Health Officials Continue to Monitor Side Effects of H1N1 Vaccine
The World Health Organization (WHO) released an update on the safety and side effects reported from the H1N1 vaccine seen so far in the 16 countries it has information on, of the 40 countries currently vaccinating for H1N1 worldwide.
How Many H1N1 Vaccinations Have Been Given?
Currently, in the 16 countries that have reported, WHO estimates some 80 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine have been distributed, and 65 million people have received them already. This includes some of the largest vaccination programs in history in several countries. Because of this, rare side effects of the H1N1 vaccine can surface that even large tests couldn't reveal. However, the WHO claims that results so far are "encouraging".
What are the Common H1N1 Vaccine Side Effects?
The most common symptoms of the H1N1 vaccinations reported are swelling, redness or pain at the injection site, which usually go away rather quickly.
Also common, though less so, are fever, headache, fatigue, and muscles aches shortly after receiving the swine flu vaccine, which usually go away within 48 hours.
Allergic reactions of various sorts have also been seen, but they are "well within the expected range".
What are the Less Common Side Effects of the H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine?
Guillain-Barre syndrome has cause quite a fuss during this vaccination program; to date, however, only ten suspected cases on Guillain-Barre syndrome have been reported in those who recently received the H1N1 vaccine, which is approximately the same number you would expected to develop in that number of people; in other words, the H1N1 vaccine does not seem to have raised the number of cases of Guilain-Barre at all.
A small number of deaths shortly after the administration of the H1N1 vaccine; however, the WHO claims to have ruled out any direct link between the deaths and the vaccine.
The release from the WHO gives China as an example; more than 11 million doses of the vaccine have been administered, with 15 reported cases of severe side effects from the H1N1 vaccine, and two deaths – and investigations showed that the two deaths were due to underlying medical conditions, not the swine flu shots.
No difference in adverse reactions have been detected in the various different types of swine flu vaccines being given — nonadjuvanted inactivated vaccines, adjuvanted inactivated vaccines, and live attenuated vaccines.
photo by Steven Depolo
Related Articles:
- What are the H1N1 Swine Flu vaccination risks and side effects? - an outline of the safety and side effects of the H1N1 vaccine as seen in the preliminary tests
- What are the dangers of the H1N1 Swine Flu vaccine, compared to the Seasonal Flu Shot? - comparison between the H1N1 vaccine side effects, and the regular flu vaccine
- Mercury levels in H1N1 Swine Flu vaccine under scrutiny - a recent study on the levels of mercury in the H1N1 vaccine in infants
- H1N1 Swine Flu vaccine confusion for allergy sufferers and asthmatics - who should and shouldn't receive the swine flu shot or FluMist nasal spray
- H1N1 vaccine clinics facing tough choices - healthcare professionals must choose who can receive the H1N1 vaccinations available
- 14 yr. old boy develops Guillain-Barre hours after H1N1 Swine Flu vaccine - one of the few cases that potentially links GBS and the H1N1 vaccine
For a touch of humor, be sure to check out these great I Survived the Swine Flu Panic t-shirts and other fine products.
To stay informed about new Natural Health articles as they happen, be sure to Subscribe to our email notifications at the top of this page, or follow the Natural Health Examiner on Twitter.
Comments