The Swine Flu Vaccine: To get the shot or not?

COURTESY/THE WASHINGTON POST

It’s that time of year again: flu season. As the weather changes it seems everyone is sick. And this year, a new kind of ailment lingers in the air. Swine flu has reappeared and has created a very scary prospect for college students.

According to statistics released by CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), from Aug. 30, 2009 to Oct. 10, 2009 States have reported 4,958 laboratory confirmed cases of H1N1 that have led to hospitalizations. In that same margin of time, they also reported 292 confirmed deaths due to H1N1.

With tight resources and little time, many college students can’t afford to get sick. But what is the best way to stay healthy and dodge the swine flu? This month a vaccine has been released for H1N1. CDC advocates for this vaccine being the first and most important step to protecting oneself from the flu.

But before rushing out to find this promise of immunization, there is more to consider. Though the idea of not being susceptible to swine flu sounds exciting, many people, including health professionals, are speculative if the vaccine actually works.

One of the major reasons this shot could be obsolete is that the majority of cases brought in to the hospital with swine flu-like symptoms have possibly not been the flu at all. According to an article from The Atlantic Online, we suspect that any time we have such symptoms as headache, fever, couching, sneezing, or aching, that we have the flu. The truth is that research has shown that at most half and potentially as few as seven or eight percent of such cases are caused by an influenza virus each year. There are more than 200 other known viruses and pathogens that can cause such symptoms.

Statistics about swine flu are not as sturdy as they appear either. Because the flu often does not kill people directly, but makes them more susceptible to secondary infections like pneumonia or bronchitis, it is hard to say how many deaths it has actually caused.

Also, going to a hospital for mild versions of any of these ailments increases a person’s chance of infection of other viruses, as well as exposing others to their own illnesses.

Another reason to reconsider the vaccine is that, according to the CDC, the majority of people infected with it recover without medical treatment. Of those who have been hospitalized for it, 70 percent have underlying problems that put them at “high-risk.” According to an article discussing the effect of swine flu on children from The Kansas City Star, doctors are saying that the vast number of children brought in to the hospital had mild illness and many could have been treated at home.

The most striking evidence against this vaccine is the reports claiming that many vaccines don’t actually do anything at all. Research discussed in an article from The Atlantic Online discusses interesting results of swine flu vaccines. In 2004, vaccine production fell behind, causing a 40 percent drop in immunization rates, but mortality rates didn’t change. In 1968 and 1997, vaccines were produced in the summer to protect against a set of viruses but by winter a new set was circulating. Essentially, both years no one was vaccinated. But death cases from all causes, even flu and the illnesses it can exacerbate, did not increase.

So if the swine flu vaccine is not the answer, then what is? Dr. Jack Erickson, local health care provider, personally believes that natural immunity is the best way to protect ones body. Vitamins D and D3, which can be obtained from getting some sun, or from taking supplements, is what he thinks is the best way to protect oneself during flu season.

“I myself would never get a seasonal flu shot or the swine flu vaccine,” Erickson said, “nor would I get the inoculations if I were a college student.”

And he is not alone. The Atlantic Online asserted that as it stands, more then 50 percent of health-care workers say they do not intend to get vaccinated for swine flu and don’t routinely get shots for seasonal flu.

Boise State sophomore, Jessie Frazier, came down with flu like symptoms in the beginning of October. She suffered from fever, body aches, headache, and cough.

“I felt like death for close to a week,” Frazier said, “and even two weeks later, my cough is still hanging on.”

Even with this unpleasant experience with what appeared to be the flu, Frazier would not necessarily go out of her way to get a flu shot.

“I’m not a high risk person when it comes to the flu,” she said, “So unless it was really easy and convenient I am not too concerned with getting immunized.”

Though there is a possibility that many will have the mild encounter that Frazier had, there are those who should seek medical attention. People exhibiting more severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, pain or sudden pressure in the abdomen, dizziness, confusion, or severe or persistent vomiting, are exhibiting emergency warning signs and should seek medical attention immediately.

With all of the different suggestions for how to stay healthy and all of the different portrayals of the severity of swine flu, it’s difficult to know what actions to take. For those students considering getting immunized, investigate the different options. The money you spend on getting that shot could potentially be better spent on a bottle of vitamin D and some hand sanitizer.

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4. Update: Boise State Confirms First Case of Swine Flu
5. Swine Influenza outbreaks in U.S. raise concerns for Idaho’s residents