Since it first reared its ugly head in the spring, I’ve been tracking the H1N1 pandemic. More recently, I’ve taken interest in the H1N1 vaccine.
I spoke with contacts at the Mayo Clinic, World Health Organization, and the Center for Disease Control, as well as a handful of medical professionals, and asked them the question on the minds of many Americans: Is the vaccine safe?
No one is willing to say at this point, since the vaccine is only now being delivered to cities across the country. There are, however, safety measures you can take if you choose to get vaccinated.
1. It is important to know that the vaccine comes in different forms. One is administered as a nasal spray. This is a new type of delivery system and uses a live virus, rather than a dead virus, which is found in the injectable shot. If you want to get vaccinated, choose the injectable dead virus not the live virus nasal mist. The nasal form of the vaccine is new, and I wouldn’t want to test myself or my child on a novel delivery system of a live virus. The live virus may pose dangers that medical researchers are not yet aware of.
2. Before you vaccinate your kids, get the vaccine yourself. Wait a few days and if there are no serious side effects, then your spouse can be vaccinated. If there are no side effects for mom or dad, there is less of a chance for the kids to have side effects, since your children are your genetic offspring.
3. To be really safe, you can choose to have your kids vaccinated one at a time, oldest first (unless your children are not genetically related, in which case, there is no advantage).
4. If you choose to get vaccinated, there are a few things you can do to reduce the toxic effects of the vaccine – supplements you can take, foods to avoid, and a simple trick involving a cold pack on the day you get the flu shot. These flu shot safety tips will be extremely helpful. Even if you don’t get the shot, pass them along to others who do.
All this being said, there is reason for concern over flu shots generally. There are two little-known dangers that my research revealed. One is the very high level of mercury contained in flu vaccines. It is argued that the total mercury contained in one flu shot a year can’t be that harmful, but if you’re concerned about mercury, this is something you should be aware of.
Flu vaccines also contain aluminium hydroxide, which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disorders, as well as inflammation. Some people have been known to present allergy symptoms after exposure to high levels of aluminium hydroxide. Again, doctors tend not to be worried about the total amount of aluminium hydroxide contained in a single flu shot, but some people may be particularly sensitive to it and have an adverse reaction. Look for clues in your medical history and that of your parents and grandparents. If, for example, someone in your family has been diagnosed with Alzheimers, you may be more at risk for being negatively affected by flu vaccines.
If you have ever had a bad reaction to flu shots in the past, you may want to pass altogether on the H1N1 vaccine. Discuss this with your doctor if you do want to get the H1N1 flu shot.
There is a long standing debate between the alternative and traditional medical communities about the cost-to-benefit ratio of vaccines. This debate will probably never be resolved, and in the end, whether to vaccinate or not is really a choice every person has to make for themselves.
The key is to make an informed choice. In the coming weeks, as Americans begin to take the H1N1 vaccine, we will have actual facts to consider. All eyes will be on the first recipients and the side effects they encounter (or not).
The wisest choice at this time is to wait and see. Monitor the news and inform yourself with the most credible sources you can find. If you do get the vaccine, read these flu shot safety tips first.
