Should a Person Get an Influenza Vaccine?

Flu Pandemics Cause People to Weigh Their Options

Sep 14, 2009 Cynthia Jones-Shoeman

H1N1 is not the first pandemic flu virus, but with a global epidemic and even seasonal flu, potential sufferers must decide if being vaccinated is worth it.

Flu pandemics occur from time to time, but every year a flu season occurs because flu viruses mutate. The recent swine flu pandemic declared by the World Health Organization has made many people concerned, and vaccinations will soon be made available to the public. Recently, an article on CNN entitled “Study: Single Dose of H1N1 Flu Vaccine May Suffice for Adults” stated that the vaccine elicited “a strong immune response,” meaning-as the title implies-one dose may be all it takes for most people to become immune to the most recent influenza virus, commonly known as swine flu.

The question then becomes whether or not one wants to be vaccinated. Flu vaccinations are available every year for seasonal flu, so this question is one that is asked frequently. While many people see the logic in obtaining the immunization, others are not convinced.

Reasons People Should be Immunized Against a Flu Virus

Obviously, the most urgent reason to be immunized would be to avoid death or to alleviate suffering. According to the Centers for Disease Control, influenza (along with pneumonia) is the eighth highest cause of death in the United States, so dying from the flu is not unheard of. More than that, however, influenza causes a great deal of pain and discomfort to one who has it. Obtaining the annual flu vaccine can prevent a person from getting the disease; therefore, it also stops it from spreading. Because there are new strains every year, old vaccinations do not protect against new strains.

Another argument that advocates of the vaccine give for urging people to be immunized is that many people get secondary infections after getting the flu virus (such as pneumonia). If a person’s immune system is weakened by the flu and then he gets pneumonia, he is more likely to have a hard time fighting it off because of his depleted immune system.

Finally, Susan Stevens, in “5 Reasons to Get a Flu Shot (Other Than the Obvious One),” points out that the cost of the vaccination is less expensive than the potential price of treating the illness. If one loses several days of work due to illness from the flu, the pay she misses can add up (not to mention the cost of the doctor’s visit, medications, etc.). The flu shot is “a pretty good return on your investment.”

Some people contend that these reasons aren’t good enough to convince them to get the vaccination. Here’s why.

Reasons People Should Avoid Flu Vaccinations

Many people are adamant about avoiding the flu vaccine. One reason people oppose the immunizations is because swine flu vaccinations have been connected with the incidence of people contracting Guillain-Barre syndrome, a disorder causing paralysis. The thought is that the flu can be survived if one is healthy, so why risk lifelong paralysis?

Another argument given by opponents of the flu vaccination is that flu vaccines contain a substance called an adjuvant. Adjuvants are meant to enhance the effects of the vaccine by making the body react more strongly in the creation of antibodies than it would without adjuvants. The problem is that they are considered by many to be toxic, dangerous, and unnecessary.

There are other objections to flu vaccines, many of them having to do with substances used in vaccination compounds. A different argument, however, has been posed by Texas Representative Ron Paul, who says, “Nearly $8 billion will be spent to address a ‘potential pandemic flu’ which could result in mandatory vaccinations for no discernable reason other than to enrich the pharmaceutical companies that make the vaccine.” He is opposed to the idea of inoculations that are developed mainly for profit.

A Matter of Choice

Getting the flu shot is a personal decision. Getting the vaccination is not mandatory, so one can decide on her own to get a shot or not.

Additional Sources:

CDC Deaths and Mortality, 15 May 2009: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/FASTATS/deaths.htm

Influenza Vaccine, Wikipedia, 12 Sept. 2009: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_vaccine

Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Wikipedia, 4 Sept. 2009: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillain-Barr%C3%A9_syndrome

Adjuvants, Dr. Sheri Tenpenny, 1 May 2006: http://www.newswithviews.com/Tenpenny/sherri6.htm

Ron Paul, “International Bailout Brings Us Closer to Economic Collapse,” 24 June 2009: http://www.infowars.com/international-bailout-brings-us-closer-to-economic-collapse/

BNC101

The copyright of the article Should a Person Get an Influenza Vaccine? in General Medicine is owned by Cynthia Jones-Shoeman. Permission to republish Should a Person Get an Influenza Vaccine? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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