu vaccine use has shown that asthmatic children who received the vaccination were 3 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who were not vaccinated. Findings such as these make it important for individuals to educate themselves about influenza and vaccination.

Backlash Against Vaccination Programs

A poll among UK nurses has shown that about one third of them will not take the swine flu vaccine due to safety concerns. Many commented that the risk from swine flu was not great enough to justify the risk of vaccine induced health problems.

At the same time, a US District Court has issued a preliminary injunction to stop the compulsory vaccination programs that have been required for entry into public school for the last 30 years. The District Court has stated that the federal government has been negligent in that it failed to properly investigate the safety of flu vaccines scheduled for use in 2009-2010.

Alternatives to Influenza Vaccination

Preventing serious illness without being vaccinated in the face of an influenza outbreak is possible for some. Standard hygiene measures such has hand-washing and avoiding exposure to sick individuals is the first step. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by exercising and eating well will aid in optimizing individual immune function.

Some individuals may prefer to explore alternatives including Traditional Chinese Medicine for flu prevention, which uses herbs such as astragalus and ginseng to strengthen the immune system and fight infection.

Ultimately each individual must weigh their personal risk factors including other illnesses and risk of exposure against the potential problems caused by vaccines, working closely with a health care professional to determine the best course of action during a flu outbreak.

The copyright of the article Flu Prevention and Vaccination Safety Concerns in General Medicine is owned by Dawn M. Smith. Permission to republish Flu Prevention and Vaccination Safety Concerns in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Vaccine Induced Health Problems a Growing Concern

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