Shooting Up Influenza
Predominately in the United States there has been a recent controversy on whether or not a person should be injected with the influenza vaccine. Preventative health is a huge section of healthcare. Vaccinations are a form of supplemental preventions that have become mandatory in some institutions. Within healthcare settings, specifically getting the flu shot yearly is no longer a request rather, it is slowly becoming a requirement. This new flu vaccination requirement has forced itself upon its’ employees. No shot? There is a simply response- no work. Another place vaccination requirements as whole is forced on people are within dorms of universities. This enforcement not only affects the people getting the flu vaccine. It affects everyone because the government founds the drug companies in more ways than one. Don’t people have the right to detest such said things? Upon searching the internet for information on the influenza vaccination, for every four articles that support it, there is one article detesting it. The other problem is that all viral vaccines contain not only the particular virus but they also contain traces of leukaemia virus, cancer producing viruses and so on. The Mayo Clinic provides an article stating that the best way to avoid the flu is primarily by means of vaccination. This is the claim they make, yet they don’t provide evidence to back up their claim. “Flu shot: Your best bet for avoiding influenza” (Mayo 2012) There was support for avoiding getting the flu, but no proof that the shot itself would offer protection. Also the information leaflet that comes with the drugs packaging, the insert for FLULAVAL (the official name of the specific influenza vaccination that is used for adults) states “there have been no controlled trials adequately demonstrating a decrease in influenza disease after vaccination with FLULAVAL”. (WalgreensCo 2013) Honestly, none of this seems safe, let alone worth the risk.
The public trusts their health providers because they are trained from little on to believe health providers have their best interest in minds. While doctors urge their patients to get the flu shot, like many things in life, it is not completely free. Although there are clinics, half off weeks and insurances to help to minimize the cost of vaccinations, sometimes it is just not enough. Granted most places offer the shot for thirty dollars. For some, thirty dollars is too much to ask for to be injected with unsure liquid that is “said” to prevent the flu. Side effects can range to being mild with muscle aches, stiffness at the sight of injection to major. Major side effects can be an allergic reaction to the substances and receiving flu like symptoms. The reason people have to get the flu vaccination yearly is because each year a “new” vaccination is created. This fact is true, each year there is at least one influenza strain added to the list. There is also a fact that says the yearly influenza vaccination only holds about