Influenza kills people every year. To date the numbers of deaths from the Swine Flu, H1N1, virus have not been reported as being exceptionally outside the norm. The fear, as I understood official reports, was that a second wave of Swine Flu was coming, one in which the virus will have mutated and become far more deadly. So far at least, according to a new realease from the CDC that hasn't happened, the Swine Flu virus has not mutated as it makes its way through the southern hemisphere.
As reported in USA Today:
"The H1N1 flu strain doesn't appear to be mutating as it makes its way through the Southern Hemisphere, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today in a briefing.
One of the biggest fears has been that the virus, which first appeared in April in the U.S. and Mexico and which people don't have any built-up immunity to, might mutate into an even more dangerous form. Health officials have been keeping a close watch on the Southern Hemisphere, which is in its winter season now, to see what form of the virus is likely to travel north as fall comes to the U.S. and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere.
Flu viruses are unpredictable, so the fact that this one hasn't mutated is "somewhat reassuring" said Jay Butler, director of CDC's H1N1 Vaccine Task Force."
The failure of the Swine Flu to mutate .. to date .. will not stop the roll out of the massive Swine Flu vaccine buys by most western nations. The health authorities have invested much of their credibility in predicting a swine flu pandemic which does not yet appear to have materialized. Massive amounts of public monies have been invested. The vaccines will be given.
With young children and pregnant women near the top of the priority list for receipt of swine flu vaccines, and with the vaccines still containing thimerosal and adjuvants we will experience an unplanned observational study of whether vaccines are causally related to autism. The IACC pulled an observational study of vaccinated and unvaccinated populations off the table in January and IACC head Dr. Thomas Insel spent much of his credibility in opposing the need or the ethics of such a study. Despite the comments of medical and health professionals like Dr. Bernadine Healy, Dr. Julie Gerberding and Neurologist, professor and successful parental autism vaccine litigant Dr. Jon Poling, and despite the direct observations and cries of thousands of parents the IACC will NOT do a study which might confirm a vaccine autism connection. The Swine Flu vaccination program targeting young children and pregnant women might in fact save many lives as the health authorities continue to maintain. The same program might, unfortunately, provide evidence of a vaccine autism connection.
If another upswing in autism diagnoses occurs in 2011-13 remember the Swine Flu Vaccine program of 2009-10.
autism
We have been told by our family Dr and our Ped's over the years that there is no reason to vaccinate healthy children from the flu. 4000 or so Cdn's die every year from the regular flu, 168 or so have died so far from Swine Flu and all have had "extenuating circumstances". There were summer camps of children full of it in Ontario this summer and none had it severely, none went to the hospital.
ReplyDeleteWe won't be getting the vaccine. If they bring it to the school we won't be there that day, even after we say "no".
We've had our other shots "regular", plus the unpaid meningitus one.
If they demand we stay home when it's in the school... we'll stay home.
We have never gotten flu shots, even before autism was in our lives. Well, dh gets them because the Navy makes him do it, but otherwise he would not. My mother is a nurse and never gets a flu shot either. I wonder how many healthcare workers turn the flu shot down for themselves or for their children? Probably more than we realize.
ReplyDeleteIt's so sad, but you're right. I just wonder when they will listen.
ReplyDeleteI am a nurse in the Emergency Room, and also a Mom of a son with autism.
ReplyDeleteNo H1N1 vaccination for me,and definity not my boys!!!
I cringe when they are putting pregnant and mom's up to 4 weeks post-partum on a priority list.
People....wash your hands lots!!!! I tell my boys especially before & after using the bathroom, before eating, and if you are around someone with symptoms.
Wear a mask only if someone you are close to has symptoms....and I just don't mean a cough. Fever, body aches, fatigue. You shouldn't be around these folks anyway.
Using common-sense and universal precautions will be plenty.
My personal belief on vaccines are they protray a false sense of security, and not enough long-term studies to safely determine effectiveness.
Dawn
This will be very interesting. No flu shots and lots of hand washing for my family! Even with boys with asthma, we refuse the flu shots, and I am used to Doctors arguing with me! I'll take that over the shot anyday.
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