Perry Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I believe that it would greatly diminish the flu globally if virtually everyone was vaccinated like they are from small pox and polio. It would greatly diminish influenza epidemics, but since there is an animal reservoir (bird and pigs, among others) pandemics can't be prevented. Influenza pandemics occur when the virus jumps species and enters the human population, so influenza can never be eradicated by human vaccination. They were able to eradicate smallpox (and could theoretically eradicate polio) because there is no animal reservoir for those viruses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumping In Puddles Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 My dd got hers last Friday, and the boys got theirs yesterday. No reactions or problems. Great! Perry, Why are they so strict with the mist? If someone has very mild asthma like my ds, (largely from allergy to dust mites) where he would have a coughing fit, get a puff of xoponex and an allergy pill and he is fine, why couldn't he get the mist. Can the mist make you really sick? If he gets a runny nose and sore throat from the mist, is that a big deal or does the mist affect the lungs in a particular way to make it likely that an asthmatic will have a really bad reaction even if they've never had a "bad" asthma attack in the past?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 What Natural News prints isn't evidence, it's uninformed speculation and fear mongering. It's true that vaccines often don't cause as robust of an immune response as natural infection. That's why we need tetanus boosters every 10 years, for instance. But it doesn't make you any more susceptible to tetanus. Their explanation doesn't make sense. Thank you for your response. That does make more sense. It makes sense also to say that, while my kids may get the vaccine that covers strains X,Y,and Z, strain Q could still infect him if they were "off" on their predictions for the vaccine. That happened a few years ago where they made a vaccine and it turned out not to match the one circulating the most widely. I am sure my son was exposed to the one circulating and he still didn't get sick that year. I will tell you that, as a common person, it is very hard for me to understand all of the differing opinions and such. It is all scary and I think everyone wants to do what is best for their child and their family and we just have no idea what that is. :( I have two doctors that I have consulted on the H1N1 vaccine. One is strongly FOR us getting it. The other doctor is very "use at your own risK." That back and forth is making me crazy! Darned if you do, darned if you don't. I just dont' want any of us to be a statistic and I dont' really know how to prevent that. Perhaps this is the time when I stop and realize I am NOT in control here, God is. God is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiffanyl Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Nope. If anyone is interested in this video I received this morning, it seems quite balanced and informative. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/21/Special-Swine-Flu-Update.aspx Thanks for posting this it was very informative! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyrooch Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 It would greatly diminish influenza epidemics, but since there is an animal reservoir (bird and pigs, among others) pandemics can't be prevented. Influenza pandemics occur when the virus jumps species and enters the human population, so influenza can never be eradicated by human vaccination. They were able to eradicate smallpox (and could theoretically eradicate polio) because there is no animal reservoir for those viruses. :iagree: That is why I said "greatly diminish" not eradicate. It would decrease the amounts of flu cases seen because more "humans" would have protection, therefore decrease the amount of human to human transmission. I'm sure we would all agree that human to human transmission is the most concentrated form of transmission because of all of us co-exisisting in populated areas such as grocery stores, malls, hospitals, schools etc. We are not as likely to come into direct contact with birds and pigs as we are others humans. This is why I said that it would "greatly" diminish the number of cases. :001_smile: Diminish the number of humans contracting the virus and you diminish the rate of transmission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) My kids just all got the shot. I'd get it too, but they won't give it to adults yet. ETA: We very much selectively vaccinate - there are many vaccines they haven't gotten. But I personally thought on this one, the risk/benefit was worth it. (I originally said I'd wait it out a bit, but I changed my mind). Edited October 21, 2009 by matroyshka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) :iagree: That is why I said "greatly diminish" not eradicate. It would decrease the amounts of flu cases seen because more "humans" would have protection, therefore decrease the amount of human to human transmission. I'm sure we would all agree that human to human transmission is the most concentrated form of transmission because of all of us co-exisisting in populated areas such as grocery stores, malls, hospitals, schools etc. We are not as likely to come into direct contact with birds and pigs as we are others humans. This is why I said that it would "greatly" diminish the number of cases. :001_smile: Diminish the number of humans contracting the virus and you diminish the rate of transmission. It raises some interesting questions. When pandemic strains become endemic, they (usually) replace the previously circulating strains, which then go extinct. So competition between strains is a really important issue. No one knows what would happen if we had universal vaccination. Could it make pandemics more frequent? We don't fully understand how often those strains jump species and then DON'T become endemic. That was the focus of my dissertation research, but we have a long way to go in understanding how influenza jumps species. I think it's worth considering that universal vaccination could actually encourage more frequent pandemics, if competition between strains is reduced. BTW, I am very much pro-vaccine, so I'm not saying that with an anti-vax agenda. Now, if we were able to develop a truly universal influenza vaccine, meaning a vaccine that prevented *all* subtypes of influenza A, it would be a moot point. People have been attempting that for years but have been unsuccessful so far. Edited October 22, 2009 by Perry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Currently mandatory vaccines are on hold in NY. I will not get the children vaccinated. My dr's office doesn't have any vaccine available, and when and if they get it my children are way down on the list of eligible recipients. I'm ok with that. Dh isn't eligible for it either and doesn't want it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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