I'll Take the Shot!

I am a little surprised at the number of conservatives who are buying into conspiracy theories about the swine flu vaccine. I personally plan to get the swine flu shot. Here’s why:

The swine flu virus is potentially dangerous because it is a new strain of virus that humans have never contracted before. Because no one has ever had it until recently, no one has natural immunity to it. Think of the common cold. Each year the virus that causes the common cold mutates so that the medical profession has difficulty predicting its form and preparing a vaccine against it. How many Americans get a common cold each year? 10%? 25%? 50? This occurs because there is no vaccine to protect us and, since the virus causing the cold is new, no one is immune. If the swine flu, which is much more harmful to human health that the common cold, were to spread this year like the common cold does, the results could be devastating.

Currently, the number of swine flu cases globally stands at about 319,000. From these cases, about 3900 deaths have occurred. Some critics point out that this is a low rate of death; about 1.3%. However, think of the number of people who would die in the US if a serious outbreak were to occur. What if 1 million Americans got swine flu? At that rate there would be 13,000 deaths. What if the swine flu were to spead like the common cold and 40 million Americans contracted the flu? 520,000 people would die. Those numbers are frightening.

We also know that inoculation works. By introducing a weakened dose of a virus into the human body, the bodies’ immune system develops a defense against the virus so that when it faces the fully strengthened virus head-on, it can fight the virus off.

There are many diseases that have been all but conquered through this means. My young sons have gone through an extensive series of immunization shots to prevent diseases such as measles, polio, mumps, chicken pox, rubella, and dozens of others. The US government REQUIRES these shots for children in the US. Promotion of the common welfare such as this is a primary duty of government. I find it amazing that conservatives are among the most vocal against the swine flu vaccine saying that the government is trying to take over our lives when in fact, the government is fulfilling one of its primary duties by providing for the general welfare of its citizenry.

Some conservatives are also saying that the government is conspiring with drug companies to enrich the drug companies. The same Obama administration that has attempted to demonize drug companies as greedy is now conspiring to make them wealthy? That makes no sense.

Some argue that the vaccine itself may cause death. However, in 1976 the government feared an outbreak of swine flu and a great campaign to inoculate the population occurred. I know of no case that conclusively shows that anyone died from that vaccination campaign. And even if some did, 40 million Americans received the vaccine in 1976 and the death rate from that vaccine was nowhere near 1.3% (520,000 people).

In early November, I plan to see the Dr. for my quarterly diabetes checkup. I plan to roll up my sleeves and get a flu shot in one arm and a swine flu shot in the other. If a breakout occurs, hopefully I will be immune. If it does not occur, my arms will be sore for a couple of days. Since an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, I consider this to be a wise decision.