Debating about the H1N1 vaccine

So... are you having your kids vaccinated?

Our elementary school is having a vaccination clinic later this week and I have to decide whether to bring Juliette or not.  I am not sure if they will allow me to bring Cosette, too, as she is not technically a student at the elementary school yet.  My pediatrician simply said, "If you get one, then get them both" meaning, if I get the seasonal flu vaccine, then also get the H1N1 vaccine.  But when asked 'Should I have them vaccinated', all she would say was "It is up to you." That isn't very helpful, on the other hand, if she really thought it was important I think they'd be a little less noncommital. So why not get it?  I don't know.  There are risks involved, of course.  They have recieved the seasonal flu vaccine before, but that doesn't lessen the risk of getting it again. A few minutes of research revealed the following facts:

1. The flu vaccines are the only vaccines that still contain thimerosol.  Thimerosol is the preservative that some people thought might be linked to autism (although the research about that is not that convincing, I'm not read up enough about it to comment).  There are some preservative free flu vaccines available; including the nasal mist and the single-dose vials; only the multi-dose vials have thimerosol. In reality, since none of the other vaccines have thimerosol anymore, the low levels of mercury in the flu vaccine are not hazardous (since the overall exposure is what counts). Also, my girls are old enough that this isn't really a concern.

2. Side effects; Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). Having gone through two pregnancies, when I see the acronym GBS I think "Group B Strep", but that is not what this GBS is.  Guillain-Barre syndrome is an auto immune disease of the nerve system.  The body attacks the lining of the nerves.  The last outbreak of GBS was actually linked to a 1976 swine flu vaccine, but GBS hasn't been linked with other flu vaccines since then. On the contrary: getting a flu vaccine may reduce the risk of GBS;  that is because GBS may sometimes develop after a person has suffered from influenza virus infection.  So, oddly enough, even if GBS is a side effect of the flu shot, the risk of getting it after having the flu is higher then the risk of getting it after having the flu shot.

3.  The flu vaccine is untested.  As far as I can tell, this isn't true.  The H1N1 vaccine isn't less tested then a traditional flu vaccine; furthermore,  it is very much the same as the normal seasonal flu vaccine, just with a different viral antigen present.

Hmm.  Seems to be I've eliminated all the major reasons not to have my girls get vaccinated. The only question remaining is:

4.  The nasal mist versus the shot.  The flu shot has inactive virus; there is no risk of getting the flu from the shot.  The nasal mist has weakened virus; so I suppose there is a slightly greater risk, and that is supported by the fact that they won't give it to some of the at-risk patients that they recommend vaccination for.  Also, it may be that the seasonal flu mist is slightly less effective then the shot.  If I had to choose... I'd go for the shot. The girls might not like that option...

Thanks for listening.  I hope you enjoy this glimpse into my thought process, and may you have a flu-free year, whether you vaccinate or not! Now excuse me while I go call the pediatrician to set up an appointment...