Flu Vaccine: Bird Flu

The World Health Organization is still quite worried about bird flu because it is still seen as having the potential to infect the entire human species.

One of the biggest fears among medical scientists is that bird flu, the H5N1 virus, could mutate and become contagious and spread from one human to another. This will create a global pandemic and since we are not prepared to deal with it, it is a matter of concern for us all.

As of now, there is no known cure for the bird flu virus and that means that everyone is under constant threat. More recently, there have been some discussions on the use of annual flu vaccines.

Scientists are worried that this constant exposure to the flu vaccine is weakening the natural human immune system to ward off infections and thereby putting everyone at greater risk of getting flu.

A strong immune system is the best defense against all forms of infections and leading doctors are clear on the fact that someone who has not got a weaker immune system because of annual vaccination stands a better chance of avoiding the flu naturally. Some doctors even say that the practice of annual vaccination creates a kind of dependence on the medication.

This means that for every year that you get vaccinated your immune system gets progressively weaker because it never gets to do its job. Another group of doctors have already started recommending to their patients that they work towards a stronger immune system and avoid getting flu shots.

The flu virus is constantly changing and that is why you need a new vaccine every year. The flu shot is only effective against one particular strain of virus and this is why it needs to be re-administered every year.

According to one study conducted in the Netherlands among elderly people, it was concluded that the flu vaccine only lowered the risk of getting flu by around 1%.

This may make you wonder why the government is so heavily suggesting shots for 1% extra protection. The reason for this is that the same concept may not apply to bird flu.

In case we manage to isolate the strain and create a vaccine against it then the protection may be much above the current 1%. Studies are still going on in this area and there are no conclusions reached yet.

Flu shots also contain toxic substances like mercury that is related to Alzheimer's and may also lead to mercury poisoning. There is a law indemnifying vaccine manufacturers even if their vaccine ends up killing the patient.

You can search for this on the net but the summary is that even if a major chunk of people drop dead due to the vaccine the manufacturers cannot be held responsible in any way.

This is why it is important that before you decide to get a flu shot you completely understand what risks you are taking. Consider all your allergies and other medications or medical conditions that could cause the vaccine to misbehave.

Flu Vaccine: Who Needs it?

Many people think that flu is nothing more than a cold gone real bad. That is not the truth because unlike common cold, flu is a very serious illness.

In fact, there are some groups of people for whom flu can prove to be fatal. Physicians have confirmed that in recent times the number of flu cases being detected in clinics has gone up. In the face of this it has become clear that flu vaccination is a good thing and should be administered as early as possible.

For example, people over the age of 30 are able to move around and do not suffer much if they are administered the flu vaccine. This is in sharp contrast to younger people (over 30) who do not receive a vaccination and suffer from body pains, high fever, and are often bed ridden for more than a week. The worst part of flu is that you are unable to eat properly thus compounding your weakness.

Without flu vaccination, the patients are likely to feel very bad not only physically but emotional and mentally as well. This condition can last for up to two weeks leaving behind a much-weakened individual. It should be noted that during follow-up these patients were quick to ask as to when they could get their flu shot because no one would want to go through that nightmare experience again.

Seasonal flu can be a very devastating time for someone in good condition. For the elderly or the infirmed, flu can even cause death. There are several categories of people that need to be vaccinated against flu.

These include people in the health care industry, anyone over 50 years of age, children between 6 months and 5 years, pregnant women, and anyone who is residing long-term in a nursing home or other healthcare facility.

Children between 6 months and 18 years of age that are on aspirin therapy also need flu vaccine. Anyone suffering from a chronic condition such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and so on should also be vaccinated. Anyone suffering from immune system disorders or respiratory disorders also needs flu vaccine. The same applies to anyone living with any of the above category of individuals.

Note that the flu vaccine is not a guarantee that you will never catch flu. What the vaccine will do is to lower the problems that arise once you catch it. Flu patients tend to be bedridden and can lose on work time for weeks.

The vaccine can cut down this time to a couple of days. If you are afraid of needles then you can get the nasal spray form of the flu vaccine. A flu vaccine can lower the chances of getting flu by as much as 92%.

Do not use a flu vaccine on yourself if you have had a bad reaction to the same shot or spray earlier, if you have an allergy to eggs, or if you have had Guillain-Barre syndrome in the 6 weeks since your last flu shot.