H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine – Very Real Safety Concerns You Need to Know About

The H1N1 swine flu vaccine is quickly being sent to distributors across the country for the inoculation campaign but there is an abundant outcry of citizens in the United States and all over the world saying they have safety concerns that will keep them from getting the H1N1 flu vaccination.

Some experts say that these fears are unwarranted but a recent AP poll found only about 50% of Americans say that they are planning to get the H1N1 swine flu vaccine. The majority of those not planning to get the vaccine are the elderly who have been found to be the least vulnerable to the H1N1 swine flu virus.

75% of the respondents to the poll said they were very concerned about the possible safety issues with the vaccine. Only 40% of parents responding to a poll done by the University of Michigan said they wanted their children to get the flu shot.

What do medical professionals think about the H1N1 swine flu vaccine? A recent poll commissioned by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists discovered that pharmacy directors at 341 hospitals across the United States are finding many hospital employees are asking if the H1N1 swine flu vaccine is safe. They have the same concerns that the normal US citizens have.

In response to all these concerns many experts are continuing to stress that not only is the vaccine safe, it’s the surest way to protect yourself from the H1N1 swine flu virus.

“The H1N1 vaccine is made in exactly the same way, using the same material, the same companies, the same process as the seasonal flu vaccine we make every single year and give to tens and tens of millions of people,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. However it is very interesting that there are no U.S. companies actually manufacturing the vaccine. How many Americans realize that most of the materials used to make the vaccine are coming from China. We have seen many cases in the past where the quality control processes in China have let many faulty goods into our country. Recalls on toys and dog food quickly come to mind.

To be fair, side effects from the H1N1 swine flu vaccine have so far been mild, including tenderness and swelling at the inoculation point and a mild fever. In China, 4 of 39,000 people vaccinated reported muscle cramps and headaches.

“We’ve had experience with this particular variety of killed vaccine for 20 years, and the risks are primarily swollen arm and low-grade fever,” said Dr. Nathan Litman, director of pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. “There are some very, very rare other events, but some of them happen naturally even in those who don’t have the vaccine. The risk of disease and complications of disease is far greater than the vaccine.” Many people still do not agree with this statement.

Their concerns come from an earlier experience with the H1N1 swine flu vaccine. In 1976, the U.S. government vaccinated 43 million people against swine flu following an outbreak at Fort Dix in New Jersey. Some 500 of those who received the shot developed a rare neurodegenerative condition called Guillain-Barre syndrome, which was found to be linked to the inoculation. 25 of those 500 died.

This year’s swine flu pandemic is reported to be already completely different. The 1976 swine flu virus never spread beyond the 240 soldiers stationed at Fort Dix, while the current outbreak has already sickened more than 340,000 people worldwide, killing 4,100 or more, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The government, CDC and WHO are failing to educate the general population on what they can do as prevention beyond the swine flu vaccination. Why is their a deafening silence from the CDC and WHO on things we can do to prevent the flu?

In case you choose not to get the swine flu vaccine or have your children get the H1N1 vaccination you should know that there are good alternatives by building up your immune system with Vitamin C and Vitamin D. Even if you do decide to get the swine flu vaccine it is a good idea to start implementing a solid nutrition plan and vitamins to build up your immunity to the possibility of other flu strains mutating during the season.