In the past couple of weeks I have had a couple of interesting exchanges regarding both the H1N1 and the seasonal flu, and the idea of being vaccinated against each.
During one exchange a friend said to me: "I'm always afraid of getting sick from the vaccine, because I had a family member who got really sick from it once." During another exchange, a family member said to me: "I don't believe in them (vaccines)."
It is illogical, unwarranted, paranoid, delusional, or sometimes just plain misinformed thought processes such as these that help contribute to the spread of flu each year.
These irrational fears could also make the current H1N1 'Swine Flu' situation worse than it needs to be. It's flu season, vaccines are safe and effective, and you need to get yourself and your family members vaccinated.
Let's begin by talking about exactly what the 'flu' is and is not. It is a contagious respiratory illness caused by any number of influenza viruses which spread from person-to-person and can cause symptoms ranging from mild to deadly. Here in America, the flu usually breaks out in the fall and lasts into the following spring.
Anyone can get the flu, but kids are particularly vulnerable because their immune systems are not fully developed. Kids also tend to have poorer hygienic habits than adults, and they also can remain contagious for twice or three times as long as adults. This means that they are highly vulnerable to the spread of influenza at schools, day cares, and even just among kids within that same family at home.
Others at increased risk of contracting the flu include senior citizens, infants and toddlers, and anyone with a chronic medical condition such as diabetes, asthma, or any heart or lung disease.
