People in Hong Kong are afraid of swine flu shots. Only 2% getting the free shot.

[Prometheus Bound]

South China Morning Post Editorial:Informed advice needed on swine flu inoculations
Jan 26, 2010

Public confidence in the government's swine flu vaccination programme has been shaken. Media speculation over two stillbirths and a death in Hong Kong, and hundreds of adverse reactions in Taiwan linked to vaccines, have led to plummeting rates of inoculation. Officials warn that unless people in vulnerable groups get shots, an expected second wave of infections could prove severe. The concern is appreciated, but there is as yet no cause for alarm; the best strategy is to allow people to weigh the risks for themselves.

Authorities are understandably edgy. Their investment in community health has been considerable. Vaccines for the H1N1 virus have been bought for about two million people, but only 150,000 or so have volunteered for the free shots.

Calls for the young, elderly, pregnant and those with weak immune systems to come forward are increasingly being ignored.

There would seem to be good reason to think twice about getting inoculated. Questions about the safety of the vaccine are rife. Some have died, lost babies or fallen severely ill. It is true that no vaccine is fully safe for everyone. In a minority of people, they can cause soreness, allergies and fatigue. In a tiny percentage, they can even trigger rare and serious reactions. Health officials rightly argue that since a big proportion of the population could come down with swine flu, the vaccine risk is far lower than the danger of getting infected. The vaccines are costly, but the loss caused by deaths and illness would be considerably greater to the community.

There is no evidence yet that the stillbirths and deaths are related to the shots. These are compelling arguments. We cannot be forced to have the vaccine. Beyond making it free and easily available, the government's job has to be to inform, advise and encourage.
Pay to read: http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=c61592959e566210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=Insight&s=Opinion

[endless october]

1. had the shot, and am glad that i did.

beats the shit out of getting the flu.

your mileage may vary.

[truedelphi]

5. The shots that were offered to the US public did not contain the adjuvants

that are making people in other locales leery.

For instance, in Europe, the officials were allowed shots free of adjuvants. While the General Public was told to shut up and take the shots with the adjuvant, and authorities tried to explain that there was no difference.

But of course, logic says if there is no difference, then why do the Big Muckity Micks get one type of vaccine and the lower common denominater, average person gets another?

[Ian David]

2. Tell them it's made from the penis of a white rhino. n/t

[Jennicut]

3. I got the shot and am still living 4 months later.

Maybe I will fall over and die but not yet...

[MineralMan]

4. I got the H1N1 shot a little over two weeks ago,

and am still walking and talking and posting. If the flu re-surges, I'm pretty sure I won't get it. That's a big plus in my mind.

[Arctic Dave]

6. I haven't had a flu shot my entire life and I'm still alive. Some of us are built better I guess. :)

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

7. I've never had the flu in my life. Sometimes I get the vaccine sometimes I don't.

I guess some of us are built better. :toast:

[Prometheus Bound]

8. Weren't we all supposed to be dead by now?

After killing uncountable elderly and young people because of our irresponsibility.

[ibegurpard]

9. what if you threw a pandemic and nobody came?

swine flu kind of fizzled out didn't it?

[bridgit]

10. If I were Chinese, I'd be wary of the stuff Chinese companies make too

[tkmorris]

11. Meanwhile, 0% of pigs got the Hong Kong Flu shot

So there ya go.