H1N1 Vaccine: What you need to know
H1N1 Vaccine
Lot of talk these days about the H1N1 vaccine–alot of hysteria, as well. Media outlets are talking about health care workers (nurses, aids, doctors, etc) on the front line refusing the H1N1 vaccine, citing often conflicting and erroneous side effects, causing the Swine Flu, among other incorrect ideas.
Here are some facts from cnn.com
I’ve heard 56 children have died since April from H1N1. Could you give me more detail about this figure? I would like to know of those 56 children, how many had underlying health care problems? How many of them sought medical attention? And finally, what is the age range or average age of the 56 children?
According to the CDC, of these 56 children, 31 had a pre-existing medical condition such as spina bifida or cerebral palsy before they became infected with H1N1, 17 did not, and health authorities don’t have data on the eight other children. Among the children for whom the CDC has information, 35 died in a hospital’s intensive care unit, four died in the emergency room, three died on an inpatient ward in the hospital and five died outside the hospital, such as at home or on the way to the hospital. The average age of the children who died is 10 years old. A September 4 CDC report has more details on the pediatric deaths.
My child is 7 and I am 28 and healthy. I know he should receive the H1N1 vaccine since he’s at high risk for complications from the flu, but do I need one as well?
Technically, you, as a parent, don’t “need” an H1N1 vaccine because you don’t fall into one of the five high-risk groups designated by the CDC. However, the team of experts we consulted were unanimous that if there’s enough vaccine available, go ahead and get one if you want — they say it won’t hurt you, it will protect you from the flu, and it could help protect your child as well because you won’t be bringing the virus home to your child. “If there’s plenty of vaccine, it just makes sense to get it,” said Dr. Aaron Glatt, a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and president and CEO at New Island Hospital in Bethpage, New York.
• Will the shots contain thimerosal?
Some H1N1 shots will contain the preservative thimerosal, and others won’t, according to the CDC. You’ll have to ask your doctor (or the clinic administering the shots) which type you’re getting. Some people worry about thimerosal for children because it’s mercury-based, but the CDC says there’s no scientific evidence the preservative is harmful.
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October 2nd, 2009 at 12:46 pm
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