My first reaction to the question, ‘should I get a swine flu vaccine?’, is that I don’t need one. Based on personal experience, and the fact that I’m a healthy 18 year old, there’s only a tiny chance that I will have serious complications or die due to swine flu. I don’t recall getting a flu shot in previous years, and swine flu doesn’t personally worry me.
However, I began to think about my responsibility, as a member of society, to get vaccinated. If everyone was vaccinated for swine flu, the disease would theoretically be eradicated. Getting vaccinated is an action that benefits everyone, not just yourself. Additionally, I recently was certified as an EMT and am a member of my ambulance corps. at home in New York. As a health care provider, I have a higher probability of contracting swine flu, and even if I personally don’t get seriously ill, I could potentially then pass the virus on to patients who would get serious complications. Additionally, The Centers Disease Control name emergency medical services personnel as a group for which an H1N1 vaccine is most important.
In conclusion, I should get vaccinated for H1N1, due, in part, to my potential to contract the virus and then pass it on to others.
Today, Barak Obama pledged to be vaccinated for H1N1 only when the CDC recommends his population demographic be vaccinated. The president is setting an example, by saying that people should not act selfishly in demanding that they receive the vaccine first, but should also get vaccinated in turn, to prevent the spread of the disease.
The highest hospitalization rates due to H1N1 virus are greater in patients under 65 than for patients over 65 (2). This distinguishes swine flu from the regular seasonal flu, and has led to special recommendations for the administration of vaccines, in the event of a shortage. The Centers for Disease Control (Sept. 15, 2009) (1.) recommend that, in the case of an H1N1 vaccine shortage, the most important candidates for a vaccine are; "pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, health care and emergency medical services personnel with direct patient contact, children 6 months through 4 years of age, and children 5 through 18 years of age who have chronic medical conditions."
These specific populations are at a higher risk for serious and life threatening complications of the virus, such as pneumonia (children 6 months to 4 years and older children with chronic medical conditions), or have a higher likelihood of passing the virus along to vulnerable individuals (in the case of health care and EMS personnel, and pregnant women and caretakers of infants, because infants and fetuses can’t be vaccinated themselves. (1.)
If a very limited number of vaccinations were available (50,000), I believe health care providers should receive them, because health care providers have a high probability of both becoming infected and passing on the virus (because they see many patients). Health care providers are also crucial for responding to a pandemic.
The CDC does not expect that a vaccine shortage will exist for the fall flu season, so the issue of rationing out H1N1 flu vaccines most likely will not emerge.
In BE recitation, we discussed the role government should play in terms of vaccinations for diseases. Should government pay for everyone’s vaccinations? Should government mandate that everyone get vaccinated?
I believe that government should play a role in distributing vaccinations, particularly for children, and people who cannot afford vaccinations. My reasoning is, if someone gets a vaccination, it benefits not only them, but everyone, because they won’t pass on the virus to anyone either. Contagious disease and vaccination is a concern for everyone.
1. Centers for Disease Control, 2009 H1N1 Vaccination Recommendations, http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm
2. Use of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine
Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2009. Prepared by National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, CDC
3. Obamas to Get Swine Flu Vaccine. American Free Press. 9/20/2009. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h1GU2ja31-jRQG62kKiwbrNAGHzA
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