Metro Health, San Antonio
Even as public health officials around the globe urge everyone who can to get vaccinated against swine flu, new survey findings indicate that even many doctors, nurse and other care providers do not trust the safety of new flu shots.
More than half of Hong Kong hospital workers told researchers last spring that concerns about risks and efficacy would lead them to refuse vaccinations against the H1N1 influenza A virus that causes swine flu. The Hong Kong health care providers reported even stronger resistance to receiving a hypothetical vaccine against the H5N1 influenza virus that causes bird flu.
These findings appear in today's online version of BMJ. They call into question the wisdom of public health plans that rely strongly on nearly universal vaccination to limit swine flu cases this fall and winter. At least one bioethicist also believes that providers who would forgo vaccination during a flu pandemic are failing to meet their duties to patients. George Annas, a bioethics expert at Boston University, told an Associated Press reporter, "A good argument can be made that health workers have an ethical obligation to be vaccinated, not to protect themselves, but to protect their patients.
Annas did acknowledge, however, that "if they (health care providers) don't believe that vaccine to be safe and effective, it will be a hard sell."
The "sell" may be even tougher than Annas realizes.
Canadian researchers conducted focus groups during 2006 and 2007 to determine how willing health care workers and members of the public would be to receive little-tested vaccines during pandemics. In the latest issue of the Emerging Health Threats Journal, The key paragraph from the article reads: "In the context of the fictitious disease, participants were asked whether, if a new vaccine were developed, they would get vaccinated or have their children vaccinated. Very few people said they would definitely get vaccinated."
The focus group participants expressed a strong preferences for hygiene and avoidance measures such as hand washing and voluntary isolation.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius appeared on NBC's Today show yesterday to beat the drum for both seasonal and swine flu vaccination. Sebelius stressed that closing schools or businesses would not stop the spread of flu and noted that as much work as possible was being done to ensure the safety of the new vaccine.
Common concerns over a new swine flu vaccine include worries that the shot will raise recipients' risk for contracting the disease, that a mercury-containing preservative called thimerosal will cause autism in children and that the vaccine will cause Guillain-Barre syndrome, as did another swine flu vaccine administered in 1976.
Related articles:
- Swine flu response: Fewer school closings, more shots
- Swine flu vaccine deemed safe enough to allow children's trials
- Swine flu to trickle in come October
Comments
Hello, my name is Samantha i was told that the swine flu vaccine does not work at all that people in the world are still dying from it. I was told that there is Ls side effects from it, i think the swinr flu is somewhat like when sars was introduced in canada and people were getting shots for that and people were dying form it. But i would very much appreciate it if someone could email me back and let me no how it works and if it even does thank you my email is sam.peever@hotmail.com. Thank you very much for your time and reading this.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!