Entry FeedMy seven-year old wants me to explain H1N1, and why it is any different from previous influenzas. I am not a doctor, not a health care worker at all.
My plan was for me and the children to get our flu shots for H1N1 this fall. I am pretty sure that most of us had it in the spring (Daughter's 3 day 105 fever), however I wanted to be safe. I have asthma, and I am pretty sure that Son One has mild, though undiagnosed, asthma.
My plans for the flu shot were thwarted. First off, I don't have three hours to drag my kids to a clinic to wait in line with strangers, some of whom are probably ill. Plus, Son One is not eligible and I am not sure about Son Two since he is 5. I was going to my Dr. for the flu shot Friday AM, but received a call from her office canceling because she was home sick.
At this point, I don't think that we will end up getting the H1N1 shot.
I am pissed off at all of the queue jumpers (like the hospital administrators). My understanding is that women in early thirties are the MOST likely to end up hospitalized with H1N1. Add to that my asthma (ok, so I am little older than early thirties at 35, but close enough!) and you'd think that I would get a shot. The media has highlighted two cases on Ontario, a 10 year old in London and the 13 year old Toronto boy.
I tried to explain to Son One that what is so scary about H1N1 is that normal flus seem to hit the elderly hard, and yes, people do die of the flu every year in Canada (still not sure if H1N1 has a higher or lower mortality rate) HOWEVER, with H1N1 the traditionally hard hit groups are not being hard hit.
I've heard that those seniors, who are front of the line, probably were exposed to a similar illness in the late 60s, and therefor have some natural immunity.
I've also heard criticism of those of us who aren't getting the shot. Come on people! The government never planned on this being a total inoculation program, and you need over 85% immunized in order to get herd immunization benefits. Plus, we are already deep in the first wave of fall flu here in SW Ontario, and the shot takes a few weeks to gain effectiveness.
Wishing that I would have bought stock in Shoppers or Purell this summer, it actually sort of saddens me when I see my Daughter's dance teacher spraying all of their grubby little hands before they go in. Touch would we have had a fairly healthy household so far this fall.
One plus for me that has come from all of this concern is that SICK PEOPLE ARE FINALLY STAYING HOME!!!! YEAH!!!!
BTW - if the flu shot was easy and convenient to get, I would have gotten it and so would my children. However, the last time I went to a flu shot clinic I stood in line for over an hour only to have NONE of us actually receive the shot because the nurse wasn't comfortable giving it to young children and wasn't sure about a lactating mother.