Federal officials ramp up swine flu vaccinations; will vaccine-averse parents in Asheville comply?

Share

This story below hasn’t gotten much play yet in the media, but know that it will. Here in Asheville, it will be fascinating to watch how it will play out.

Federal public health officials are extremely worried about how the swine flu, which may grow stronger during the traditional flu season. The public health officials say they’ll have a swine flu vaccine ready in October, and they really want all school children to get the shot. The seasonal flu vaccine would be a separate shot.

They’re talking about doing shot clinics in schools. The program would be voluntary. But if people don’t get their kids vaccinated, and the swine flu takes off, you could have lots of school children getting sick.

We already know that there’s a significant population of people in and around Asheville who think that vaccines themselves pose serious health risks to their children. But the result of not getting children immunized is a return of illnesses such as whooping cough.

So – will Asheville parents get their children vaccinated against swine flu? Should they?

Story here:

After outbreaks of the H1N1 flu virus in summer camps across the country and here in North Carolina, federal officials are considering school-based vaccine clinics to get children immunized against the disease. Public health officials are concerned that the virus, which has been considered mild, may grow stronger with the advent of traditional flu season.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Thursday that a vaccine for the H1N1 (swine flu) virus should be ready by mid-October. She told health and school officials from across the country that the government is preparing to launch a voluntary nationwide vaccine program.

School children are of particular concern in the spread of the virus. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said at the flu’s peak in May, 726 schools were closed across the United States. Napolitano said schools and businesses need to prepare for the possibility of weeks of high absenteeism due to the flu this fall.

Numerous summer camps across North Carolina have experienced flu outbreaks this summer.  Duke University announced in June that over a dozen campers in its summer programs had been ill.  A Boy Scout camp in Asheville, a church camp in Randolph County, and a summer camp in Bladen County also had outbreaks.

On Friday, Sebelius is expected to announce $350 million in grants for states and hospitals to ramp up state and local flu preparation efforts. 

The H1N1 vaccine may need to be delivered in two shots – that would require an estimated 600 million doses of vaccine.  Seasonal flu vaccine will be given in a separate immunization.

 

4 Comments

Alexandra July 22, 2009 - 4:09 pm

"So my vaccinated kids can get sick from other people’s unvaccinated kids. But if everyone’s vaccinated, no one gets sick. "

That does not make sense. Theoretically, if your child is vaccinated, he/she should not get sick. Unless you’re saying that they really don’t work!

I’d be more concerned about an unvaccinated child getting sick off a vaccinated child.

I’m also more concerned about what’s in the vaccines. Given that this swine flu appears to be mild and less than 1000 WORLDWIDE have died…hey, why don’t we declare a pandemic for the common cold, since it goes around so easily?

Mom w/triplets July 10, 2009 - 11:17 pm

I would get my children vaccinated. I spend enough time at the doctor office now with ear infections, strep, etc. If this will help protect them, I’m all for it.

Celo July 10, 2009 - 5:44 pm

Mom,
That’s because the whooping cough vaccine doesn’t give life time immunity. So my vaccinated kids can get sick from other people’s unvaccinated kids. But if everyone’s vaccinated, no one gets sick.

mom July 10, 2009 - 2:25 pm

Actually, many of the cases of whooping cough, and other things are in FULLY immunized kids.

Good resources: http://www.nvic.org (national vaccine information center)

Post Comment