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Why H1N1 killed otherwise healthy kids
By adamg on Mon, 11/07/2011 - 1:31pm
CommonHealth alerts us to a Children's Hospital study that found kids infected with MRSA seemed to be especially at risk to death by flu. In some areas, up to 9% of kids now have the antibiotic-resistant bacteria living in their noses; such kids had an eightfold risk of severe and sometimes fatal H1N1 flu infections. And this, they say, is why kids need to get flu shots.
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Comments
Interesting
I tried to get flu shots for my kids years ago and ran into a lot of stupid obstacles that seem to have, amazingly, vanished instantly when H1N1 came to play. Not that the vaccines changed, or the risks of having flu vs. having the vaccine changed, the excuses for denial seemed to evaporate!
Another reason for kids to have the shots: community immunity. There have been years of trials in isolated communities where far fewer older people get sick and die when the school kids have their shots. Not that the role of schools in incubating epidemics hasn't been known for a long time, but that intervention in the process is possible.
More supply of vaccines?
It used to be that not enough flu vaccine was made for everyone, so there were preferred groups. That doesn't seem to be the case anymore.
That, and...
American pharmaceutical companies were (still are?) afraid to manufacture the vaccine, for fear of lawsuits regarding thimerisol and all kinds of other things.
Having to rely on foreign suppliers of the vaccine also caused more uncertainty re the vaccine availbility.
Not fear of lawsuits
It is fear of not getting a 200% markup on something that is out of patent.
Hey you're right
I did some quick searching and apparently there have been very, very few lawsuits over flu vaccines. AND, the technology is changing (moving away from growing them in eggs) so there are less companies willing to set up the infrastructure at least until the process completely changes.
I would think this would be easy money for the Pharms, if the vaccine is subsidized. But I guess not....especially since they they have to throw away unused doses every year
still no reason to give
still no reason to give everyone a flushot. it should only be given to those who need it (elderly, weak immunesystem, etc)
in the netherlands nobody, except those people who really need it, gets it. you will not get it if you do not need it, and most people do not need it. our bodies can fight a lot... let them do so before they loose that ability; never heard of building up an immune system?
same as letting kids get themselves dirty every now and then; their immunesystem will get stronger...
i've already been proven wrong on this thread once, BUT
re "building up an immune system" -- I'm not a doctor but I THINK that the vaccine stimulates the immune system the same way that coming down with the flu does. So, getting the vaccine builds the immune system just like being sick for a week does. (Medical professionals---please chime in, is this correct?)