Senior Citizens Left Off Government’s Swine-Flu Vaccination Priority List

Me, neither. I have been getting the seasonal flu vaccine for decades free at work and haven't had any problems other than an occasional sore shoulder or maybe felt bad a couple of hours the next day a couple of times.

The woman in the cubicle next to me missed the first three days of work this week with the flu. She didn't get the flu shot last Friday but she probably already had contracted it so the shot wouldn't have prevented her from getting it.

 

I used to get the flu shot yearly but have not done so in several years. Thank God, I haven't gotten the flu in years either.

I am going to my doctor next week, and believe I might get the shot this year since several of my co-workers have been sick. I have missed three weeks of work since my motorcycle accident, but I will probably go back to work in a week or two, so getting the flu shot this year may be the way to go. I do agree with some though in that I'm not a big fan of taking medicine I do not need.

 

Why do seniors have to receive some kind of special warning or explanation beyond what already has been given? Are they not just as capable of critical thought as younger individuals? Sure, some have illnesses that affect cognitive capacity, but by and large, the average senior should be able to comprehend this information.

If they do not, it is not everyone else's fault. Seniors have life experience and knowledge. I refuse to insult their intelligence to assume they need special "hand holding" for everything.

For the record: I was raised by my grandparents, who were senior citizens. I know first hand.

 

==Very good question! It seems like too many Americans want to sit around and wait to be told to do something. Senior citizens should know that they need to get the seasonal flu shot and, when able, get the H1N1 vaccine.

As for the claim, not by StefanM, that there is no target age with the H1N1. As I have already posted, the CDC states:

"There has been very little 2009 H1N1 illness in people 65 and older since the 2009 H1N1 virus emerged. This has been true both in the United States and in the Southern Hemisphere during their flu season. Studies of who is most likely to be infected with 2009 H1N1 show that people 65 and older are the least likely to get sick with this virus...Because there has been so little 2009 H1N1 illness in people 65 and older, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that CDC and immunization programs focus on getting the first doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine to those people who are more likely to get infected with the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. This includes all children and young adults 6 months through 24 years old, pregnant women, and adults 25 through 64 years of age who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from flu...Persons 65 and older are a high priority for seasonal vaccine, just as they have been in past years." (CDC)"

Those in the high risk category are first on the list to get the vaccine and that is how it should be. Being a senior citizen does not put one at greater risk for H1N1, in fact age may reduce the risk.

 

"I have not heard any target age with the swine flu on any of the news and I am an avid news watcher" -Revmitchell

 

Martin: +1

 

You got under Pastor Mitchell's skin, Martin. + 2 to you.

 

That's not true. I posted the link refuting that in my first post, and you went all Revmitchell-ish on me.

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_seniors.htm

 

+1 to Johnv.

 

I'm not emotional. You said that you "have not heard any target age with the swine flu", I'm saying there is a clear target age(s).

 

I seem to do that to a lot of people around here :thumbs:.

 

I read what you said, I just quoted the CDC source (for the second time) to make clear that such an age target is suspected.