Friday, October 30, 2009

Hot Topic: H1N1 Vaccination

Well, after great debate I finally "took the plunge" (yes, pun intended) and got my H1N1 vaccination yesterday. Ouch!! I've heard differing things about what hurt more: the seasonal flu shot or the H1N1 flu shot? Well the initial puncture and injection of the flu shot hurt more...but I couldn't even sleep on my right side because my muscle hurt so much from the H1N1 vaccine! But, in my opinion, a small price to pay.
I was on the fence about getting this vaccine for a long time, mostly because I wasn't educated enough. There sure are a lot of myths about the vaccine and H1N1 out there. But after visiting http://www.fightflu.ca and talking to colleagues at work, I felt like I could make an informed decision - which ended up being a no-brainer. I had to work an evening shift in ER on Tuesday, and after wearing a mask and triaging every other patient with "flu-like symptoms" and hearing that there are pregnant women hospitalized in ICU on ventilators....oh the horror!! So I went out to the reserve yesterday because a wonderful little birdie told me that you could get in and out in 10 minutes vs. the up to 6 hour wait in the city. My mother-in-law waiting 3 hours to get her shot in town yesterday!

I still don't think there's any need to panic. It's just a fact that H1N1 is out there now. There are some patients that have to be hosipitalized because they're complications can get severe...but the important thing to realized is that not all people who contract H1N1 will end up in the hospital, the ICU, or dead. I find this is the biggest myth of all. More people will die of the seasonal flu this year than H1N1, but it's just scary that H1N1 can attack the healthy people more easily than the seasonal flu.

Do I recommend you to get the vaccine? Absolutely, but it's absolutely your own choice! My biggest recommendation is to STAY AT HOME IF YOU HAVE FLU SYMPTOMS!!! This includes, but is not limited to: fever, cough, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, sore throat. Good hand hygiene is essential, but there is no need to isolate yourselves in your home and live in a bubble!

4 comments:

  1. I got my shot! I am planning on living in a bubble though for the next month... hey it's a Chinese tradition! Love your blog so glad I found it!

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  2. I thought they wanted pregnant women, and children to get the shot first, so they wouldn't run out for those priority at risk groups!?

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  3. Well, no one actually really enforced that rule unfortunately! Now apparently Alberta is out of the vaccine or something? Calgary clinics are shut down on Monday and Tuesday anyway...

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  4. That's what I mean! Ticks me off! In these situations people get so riled up with hysteria, that it's like getting in the last raft off the sinking Titanic! Each man for himself!

    They had a special flu shot spot for the homeless, because they can't drive to a clinic, which is fine, but why didn't they have a special clinic for all the expectant mothers, or Mother's who had to stand 4 hours in a line with little ones to get them vaccinated. Had they prioritized initially, it would have kept the panicked and confused at home, and kept the lines manageable!

    We actually had people take time off work to go stand in line!? Gah!

    If you're not in a high risk group, or a high risk job, think of those who are first and foremost.

    /off soapbox

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