The importance of vaccinations. In other words, go get your flu shot!

So, in case you are new around these parts, I am very in favor of vaccination, for everyone that can be vaccinated. Every child that can be vaccinated, should be vaccinated, on time, every time. So, it should come as no surprise that when a question came up last night on a transplant board that I am on about "what do you do about family members that do not want to be vaccinated for the flu?" My answer would be, "we do not go around people who are unvaccinated. All of our close friends and family members are fully vaccinated." What was surprising was the debate that ensued about whether or not the flu shot is worth it, or the fact that the flu shot has toxins in it and "chemicals." I mean, I of course have heard this before, many times. But, on anti-vax sites. Not on a transplant board. These are parents who have been given a great gift for their child! A very selfless gift from someone who has lost a very dear person! Every transplant center I know of has written in to their post-transplant rules that the child should have a flu shot to protect them from the flu. Their immediate family should also get a flu shot to protect them with what is known as herd immunity.  For kids who have had heart transplants (or any kind of transplant) they are put on heavy immunosuppressants so that their body does not reject their new organ. But, what this means, is they also can not fight off diseases as easily as you or I can. With healthy people, or immune system can kick in and try to fight off the flu. But, even in  otherwise healthy people, the flu can kill. You can imagine what this can mean for a child like Ben who is on immunosupressing medication.

In the 2012-2013 flu season, there were 149 laboratory-confirmed influenza pediatric deaths . Now, I have no idea if any of those children had other conditions. But, if there were that many children that died of the flu, you can imagine how scary it is to me with a child like Ben, who can not fight off illnesses easily. So, of course, we do everything we can by protecting him with his own flu shot and by getting our flu shots as well.

Mommy and Ben flu shot selfie

I was really shocked to hear a couple of people on this board claiming that they themselves do not get the flu shot. They do other stuff instead. I won't go into details, as I do not have their permission to post their statements. But, suffice it to say, I was (of course) up for a while debunking some myths about the flu shot. Which were still persisting in to this morning (I mean, come on. Someone was WRONG on the internet! ;) )

I try my best to make sure people have the correct information, and help correct myths that have heard. Such as, "the flu shot will give you the flu". Which, no, it can not. If you get sick after getting the flu shot, you were already sick. Or you got sick at the doctors office getting your shot. Another one I have heard is, "I never get sick, so why should I get the flu shot"? Which again, it is all about herd immunity and protecting little guys like my Ben and his friends. Or, "if your flu shot works you should be fine and not worry about other people not getting theirs." Again, another yay for herd immunity. IF we can keep herd immunity high enough, then people who can't be vaccinated, or for who the vaccine is not quite as effective or who don't seroconvert will still be protected because it will be less likely that the illness will be able to get hold of our most vulnerable (and psst, it's not just our little ones. It's the pregnant lady in line next to you. It's the mom who might be going through chemo that is picking up her kid from daycare. It's the 85 year old grandma who visits her grandkid who doesn't yet know he has the flu because he doesn't feel sick. All of them are at risk.) By the way, follow that link on herd immunity to some great memes that explain it really well, as well as this one. And FINALLY, here is a debunking of ALL of the flu vaccine myths that you have probably ever heard. Yes, I know I posted it on facebook. But, I am posting it again in case you need to use it for some family members. Enjoy. http://www.redwineandapplesauce.com/2014/10/10/33-flu-vaccine-myths/