CDC: All U.S. Children Should Get Flu Shots

[frihetsivrare]

CDC Recommends All U.S. Children Get Flu Shots

Reuters
February 27, 2008

 
 
 
  Remember, according to "experts," mercury is good for your children, and a number of flu vaccinations still contain thermisol. If you don’t know this, chances are your kids will get a dose of this ID-reducing neurotoxin. 
 
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - All U.S. children aged from six months up to 18 should be immunized every year against influenza, a panel of federal vaccine advisers said on Wednesday.

The panel, which advises the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine matters, agreed unanimously at its regular meeting in Atlanta that the new recommendations should go into effect as soon as possible, but no later than the 2009-2010 flu season.

 
 
The vote from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices would add about 30 million children to the list of those who should be vaccinated, CDC spokesman Curtis Allen said. The current recommendations cover children aged 6 months to 5 years old.

“There about 59 million (children aged 5 to 18) but a lot of those children are already covered under current recommendations,” Allen said in a telephone interview.

Based on current vaccination rates, the CDC predicts about 7 million additional children will be vaccinated because of the expanded recommendations.

[dead0man]

When healthy children start dropping dead from the flu I'll start being concerned about flu shots.  Other than my few years in the USAF where they were required, I've never gotten one and I've survived 34 winters in a row.

[Jake]

When healthy children start dropping dead from the flu I'll start being concerned about flu shots.  Other than my few years in the USAF where they were required, I've never gotten one and I've survived 34 winters in a row.

Agreed.

Certainly not worth the hassle if you're in good health. And let's be real, a healthy kid is not going to die from the flu.

[MODU]

I disagree, especially since children's immune systems are still developing at this point.  Besides, the flu of 2007 will not be the flu of 2008.  The CDC is completely wrong in this case.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

For those who worry about thimerosal, get the FluMist version, which is considered more effective than the injections for children anyway.  While it will have some benefit for kids, the greater benefit will be in breaking up flu transmission so that people who might die from the flu will be less exposed to the virus.  I'm fairly libertarian in most things, but vaccination is not one of them.  Given the benefits to the public health, I'm all for not only having the government pick up the tab, but making vaccinations mandatory.

[Alcon]

Call me dumb, but have we ever found a link between mercury and autism?  What's the concern here?

I'm not one for over-medication, but still...

[dead0man]

For those who worry about thimerosal, get the FluMist version, which is considered more effective than the injections for children anyway.  While it will have some benefit for kids, the greater benefit will be in breaking up flu transmission so that people who might die from the flu will be less exposed to the virus.  I'm fairly libertarian in most things, but vaccination is not one of them.  Given the benefits to the public health, I'm all for not only having the government pick up the tab, but making vaccinations mandatory.

Mandatory?  Eegads man. 

On the other hand, 2 years after we get Socialized medicine it will be.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Mandatory?  Eegads man. 

The flu kills more Americans each year than Al-Qaida has done in its entire existence.  Universal flu vaccination would save lives and save money lost to hospital bills and lost wages.  Vaccination works, but it works best when universal.

[dead0man]

The govt could save a lot of lives and lost wages if they did a lot of things, that still doesn't make it a good idea to get rid of cars, beer and Twinkies.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Well they should get rid of Twinkies.  Little Debbie's stuff is generally far better than the stuff Hostess makes anyway.

[Meeker]

The govt could save a lot of lives and lost wages if they did a lot of things, that still doesn't make it a good idea to get rid of cars, beer and Twinkies.

All those things have positives for society though. Can't really think of a plus side to someone getting the flu.

[dead0man]

Well NOT getting a flu shot is a positive.

[MODU]

The only year I came down with the flu was the year I had a flu shot.  Probably coincidence, but I've never had a flu shot since.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Well NOT getting a flu shot is a positive.

You may have a right not to be vaccinated, but then you should be quarantined when you get sick.  You have no right to spread that virus to another person, which you are doing when you don't get vaccinated and pick up the virus.

If the government can force us into selective service, a few flu shots aren't gonna hurt.

You might start putting your eggs in a more effective basket.

[MODU]

You may have a right not to be vaccinated, but then you should be quarantined when you get sick.  You have no right to spread that virus to another person, which you are doing when you don't get vaccinated and pick up the virus.

Seriously?

[dead0man]

Well NOT getting a flu shot is a positive.

You may have a right not to be vaccinated, but then you should be quarantined when you get sick.  You have no right to spread that virus to another person, which you are doing when you don't get vaccinated and pick up the virus.

If the government can force us into selective service, a few flu shots aren't gonna hurt.

You might start putting your eggs in a more effective basket.

I liked the left a lot more when they weren't so authoritarian.

[Inverted Things]

Well NOT getting a flu shot is a positive.

You may have a right not to be vaccinated, but then you should be quarantined when you get sick.  You have no right to spread that virus to another person, which you are doing when you don't get vaccinated and pick up the virus.

Wait... You want to make getting sick a crime with a prison sentence (quarantine = locked up)? Sorry, you lose.

[defe07]

Thank God that I got all my shots when I was a kid (about the late 80s).

[??????????]

Well NOT getting a flu shot is a positive.

You may have a right not to be vaccinated, but then you should be quarantined when you get sick.  You have no right to spread that virus to another person, which you are doing when you don't get vaccinated and pick up the virus.

Wait... You want to make getting sick a crime with a prison sentence (quarantine = locked up)? Sorry, you lose.

The left is a threat to a free society.

[Reluctant Republican]

The last time I got a flu shot I had a really bad reaction to it and ended up not even being able to look at any source of light without my head feeling like it was about to split open. Upon talking to my doctor I was told I fell in the 1 percent who reacted badly to the shot, but needless to say, I've not gotten it since, and I don't intend to ever get it again. So I don't really think children should have to get it, let the parents decide.

Besides, anything could be put in those flu shots. Call me paranoid, but I feel very uncomfortable with a government organization requiring me to get any kind of shot. I don't want to go all "black helicopters" on everyone here, but that sort of thing does worry me.

I should add that where I went to school, it was required you get your flu shot. Now, I don't know if this is true in other parts of the US, but if so, this does disturb me a bit.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Obviously for persons with a prior reaction or a known allergy to eggs (because of the way the virus is cultivated for the vaccine, people with an allergy to eggs often have a worse reaction to the vaccine) the vaccine shouldn't be required.