Educated Choices or Uninformed Ones

Posted on 09. Nov, 2009 by joannagreer in Op-Ed

By Saul Rubin (Class of 2011)

It has been brought to my attention in one class discussion that many of the students at JFK will not get an H1N1 vaccination.  Stop the madness!!!  How can this be?  I was trying hard to understand this position.

During my investigation to understand the reasoning of both sides, I emailed Lauren McAuliffe, a health education teacher at Kennedy to see if I could interview her sixth period class to get a clear sense of their view on this. I went to the classroom and introduced myself and told everyone to please stand up and to separate themselves to opposite sides of the room, one side for vaccination and the other against.

Students were initially shy about their opinions. One tenth grader named Miriam said she doesn’t believe in the vaccine and said “they (the producers of the vaccine) developed it in such a short period of time and it has so many side effects.”  Her side of the classroom was in general agreement with her statement. I asked her simply “What in your opinion are the side effects of taking the H1N1 vaccination?” I soon got a response I was not anticipating as Miriam told me that a cheerleader that she saw on a You Tube video had received the vaccination and now has a strange neurological disorder.

After the class I searched for this video and found it here.

According to the video that was originated by Inside Edition, Desiree Jennings was vaccinated and 10 days later contracted a very rare neurological disorder called Dystonia, a disorder that makes voluntary muscle function involuntarily.  It is difficult to watch the video because you feel sorry her.

Upon further research, I contacted the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation (DMRF) whose primary goal is to help the lives of people with dystonia.  Julie Mack, the Administrative Coordinator at DMRF, contacted me with the statement that “The DMRF is not aware of any information or research showing that the seasonal flu vaccine causes dystonia.  Based on the footage that has been shared with the public, it is their unanimous consensus that this case does not appear to be dystonia”.

So what is going on?  What if people don’t get the flu shot because they are afraid of erroneous aftereffects?  Where was the reporter in all of this?  Do they realize that people might die from the flu because they won’t take the shot?  Is the media being responsible or just exaggerating this poor woman’s condition without checking all the facts?

It was not that hard to email the Dystonia Foundation.  Thus, it was not that difficult to check out a story that turns out to be wrong.

The CDC reports on their website that the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccinations “have undergone all the safety testing and quality checks that are usually done for other vaccines. We expect the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine to have a similar safety profile as seasonal flu vaccines, which have a very good safety track record. Over the years, hundreds of millions of Americans have received seasonal flu vaccines. The most common side effects following flu vaccinations are mild, such as soreness, redness, tenderness or swelling where the shot was given.”

We all go to physicians and doctors who have spent years in medical schools around the globe studying these types of viruses. Quite simply, we are not doctors of medicine, and should not double think the overwhelming amount of doctors who believe in and administer vaccinations every day to patients.

A doctor’s job is to make sure people get better and feel good. It is not the goal of these people to make lives miserable and cause disease. When you go to the doctor, you might not agree with their opinion and you can go to another for another one, but doctors today agree that the flu vaccination significantly reduces your chances of contracting the virus.

Today, the government is scrambling to order more vaccinations for the overwhelming amount of people who want the vaccine. The choice inevitably is ours. If you get the H1N1 or the seasonal influenza vaccination your chances of contracting these potentially deadly viruses significantly reduces.

It is up to you now. Are you going to make educated choices or uninformed ones?  Your life may be at stake.