Mass Swine Flu Vaccination starts today in UK!

If there is as much concern from within the health profession as you suggest Jason, why aren't we/you kicking up a huge fuss about it?

Is there any danger that it could be another MMR shall we or shan't we situation which ultimately was proved to be duff information from a supposed 'professional' in the health service?

And I wonder how many people will read this thread and not have the flu jab as a result, only to suffer later? I think it's a tough one this Jason.

Well like you say, its up to the individual, i'm giving my opinion, and the opinion of friends, and we just happen to be health care professionals, and at the end of the day, quite a few will die as a result of the flu, but hey, thats what the flu does! maybe the vaccine works, maybe it doesn't, i just know I won't be having it from the info i've heard, I certainly have no will to start a fight, by kicking up a huge fuss, i have other things to think about, which to me and my work are just as important, i'll leave that job to someone who likes a fight, and also has all the research in front of them.

The thing about health care is, its not usually an exact science, everybody reacts differently to things, its difficult to be 100% (if not impossible) sure that what your doing is going to work! people not in health care don't understand this, and think everything is perfect, well its not .... and the same goes for the flu jab!  its always a risk, we just have to try to make it an informed risk ,but at the end of the day, you make your choice on your own instinct! the flu won't kill everyone, so do you take the risk or not?? up to you!  

cars racing to fast down the road, won't kill everyone, but ..  do you go cross the road today? choice is yours!

not everyone walking home in the dark will get mugged! do you want to walk home tonight?  ...again your choice! we can take precautions still even if we choose to go out (ie.. not have the flu jab!)

I have to agree with Jason on this one. It's a choice we each have to make individually. If you fit the list for those who are at high risk for the flu then by all means go out and get the shot. But if you aren't at high risk and are basically strong and healthy, why take the risk?

Even those in the medical profession admit that getting the shot doesn't guarantee that you won't get the flu. In some cases the shot can actually kill you (i.e., you have a severe allergic reaction or the shot exasperates an undiagnosed health problem).

I had surgery 4 years ago this month.  I asked my dr. if he thought I should get the flu shot (since so many people get sick with it from being in the hospital). He replied that it would probably be a good idea and so I asked him, "Do you get the shot?"  His answer was, "no."  So I asked his nurse, the nurse at the hospital, the surgeon.  NONE of them get flu shots.  So I figured, "Well, they must know something I don't," so I declined it.  (I've never gotten one).

New York state is trying to make it mandatory for health care workers to get the swine flu shot, and they are balking, and rightly so, IMHO.  I believe, like Jason and Diana, that it should be a choice.  The nurse they interviewed for a story about it said that she'd been working with people with the flu for over 20 years and had never gotten sick.  So when I tried to figure out why so many people who are actually handling sick people don't get immunized and don't get sick, the light bulb went on over my head.  How many times a day do you suppose they wash their hands.  I think that might be the key.  Don't pass a sink without washing your hands.  And get in the habit of doing it as soon as you walk in the door from outside.  And train yourself to keep your dirty hands away from your face.

As for the swine flu shot, I haven't yet decided whether or not I'll take it.  There have been many cases of people without underlying medical problems having to be hospitalized and some have also died.  It's a very scary strain of flu.

My sister works in a hospital and has daily meetings with doctors and she too refuses to get the vaccine. Too too risky.