VOICES OF CHANGE

     The H1N1 flu virus is another name given to refer to the swine flu, and it has killed many people this season. The CDC states that those in greater risk of getting infected are pregnant woman, kids under the age of 2, adults over the age of 65, and those with asthma, diabetes, and HIV. This virus was detected in the United States in April 2009 (mchealthdepot.com). Unfortunately, since then it has been spreading from one person to another by coughing or sneezing becoming a worldwide pandemic. A controversial issue regarding whether or not one should take the vaccination against it is alarming various people......


     Doctors have recently urged patients not to take the vaccination because they are preoccupied that the vaccine can in fact be more dangerous than the flu itself. The 2009 H1N1flu shot has been proven to have thimerosal, a preservative for vaccines that contains mercury. Mercury in vaccines has been responsible for many cases of autism and gulf war syndrome but let's put that aside because a new issue is making people doubt whether or not to take the vaccine.
     On August 17, 2009 CBS’s The Early Show presented Dr. Jennifer Ashton who said that there is the possibility, even though small, that people might get the Guillian- Barre Syndrome or GBS. GBS, "is a rare, neurological disorder that has elements of an auto-immune condition in that some trigger (in this case from a vaccination against an infection) and results in a progressive weakening of nerves" (Dr. Jennifer Ashton). Furthermore, it starts in legs and works its way up to the body and it is estimated that it may occur one time out of 100,000 or one million vaccine doses. In fact there is the possibility that people can die from this syndrome but there is also the possibility that people can also recover. Moreover, those who are considered to be in greater chance of getting the virus should not doubt twice on getting the vaccination because it is of greater risk of getting sick than suffering from this rare side effect due to the vaccine. As Asthon stated, "You have to weigh the risk of getting influenza, and the risk of possibly dying from it."