The Inevitable Post About...

H1N1.

I've been toying over the idea of even making a post on this topic and after mulling over it for the past few days and having it be the main topic of conversation in the office, I figured why not.

I'm not really sure as to how things are going down in the US in terms of new cases and vaccinations, but I imagine, H1N1 is still 'the talk of the town' down there too. Up here in Canada, the vaccine was approved yesterday and Canadians in New Brunswick will be the first to start receiving the shot on Monday, with other provinces to follow shortly thereafter. One of the biggest questions on everyone's mind is "Will I get it?"

Personally, I really don't think I am going to get it unless, and only UNLESS someone in my family, or someone I work with contracts it. You may think I'm stupid for not getting it, but I have my reasons. My main thought here is what are the side effects? You can ask, but no one knows yet because this hasn't even really been tested. I'm assuming that companies usually spend at least a year developing and testing new vaccines and medications, not months! It just seems too fast. Then I read about the fact that although vaccines in Canada are not supposed to have mercury, that the government allowed for mercury to be put in the H1N1 vaccine if that meant it could be distributed quicker! I don't know, the whole thing just doesn't sound right to me.

H1N1 is just like any other flu. Hundreds of people die of the common flu each and every year, we just don't hear about it! Due to this alone I find it hard to understand why this is such a big deal. I guess the only reason there's such commotion over H1N1 is because it's so new. But, as long as you're healthy and practise practical hygiene, you really shouldn't have an issue. *Knock on wood* I never get the flu shot, and I've never gotten the flu. *knock on wood again* because I exercise, eat well, get my 8 hrs of sleep every night and wash my hands!

Side note: despite everything, it's amazing how many women don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom! Although I am one of only 2 women in my office, a local newspaper rents out one of the floors in our building and the women there share my bathroom. At least once a week I am in the bathroom at the same time as one of those women and they go to the bathroom, turn the tap on for maybe 3 seconds, turn it off and leave... these are grown women people!

To my readers: Are you planning on getting the H1N1 shot? what about the flu shot?

I think there are just way to many uncertainties revolved around this so I don't plan on getting either. To good health!!

Comments

5 Responses to “The Inevitable Post About...”

Anonymous said...
October 22, 2009 at 6:14 PM

I don't think I will unless someone around me gets it either, and even then....I'm not sure. If I was up for putting new, poorly tested and possibly harmful subtances into my body, I would either (a) Get paid for it and allow some medical company to test new cough medicine on me, or (b) Do hard drugs. Umm..I'm not up for either so this fits the same category..

Laura&Chris said...
October 23, 2009 at 7:39 AM

Glad I'm not the only one who sees it that way..

Meg said...
October 23, 2009 at 1:37 PM

I highly doubt I'm going to get it...because like you said, shouldn't something like that take more than mere months to develop? Possible side effects down the road worry me. Also...I feel like so much fear has been created about H1N1, and I get that it can be deadly...but it's like...it's the flu! The regular flu kills tons of people on a yearly basis as well and I feel like the media has been acting like the apocalypse is upon us. I could just be tired of hearing about it though!

Kristen H said...
October 23, 2009 at 2:35 PM

I'm going to stick with no, I also don't get the flu shot, and well you know me, we pretty much live the same life.

I'll probably get sick from riding in the middle of February before this hits me.

Rachel said...
October 26, 2009 at 10:35 AM

I'm not getting the vaccine. It doesn't bother me that the approval was pushed through so quickly, because I doubt its dangerous, and I think vaccines, etc are overly regulated anyway. I'm not getting it because I've NEVER gotten a flu shot and don't think I should start now - you're completely right that this isn't different than the common flu that kills lots of people every year. It is just what the media happened to pick up on and harp on.