Today a letter came in the post that I was hoping would bypass us. A letter that means I have a decision to make.
I’ve always been an advocate of immunisations but the swine flu one on offer to my two year old son at the moment feels lacking in information.
Is it really necessary? Are there any side effects- long term side effects? And is it really going to make a difference? Is this an immunisation to protect my son, or others around him that aren’t offered the vaccine due to cost restraints ?
I am amazed that no information came with the letter, it just tells me when to take my son to the doctors and get this injection. Should we accept all that we are told without questioning it? What are the chances of my son getting swine flu? Perhaps my children have already had it, they were quite ill for a number of weeks over the summer holidays with flu-like symptoms.
I’ve seen various tweets by people on Twitter saying that their babies are suffering after the injection but that older children seem fine.
I’m just not sure whether it’s truly necessary. On the other hand if my son, Little M, got swine flu and was terribly ill, or worse, I’d feel very responsible and would no doubt question my judgement. I’m sure parents of the children that have died from swine flu would by clamouring for the vaccine if it had been available and had they known the severity of the illness.
Very sadly for them it is too late, and yet we are now being offered a potentially life saving vaccine. Should we take that risk and not give it to our children?
When there are articles such as this and this it’s no wonder I’m confused and nervous. I’m sure many others are too. The second article from the Mail online says that the uptake of the jab is low. I am surprised because no one could argue that there hasn’t been a major panic over swine flu amongst the public. Apparently most pregnant women are declining having the vaccination, I think that would be my decision too.
We were told to expect a major epidemic last summer, and then when that didn’t happen, in the autumn. Once again we were warned when this didn’t occur to watch out over January and February. ‘Touch wood’ this hasn’t happened, yet. Then again we’ve had very cold weather and snow which stopped or reduced movement among some communities for a number of weeks.
To quote Professor Oxford from the Mail’s article dated 8 December 2009, “This is a virus that can put you in the hospital or the mortuary. And there aren’t many viruses around like that. The sensible advice is to have the vaccination if you are offered it.”
And yet the uptake of the jab among doctors and nurses is as low as 30 percent in some areas! This BBC news article written just last week states that only one in three NHS London nurses have had the vaccination. That’s not a very reassuring statistic, is it?
Why aren’t the health professionals taking up the offer of the vaccine? After all they’re the ones on ‘the frontline’. They’re the ones possibly taking home whatever they’ve ‘picked’ up as a perk of the job to their families…what do they know that we don’t?
This of course is my personal opinion and I wouldn’t want to scare people from getting their children vaccinated against this very serious illness. In all probability I will get little M ‘jabbed’ but I think we should be given more facts to enable us to make informed choices rather than there appear to be a lack of information surrounding this very new immunisation.
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My toddler and baby have had the swine flu jag. Toddler who is 2 seemed fine if a little sniffly for a few days and perhaps was just getting a cold anyway. Baby on other hand has been sniffly since she had it and is still sniffly 2 weeks after having it. She's also really tired and clingy. It could be from the jag or could just be teething but you're right, I think they've rushed the vaccine and not provided us with enough information. We did get a leaflet with the appointment letter but I think it was the same leaflet that was sent out when the swine flu was first alerted. I'm reading you after Sandy at Baby Baby mentioned you in the You're Welcome meme. Great read!
My little girl hasn't even been invited for the jab (she's 4) but I think, like you, I would struggle and look for more information.
Put it this way, I'm not disappointed I haven't been given the call – like you said, you can be made to feel guilty for doing what you think is best for your child
We personally are not letting Baba have it, based on the same reasons that we do not think the long term effects have been tested enough. My father had it and he was very poorly. Regardless of the testing issue Baba was very late in having his MMR only having it last week and I don't really want him to have another jab so soon. Its a tough one though x
Dear Mummy's Little Monkey
It is so hard and we are made to feel guilty if we don't go along 'with what they want'. Actually after the response I've had from people on here and Twitter I'm even more reluctant now. :0( Good luck with your decision. Let me know what you decide.
Dear Babies Who Brunch
I wasn't basing my decision on a news article I had my worries anyway which are only enhanced by all the articles I came across. :0(
I hope your son and husband weren't too ill with it.
Dear Pippa
Your doctor said that? Well, I'm not sure if some of mine had it but I will assume that they did I think. ;0)
Dear Gigi
That's terrible firing the nurses for not having the vaccine. I don't think anyone's choice should be taken away but it is all very worrying that they don't know the long term effects ( for obvious reasons) :0(
I'm glad I'm not the only one ummming and ahhhing about the vaccination. I had my 17-month-old daughter booked in for a shot, but she actually fell ill the day before so I had to cancel it. Since then I've dithered about rescheduling as I've had the exact same concerns as you. I just don't feel that I've had enough info to make an informed decision, or that enough studies have been carried out into possible long term effects. But I'd feel absolutely terrible if she actually caught Swine Flu. Aargh! What to do?????
I wouldn't base my decision on a Mail article… but I do worry that it's so untested…. But we're lucky: I reckon my son had swine flu a year ago when we were roadtrippin' in New Mexico…. (And my husband….)
We haven't gone for the jab, our Dr said they weren't giving it to their family and as we have had it, I figured we have enough of the virus in us to make us immumne in the future. I agree though this does seem rushed.
I know where I live all healthcare professionals had to be immunized. A few refused and were fired!! That being said; I'm all for immunizations – but not this one. I think it was rushed out there and not enough testing has been done. Just my opinion.