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Nurse faces dilemma over vaccine
ON the front lines of Manitoba's defences against H1N1 stand the nurses who will be handing out the much-anticipated flu shot.
But one Winnipeg nurse isn't about to roll up her sleeve.
Margaret Hartle, who works at a nursing home, said she is too scared to get vaccinated because she had a flu in September and is unsure how her body would react to the shot.
Hartle said she had flu-like symptoms in the beginning of September, which was too early in the season for the regular flu. She was not allowed to go to work for a week and the doctor diagnosed her with a viral infection. Since Hartle had milder symptoms and did not need a ventilator, she was not tested for H1N1 flu.
Karl Weiss, a microbiologist at Montreal's Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, has said that those who have confirmed cases of H1N1 should not get the vaccine because "their immune systems could overreact horribly."
Hartle has already received the seasonal flu shot and would like to get vaccinated against H1N1, but she has been unable to get reliable advice on what to do.
"Since I don't know if I had H1N1 flu, I don't want to take the risk by getting vaccinated, because if I did have H1N1 -- which means I would be immune -- and I went to get the shot, I could react very poorly to it," she said.
"There needs to be more research and people looking into things like this. A lot more people are choosing not to risk getting the shot, but I am scared to think what will happen if the virus mutates and all these nurses and other people didn't get the shot because of being unsure."
Dr. Sande Harlos, medical officer of health with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, said she does not know what research Weiss might have based his opinion on.
"There is no risk about taking a vaccination if a person already had H1N1, it just is unnecessary and won't have any effect as the individual would have built up natural immunity," Harlos said.
She said those such as Hartle who had unconfirmed cases of H1N1 flu should get vaccinated to be sure they become immune.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 24, 2009 A10
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11 Comments
Posted by: countrygurl
October 25, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Dear RoadRunner, I believe your misinterpreting what Margaret is saying...she wants to be vaccinated, yet with all the misinformation out there she just wants to be sure that she is not going to have a severe reaction from the shot. I don't believe that wanting to be educated is selfish and inconsiderate.
Posted by: forwardthinking
October 25, 2009 at 10:32 AM
It is very difficult right now because there is so much conflicting information, and it becomes very confusing. Even this article, which brings up two completely conflicting pieces of information, one microbioligist who´s educated opinion says it is NOT safe to get the vaccine if someone has already been infected, and one medical officer of health disagrees but also does not back up her alegations of this information not being true... I find it very hard to believe that a microbioligist would make a comment like this without having seen evidence to back it up. I suggest that if you trust your doctor speak to them about trying to get the blood test to confirm that you indeed had H1N1, I know that our medical system doesn´t want to be overwhelmed but they also want to encourage us to vaccinate. It only makes sense.
Posted by:
October 25, 2009 at 5:03 AM
One year ago this November I got a bad flu that was NOT H1N1 and ended up in renal failure and in the ICU for a few weeks not breathing on my own and then on a ward. Since I finished Chemotherapy my body has very low immunity to viruses so I am extra careful. For me there is no question I will get the shot. I never want to be that close to dying again until I get old. I have a wonderful life despite my health issues and I don't want it to stop. That is my reason to get a shot.
Posted by: Marni
October 25, 2009 at 12:57 AM
I am appalled that another human could stoop so low as to call another selfish and inconsiderate for not getting this H1N1 vaccine. There are so many things wrong with this program. I have gotten 4 mailings about the flu from our health officials. Bottom line is they are not testing soo..ooo we might have had it oor..rrr not. It might contain mercury or not....they just don't want to use that word. We might get a reaction if we are already immune...or not...They don't know.!!. So if they are not interested enough to test..don't call people who have to make these difficult decisions names. Look in the mirror.Our vaccine has not been tested in Canada..we are using another countries tests..Big whoop.
Posted by: RoadRunner
October 24, 2009 at 11:23 PM
Far better that this nurse not be vaccinated and risk spreading the virus to all her patients, family, friends, and customers and staff in any business she frequents, because there is a CHANCE that she MAY be immune already. How about making that a CERTAINTY and getting herself vaccinated? Really! How selfish and inconsiderate a choice for a health care provider to take.
Posted by: kat
October 24, 2009 at 6:35 PM
Damn rights we need an opinion...we need an educated opinion. If they start enforcing vaccines on everyone I will leave this country and never look.
Posted by: DoYouCare
October 24, 2009 at 3:47 PM
I too had a horrible flu. Mine was back in June when the first H1N1 wave was busy making people very sick here in Manitoba. I ended up with fluid on my lungs, on antibiotics and missed a number of days of work. But, like so many others, I was not tested. To this day i have no idea whether I've had H1N1 or not. Is this really the way we should be doing things? Why get the vaccine if I'm already immune?
Posted by: chevybelair57
October 24, 2009 at 12:51 PM
I read the other day that 30% of people that get H1N1 may not get any symptoms, so many of us may have already had it, so what if those people get the vaccine and something does happen? Have they tested the vaccine on people who have already had H1N1?
Posted by:
October 24, 2009 at 12:28 PM
tyr, the problem is there isn't any firm data on any of this. Everyone is guessing, because the pharma companies have rushed this vaccine out so fast there have been no clinical trials.
I believe the clinical trials started last week, and there are no results yet.
Nobody can answer the question of whether to get this shot, get the seasonal shot.. get them both or whether in the long run these vaccines will be more harmful to people.
The doctors and health care professionals can't answer those questions because there ARE no answers, so how can Joe Blow make an informed decision about this?
Posted by: tyr
October 24, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Unless Dr. Weiss's stance is supported by research, or at least anecdotal observation, it is contributing to the uncertainty and fears of this difficult situation.
People don't need opinion right now- they need our best qualified thoughts and attentions.
I am not expert, but I am sure people have unknowingly,(ie unconfirmed diagnosis) experienced seasonal flu prior to the usual season and then got the flu shot. Is there evidence of horrible reactions and established relationship between the 2 events?
Everyone needs to make the decision based on their personal situation. Let us do our best to ensure they have the best support and information to do so.
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