About the Flu Vaccine

[grammyk]

About this years Flu Vaccine:

In March of 2001, the Food & Drug Administration
(FDA) issued a statement warning pregnant
women and young children not to eat fish
containing high levels of mercury because it
causes neurological problems in children.
Yet, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) now recommends that these same
women and young children (ages 6 to 59 months)
should get flu shots. Despite what you may have
heard, flu shots still contain mercury in the form of
the preservative thimerosal. In fact, some flu shots
contain more mercury than the EPA recommended
safe level for seafood.
SafeMinds is deeply concerned that the risks of
mercury-containing flu shots outweigh the
benefits for pregnant women, infants and
children. Our belief is based on a large-scale
scientific study in approximately 50,000 pregnant
women and their infants over five flu seasons that
found no difference in the risk for developing flu
illness among those who received the flu vaccine
during pregnancy and those who did not receive
the vaccine. Reviews in the medical journal The
Lancet found a lack of health benefit of influenza
vaccine for children under 2 and significantly
increased rates of adverse events in children given
the influenza vaccine.
In addition, a recent NIH-funded study showed
that the type of mercury found in flu shots crosses
into the brain of infant primates and results in
appreciable levels of mercury being trapped in
the brain. Mercury is highly toxic to brain tissue
and can interrupt critical stages of brain development.

The following products are available for the
2007-2008 influenza season. Make sure any
vaccine you receive is the mercury-free or reduced
mercury version:
FluMist MedImmune (contains no mercury)
*nasal spray vaccine approved for children 2 years and older
Fluarix GlaxoSmithKline (contains no mercury)
FluLaval GlaxoSmithKline (contains 25 mcg of mercury)
Fluvirin Chiron (contains 25 mcg of mercury)
Fluzone Sanofi Pasteur - *request mercury-free version
Fluzone 5 mL vial - (contains 25 mcg of mercury)
Fluzone prefilled syringe - (contains no mercury)
Afluria CSL Limited - *request mercury-free version
Afluria 5 mL vial - (contains 25 mcg of mercury)
Afluria prefilled syringe - (contains no mercury)


KNOW T H E FACTS

EPA estimates that one in every six women
has levels of mercury in their bodies that
could cause harm to their unborn children.
**********************************
It is inconsistent and unwise to counsel
pregnant women to avoid seafood which
contains mercury while recommending
vaccines which contain mercury.
**********************************
Mercury rapidly crosses the placenta and
accumulates in the fetus at even higher
levels than the mother.
**********************************
Scientific studies have documented that
the mercury used in vaccines enters into
the brain and can interrupt critical stages
of brain development.
**********************************
Simple techniques such as avoiding those
with flu-like illnesses and good handwashing
can prevent many cases of the flu.

[Bonobo]

I decided to take a vaccine once or twice. There was a craze to vaccinate a few years ago, late 90s, early 2000s. However, I gave up. I didn`t have a flu for dozens of years, though I work with a lot of infected people in flu time.

[valpomike]

I get my shot each year at my Veterans Hospital, and if they give them, they are worth it. The V.A. does not do things without checking into first.

Mike

[gigi]

Oct 26, 2008 12:49:33 GMT 1 Bonobo said:

I decided to take a vaccine once or twice. There was a craze to vaccinate a few years ago, late 90s, early 2000s. However, I gave up. I didn`t have a flu for dozens of years, though I work with a lot of infected people in flu time.

You are lucky to be so healthy! Especially having young children, since they tend to catch everything that is going around.

[valpomike]

I got my shot yesterday, and hope and think I did the correct thing. I worked for me in the past, so we will see.


Mike

[grammyk]

Oct 28, 2008 16:30:35 GMT 1 valpomike said:

I got my shot yesterday, and hope and think I did the correct thing. I worked for me in the past, so we will see.


Mike

I think the shot for most adults is fine, although I never have had one myself. I seem quite lucky when it comes to catching those nasty things.....so far.

There is concern over the ones containing Thimersol (Mercury), especially for pregnant women and small children. It is known to cause neurological damage in developing brains of the children. I also read that they suspect it may have a negative affect on Alzheimer's patients too.

I hope they are wrong again about this being a bad flu season.

[valpomike]

Everything has a good and a bad side to it, but it looks to work for me.

Mike

[Bonobo]

Oct 28, 2008 16:20:59 GMT 1 gigi said:

You are lucky to be so healthy! Especially having young children, since they tend to catch everything that is going around.

I didn`t say I was immune to infections. I catch a few each year, but never the flu.

[gigi]

Oct 28, 2008 21:18:31 GMT 1 Bonobo said:

I catch a few each year, but never the flu.

I think you are supposed to knock on something wooden now...

[jeanne]

Oct 28, 2008 22:37:19 GMT 1 gigi said:

Oct 28, 2008 21:18:31 GMT 1 Bonobo said:

I catch a few each year, but never the flu.

I think you are supposed to knock on something wooden now...

Yes, and there is a Polish expression for that, "Odpukac", I remember it from another thread! ;D

And by the way, I usually try to get a flu shot. Working one-on-one with young kids, they sneeze and cough on me all the time (yuk!) and I need all the protection from germs that I can get!!

[gigi]

Oct 29, 2008 2:05:43 GMT 1 jeanne said:

And by the way, I usually try to get a flu shot. Working one-on-one with young kids, they sneeze and cough on me all the time (yuk!) and I need all the protection from germs that I can get!!

I think perhaps you deserve some hazard pay! ;D ;D ;D

[locopolaco]

Oct 29, 2008 2:05:43 GMT 1 jeanne said:

Oct 28, 2008 22:37:19 GMT 1 gigi said:

I think you are supposed to knock on something wooden now...

Yes, and there is a Polish expression for that, "Odpukac", I remember it from another thread! ;D

And by the way, I usually try to get a flu shot. Working one-on-one with young kids, they sneeze and cough on me all the time (yuk!) and I need all the protection from germs that I can get!!

coldish here but still not bad.