Quote:
Originally Posted by Raekwon
I'm sorry, I'm not try to attack you directly its just that in the past few days I've heard so many people think that they can just get the shot and forget all their worries and those that don't are spreading the plague.
Everyday in the paper all we hear about is H1N1 and how bad it is, estimated death tolls (up to 400 in Alberta thats it?) and after anyone dies we need to get on the radio and news and make sure the people know. Well what I want to know is the death toll from theregular flu this year and everytime someone dies from it, then we can see how overblown this whole situation is. Spread fear and the people will do as you want them to just like 9/11.
I'm not going to tell anyone not to get the shot or even wish something bad against them for getting it, but it seems like that is what the media wants to happen the other way around. Make sure to single out the people that didn't get the shot and let them know that they have doomed the world and wish them a terrible death.
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Like you I believe that it is up to the individual to get the flu-shot or not. Having said that I believe it is foolish not to.
The public I am certain will do the same as you and compare total number of deaths by H1N1 vs the seasonal flu. This does not give the entire picture however, and certainly does not explain the concern of organizations like the CDC, Health Canada, and the WHO.
There are two important aspects that make a certain virus a cause for concern. a) the viruses ability to transmit from person to person and b) its virulence. If both are met by a certain virus this will be reflected in illness and mortality rates. However, even if only one is met there is a reason to be concerned. With the current H1N1 virus mortality rates may be low but what is alarming is its ability to rapidly transmit (alarming maybe too strong of a word but at any rate from what I have read it is higher than seasonal viruses). Why the concern? What happens if this virus mutates and becomes more virulent? Of course it may not but should we take that risk.
Why vaccinate? A vaccine does not provide an individual with a magic force field. An individual may still become infected with the H1N1, however, with an appropriate vaccine illness can be reduced. Because of the vaccine the immune system can respond much quicker reducing the severity of the illness. Obviously what we do not want to happen is to allow the virus to mutate within a human host to something more virulent. Ensuring that your body can rapidly recover from illness can reduce this from happening.
Sorry for being Captain obvious but sometimes like in hockey we look at the wrong statistics.
Radley