To be shot, or not to be shot
The Flu shot. How indicitive of our nation. I would like your reaction to my feelings about it.
Persnally, for the majority of the population, I believe it is redundant to receive the flu shot. The flu does not (most usually) kill people. Those who are most at risk are the elderly and very young children. According to health Canada some 4 - 8 thousand elderly people die a year due to the flu or flu related symptoms or complications. That's a hefty sum, I suppose.
Now, my wife (who is probably right), believes I should get the flu shot before our child is born (consequentially, my wife has already received the flu shot, and therefore, so has our little unborn child). This to reduce the risk of giving our little newborn the flu, should we get the flu.
My beef is this: Does not the body naturally build immunity by going through illness?? How will my little child build antibodies to defend itself if he/she is protected as such. I'm not saying I WANT my child to get sick, or plan on slobbering all over it when I get the flu! Far from it. But a child's environment are what prepare them for defending themselves against infection. At least, that's what I was taught. I've even been given the advice to let my child eat dirt! Because it helps their bodies produce immunity to disease! Am I not delaying the inevitable by getting the shot?
Maybe I just don't want to get the shot. I don't really care if I get the shot or not, but my argument stands. To be shot, or not to be shot?
I think you should get shot! There are lots of things in this world for your child to build immunity to on its own. But there are some things like Measles, and Rubella, and Polio, and other such diseases that you don't want your child to become immune to naturally. So you give vaccinations so that your child can become immune and build its antibodies without having to get terribly sick. Just cause you give your child the flu shot doesn't mean they can't eat dirt and you have to have Wet Wipes to wash their hands every 5 mins.
ReplyDeleteSo my opinion: give yourselves and your child the flu shot for your childs sake while they are in the risky category (very young children, people with chronic health problems, and the elderly). Then when none of you are in the risky areas, don't be one of the paranoid people who get the flu shot without reason! :)