Have we become a nation of conspiracy theorists?

[freeradical]

It's simply amazing that 43% of the public feels that the swine flu vaccine is unsafe. Have we become a nation that is anti-science?


"A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll based on interviews with 1,038 adult Americans found that 49 percent of people said the swine flu vaccine is safe, while 43 percent said no. The poll of 1,038 adults was conducted by telephone October 16-18 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/24/h1n...index.html

[blooz]

ecret:

[Doc]

Define "unsafe."

I choose not to get vaccinated. I weighed several factors to make this decision.

For a person of my age, the risk from swine flu is minimal. The risk of nasty side-effects from the vaccine is also minimal. The risk that a vaccine will not provide me with full protection from the flu is significant.

All-told, I don't see that the benefit of vaccination outweighs the risk... in my case.

If I were younger or pregnant or elderly or immune-compromised or worked with children or attended a high-risk workplace or school -- or if the single-dose mercury-free version of the vaccine was commonly available -- those factors would impact my analysis.

I don't think that my decision is founded on the vaccine being "unsafe," but it's a debatable point and I'd hesitate before correcting someone who tried to characterize it that way.

[Grateful11]

I've also chose not to be vaccinated. I'm laid up at home for several months,
don't even really feel like going anywhere so someone would almost
have bring into our home in order for me to be exposed to it.

[mattkime]

I'm curious what people think the risks are.

[btfc]

"Have we become a nation of conspiracy theorists?"

I could tell you but I'd have to kill you.

[Doc]

> I'm curious what people think the risks are.

STF. There's been a lot of debate.

...and I think the risk of this is pretty close to infinitesimal, but it does happen and I can see why people get scared.

[decay]

OK. people play the lottery, and have LESS of a chance of winning than that reaction.

yet, they play.

you can see why some choose not to take the risk, even though it's small - it's not zero.

[kanesa]

I haven't gotten one yet but will when it is offered because I am a health care worker taking care of people who are medically compromised.

The only problem I have with people who do not want to get the vaccination is if you do get H1N1, you are endangering other people and their families. You could be infected and standing in line at the grocery store, you sneeze and expose the pregnant checkout woman. Or you expose a co-worker who also babysits his grandchildren after work.

[DharmaDog]

Honestly, I readily admit that I do not fully understand the risks.

But I do understand that the government lied to the public in the 70s about the Swine Flu vaccine and that it did cause people to become ill.

I also understand that the government has done no testing on the current H1N1 vaccine, but tries to spin the issue by saying it's similar enough to other vaccines that they feel confident it's safe.

Considering the government's track record with previous Swine Flu vaccines, it shouldn't come as a surprise that people are skeptical.

Feel free to call me a nut case, but I'm not in a high risk group and I don't trust the government. I don't think I'll get the vaccine.