This piece, which will show up in next weeks IUN Phoenix as well, was pretty fun for me. As I’m sure many of you imagine, there were some pretty…out there stories regarding the “swine flu” vaccine, and some made me physically angry (because they had no damn proof! I hate conspiracy theorists!) and others made me laugh (ok, those ones didn’t have any proof either, but they were the less dangerous theories). I hope you all enjoy this one.

I am a parent. A proud parent, a loving parent…and a concerned parent. Naturally, when talk of the swine flu, now known as the H1N1 virus, began to turn serious (we’re talking death here), I sat up and paid a little closer attention. The two highest groups of citizens at risk are the age ranges between 0-4 and 65+. I began to look up some information, any information, regarding this “swine flu epidemic”, and was a little taken aback by what I had initially found while browsing the web. The site that surprised me the most was the Politico, and one article in particular caught my eye. “Swine Flu Vaccine Will Kill You First” (http://politicolnews.com/n1h1-vaccine-dangerous/), the title of the piece I found very unsettling,   suggests (in what I found to be “conspiracy theory-esque” style) that drug companies are the ones pushing for this vaccine in order to make money, and not just on normal capitalistic terms, either.  The site gives reason to believe that the drug companies (is it just me, or does the term “the drug companies” itself offer reason to believe that this is a conspiracy theory?) go above and beyond just wanting to make money, and the main reason given is that the drug companies began to do research on the H1N1 virus over a year before the initial outbreak. Is there anything to this story in particular that lends any credence? None that I could find and this site was the most highly acclaimed site to offer up such stories. Sure, anybody with a computer and a blog can spread stories that terrorize Americans into believing that vaccines will make your child explode, but when I began to dig further into these sites I found broken links, 404 errors, and undocumented claims. Coincidence? Not if you examine other conspiracy theories like 9/11, “birthers”, and FEMA camps. Manipulation like this is common coming from “fringe” lunatics.   

                However, there are some very real concerns regarding “bad batches” of the vaccine for the H1N1 virus. Just today it was reported by the Associated Press that an area in Canada perhaps had one of these “bad batches”, because of a high concentration of people in an area that had severe allergic reactions to the vaccine. Although this is a very real and very scary scenario to consider when thinking about whether or not you’re six month old child will receive the vaccine, it is important to consider that America is much stricter about what drugs are administered in our country. I know, I know…as a conservative I’m supposed to hate any and all government regulations. However, in the case of groups like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), I have to say: hats off. Very rarely are Americans subject to food or medicine poisoning, and in those rare instances the problems are usually quickly discovered and the problems are addressed. They have a great record when it comes to emergency situations.  

                This is the reason that I am subject to believe data that was sent to me via email from the Indiana Department of Health, and also data found on the CDC website (www.cdc.gov).  In fact, the two little factoids below are straight from the Indiana Department of Health’s Weekly Influenza Report for week 45 (last week).

 • During Week 45, 100% (29/29) of specimens that were positive for influenza were 2009 H1N1.

•  Since September 1, 2009, 98% (411/418) of specimens that were positive for influenza were 2009 H1N1.

                This tells me that the “swine flu” is still very real and very much something to be aware of. Is it the “end of the world”? I doubt it, and it is important to note that cases of the swine flu seem to be less prevalent, more than likely because the vaccine has been released to the general population. Is it a little disheartening to see reports of vaccine shortages? Of course, but like I said above, the FDA is very strict about methods used to create vaccines and safety is their first priority. The vaccines that are created in America take much longer than the methods used in Europe, simply because the FDA needs to further test the European method before stamping their approval on the process. Side effects are, naturally, more controlled and normal for vaccinations with very few occasions where people had allergic reactions.

 For those of you out there that would like to see what the CDC has to say about the side effects, the below is an excerpt from the web site.

“ The flu shot: The viruses in the flu shot are killed (inactivated), so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. Some minor side effects that could occur are:

• Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
• Fever (low grade)
• Aches
• Nausea

If these problems occur, they begin soon after the shot and usually last 1 to 2 days. Almost all people who receive influenza vaccine have no serious problems from it. However, on rare occasions, flu vaccination can cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. A federal program has been created to help pay for the medical care and other specific expenses of certain persons who have a serious reaction to this vaccine. For more information about this program, call 1-888-275-4772 or visit the program’s website at: http://www.hrsa.gov/countermeasurescomp/default.htm .

The nasal spray (also called LAIV): The viruses in the nasal-spray vaccine are weakened and do not cause severe symptoms often associated with influenza illness. (In clinical studies, transmission of vaccine viruses to close contacts has occurred only rarely.)

In children, side effects from LAIV can include:

• runny nose
• wheezing
• headache
• vomiting
• muscle aches
• fever”

The fact that the CDC is keeping a close eye on side effects (aka: doing their job) does help to quell that inner voice that tells me absolutely all government establishments are useless. Because, quite frankly, they’re not.  Was it stupid of Joe Biden to make a comment that he wouldn’t be riding on any public transit systems because of the “swine flu”? Absolutely. However what we have to remember is that groups like the FDA and the CDC are bureaucracies. Some leadership changes may be made from administration to administration; however the majority of the people that work in these agencies are lifetime professionals and do a damn good job. So with this all said, the question is asked: will Travis Lee Gearhart have his son vaccinated for the swine flu? Hell yes.