Sat 3 Oct 2009
Wow, The Super Hard Sell on Swine Flu Vaccine
Posted by RichSlick under Misc
[3] Comments
Are you freaked out about swine flu yet? It seems every time I log on to the net there is something about the swine flu. Evertime I watch the TV news there’s something about the swine flu. At work, I’m being offered FREE swine flu vaccine and now when I come home I have a pre-recorded message telling me that swine flu vaccine is ready at my local health provider.
Perhaps I live in a bubble but I personally know of ZERO people who have gotten the flu. The news reports in my city say a few people have gotten sick but no one has died and only a couple of people in the state have died from the disease the best I could tell so what’s with the fear-mongering?
According to the , Fifty six thousand people die of flu/pneumonia every year so why is it now on 24×7 all the time. What is really perplexing are conflicting news reports that there is a shortage of vaccine then I get calls and e-mails that flu vaccine is available everywhere! This is taking the whole supply vs demand paradigm to a whole new level.
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I’m from canada so i have not seen the hard sell of flu vaccine but i think i may have an explanation:
In the 1918 flu there was one point during the summer that the flu seemed to disappear. this was between the single outbreak in Fort Riley, Kansas (march 4th) and the more virulent and deadly form that appeared in august in france. perhaps the US authorities are fearing a similar rebirth of swine flu to a deadlier form and are seeking to provide at least some protection to the populace?
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:25 pm
That may be the case but the flu vaccine won’t necessarily cure or protect you from the swine flu.
October 3rd, 2009 at 9:40 pm
never said authorities know what they are doing. (the old saw: I’m from the gov’t and i’m here to help…)
logically they cannot make a vaccine for a deadly strain that does not exist yet. they are hoping that whoever they vaccinate with “old swine flu” vaccine will retain antibodies enough to fight new strain if it surfaces (smallpox/cowpox vaccine)
great blog BTW.