Get Your Flu Shot, Americans Urged Tue Sep 23, 3:21 PM ET By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Flu season is coming and while there is plenty of vaccine available this year, many Americans who should get the vaccine do not bother, top health experts said on Tuesday.
These people, who include doctors, nurses and those who care for the elderly, are not only leaving themselves open to a deadly illness, but are endangering weaker patients.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites), the American Medical Association, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and other groups said they were campaigning to try to persuade Americans to get their flu shots.
"This year we have enough vaccine available now so that we want everybody to get vaccinated as soon as possible," CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding said at a news conference.
For the past two years, influenza vaccines were in short supply, so the CDC asked that healthy Americans wait to get their shots until the older and more vulnerable had a chance to get them.
But this year, 85 million doses are available -- plenty to vaccinate anyone who wants to be.
Yet in any year, only about two-thirds of those who should get the vaccine do. This is even though influenza kills 36,000 Americans in an average year -- up to 70,000 in a year when an unusually virulent strain is circulating.
Dr. Kristin Nichol of the Minneapolis Veteran's Affairs Medical Center said studies have shown a 50 percent reduction in all causes of death in people who have received a flu vaccine the same year -- including seemingly unrelated conditions such as heart disease and stroke.
Nichol said because influenza is generally a mild illness in young, healthy people, they may not be aware that they can endanger older, weaker and more susceptible people by failing to get vaccinated.
"People underestimate the extent to which they can put other people at risk," Nichol said.
"ALARMINGLY LOW NUMBER"
Only 38 percent of health-care workers get vaccinated against influenza, even though they are susceptible because of the very nature of their work, said AMA president Dr. Donald Palmisano. "That is an alarmingly low number," Palmisano said.
Not only do these workers risk being out sick in the case of an epidemic of flu or some other disease, but they can pass influenza on to their patients, who may be at a higher risk of serious complications and death.
One reason is that they are pressed for time. "It must be made easier for health-care professionals to take advantage of vaccination," Palmisano said. Clinics, nursing homes and hospitals should provide free, on-site vaccinations to their workers, he said.
Other groups also are not getting flu shots -- including at-risk children.
CDC flu expert Dr. Nancy Cox said recent studies had shown that only 9 percent to 25 percent of children with moderate to severe asthma get annual flu shots, although they are all supposed to.
A new, inhaled vaccine is available this year -- FluMist, marketed by MedImmune Inc. and Wyeth . It is only approved for use by young, healthy people between the ages of five and 49, and costs more than the standard shoulder-administered shot.
"We hope that the new vaccine will encourage many healthy people to get vaccinated who otherwise would not have been vaccinated," said Dr. William Schaffner of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Tennessee.
Get Your Flu Shot, Americans Urged
Moderator: S2k Moderators
I'm sorry but I will never get a flu shot. I was diagnosed with Guillian Barre' Sydrome (GBS) back in December of 2001 after a bout with Strep Throat. It is an illness I am still recovering from.
Lots of people who have gotten GBS got it soon after getting the flu shot. Even though I did not get GBS from a flu shot, many people have plus alot of other illnesses have been linked to the flu shot. NO thanks!! Heck, I'd rather get the flu.lol
http://www.whale.to/vaccines/gbs.htm
What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)?
Guillain-Barré (Ghee-yan Bah-ray) Syndrome, also called acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and Landry's ascending paralysis, is an inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves - those outside the brain and spinal cord. It is characterized by the rapid onset of weakness and, often, paralysis of the legs, arms, breathing muscles and face. GBS is the most common cause of rapidly acquired paralysis in the United States today, affecting one to two people in every 100,000.
The disorder came to public attention briefly when it struck a number of people who received the 1976 Swine Flu vaccine. It continues to claim thousands of new victims each year, striking any person, at any age, regardless of gender or ethnic background.
It typically begins with weakness and/or abnormal sensations of the legs and arms. It can also affect muscles of the chest, face and eyes. Although many cases are mild, some patients are virtually paralyzed. Breathing muscles may be so weakened that a machine is required to keep the patient alive. Many patients require an intensive care unit during the early course of their illness, especially if support of breathing with a machine is required. Although most people recover, the length of the illness is unpredictable and often months of hospital care are required. The majority of patients eventually return to a normal or near normal lifestyle, but many endure a protracted recovery and some remain wheelchair-bound indefinetly.
The cause of GBS is not known and there is no effective treatment.
Lots of people who have gotten GBS got it soon after getting the flu shot. Even though I did not get GBS from a flu shot, many people have plus alot of other illnesses have been linked to the flu shot. NO thanks!! Heck, I'd rather get the flu.lol
http://www.whale.to/vaccines/gbs.htm
What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)?
Guillain-Barré (Ghee-yan Bah-ray) Syndrome, also called acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and Landry's ascending paralysis, is an inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves - those outside the brain and spinal cord. It is characterized by the rapid onset of weakness and, often, paralysis of the legs, arms, breathing muscles and face. GBS is the most common cause of rapidly acquired paralysis in the United States today, affecting one to two people in every 100,000.
The disorder came to public attention briefly when it struck a number of people who received the 1976 Swine Flu vaccine. It continues to claim thousands of new victims each year, striking any person, at any age, regardless of gender or ethnic background.
It typically begins with weakness and/or abnormal sensations of the legs and arms. It can also affect muscles of the chest, face and eyes. Although many cases are mild, some patients are virtually paralyzed. Breathing muscles may be so weakened that a machine is required to keep the patient alive. Many patients require an intensive care unit during the early course of their illness, especially if support of breathing with a machine is required. Although most people recover, the length of the illness is unpredictable and often months of hospital care are required. The majority of patients eventually return to a normal or near normal lifestyle, but many endure a protracted recovery and some remain wheelchair-bound indefinetly.
The cause of GBS is not known and there is no effective treatment.
Last edited by Johnny on Wed Sep 24, 2003 11:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Stephanie
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I have never received on either. I'm just getting over something right now that's been screaming through my office and everyone I know. I started with a scratchy throat, itchy inner ears and then a fever and feeling like a truck ran over me. Then my throat was very sore and I was congested. I felt like my throat wanted to close. My doctor proscribed me anitbiotics and that did the trick. Marty's mom had it and now she has viral pneumonia. I haven't been this sick in years! After this, I'm probably well protected from any flu bug that comes along now.
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opera ghost
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Johnny wrote:I'm sorry but I will never get a flu shot. I was diagnosed with Guillian Barre' Sydrome (GBS) back in December of 2001 after a bout with Strep Throat. It is an illness I am still recovering from.
Lots of people who have gotten GBS got it soon after getting the flu shot. Even though I did not get GBS from a flu shot, many people have plus alot of other illnesses have been linked to the flu shot. NO thanks!! Heck, I'd rather get the flu.lol
http://www.whale.to/vaccines/gbs.htm
What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)?
Guillain-Barré (Ghee-yan Bah-ray) Syndrome, also called acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and Landry's ascending paralysis, is an inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves - those outside the brain and spinal cord. It is characterized by the rapid onset of weakness and, often, paralysis of the legs, arms, breathing muscles and face. GBS is the most common cause of rapidly acquired paralysis in the United States today, affecting one to two people in every 100,000.
The disorder came to public attention briefly when it struck a number of people who received the 1976 Swine Flu vaccine. It continues to claim thousands of new victims each year, striking any person, at any age, regardless of gender or ethnic background.
It typically begins with weakness and/or abnormal sensations of the legs and arms. It can also affect muscles of the chest, face and eyes. Although many cases are mild, some patients are virtually paralyzed. Breathing muscles may be so weakened that a machine is required to keep the patient alive. Many patients require an intensive care unit during the early course of their illness, especially if support of breathing with a machine is required. Although most people recover, the length of the illness is unpredictable and often months of hospital care are required. The majority of patients eventually return to a normal or near normal lifestyle, but many endure a protracted recovery and some remain wheelchair-bound indefinetly.
The cause of GBS is not known and there is no effective treatment.
My (would have been) mother-in-law had Guillain Barre. They're not 100% sure of what causes it (She had a head cold and was a heavy alcoholic at the time of the illness (12 years ago)- her's has been linked as much to her drinking as it was to her head cold) but you've very right that it's linked to the flu by any number of papers and theroies. Given the number of elderly, endangered, and infirm people helped by the flu shot- the relitivly minute chances of Gillian Barre cancel out for most. The flu can be lethal- but so can GBS... and it's not considered a significant risk of the shot.
Your chances of dying in a car accident are much higher....
And for many people the chance of dying from the flu is much much higher. Being an asthmatic with a nasty history of pneumonia and bronchitis- I'd be getting one every year if it weren't for the fact that I always get sick from the shot... and somehow usually manage to miss the flu (only had it twice!)
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GalvestonDuck
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