Posted on 10/22/2004 6:29:46 PM PDT by philman_36
washingtonpost.com
No Flu Vaccine Shortage at Capitol
Hill's Doctor Urges Members to Get Shots
By Charles Babington and David Brown
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, October 20, 2004; Page A01
While many Americans search in vain for flu shots, members and employees of Congress are able to obtain them quickly and at no charge from the Capitol's attending physician, who has urged all 535 lawmakers to get the vaccines even if they are young and healthy.
The physician's office has dispensed nearly 2,000 flu shots this fall, and doses remained available yesterday. That is a steep drop from last year's 9,000 shots, a spokesman for attending physician John F. Eisold said, because many congressional employees have voluntarily abided by federal guidelines that call for this season's limited supply to go mainly to the elderly, the very young, pregnant women, long-term-care patients and people with chronic illnesses.
But people of all ages who are credentialed to work in the Capitol can get a shot by saying they meet the guidelines, with no further questions asked, said the spokesman, who cited office policy in demanding anonymity.
"We leave it up to people to read the guidelines" issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and then to state whether they want the shot, Eisold's spokesman said. "We don't ask. We trust people. . . . Most of the people have been very good."
The policy applies to thousands of legislative staffers, police officers, construction workers, restaurant employees, journalists and others who work in the Capitol complex.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (Tenn.), a heart surgeon, sent letters urging his 99 colleagues to get the shots because they mingle and shake hands with so many people, his spokeswoman, Amy Call, said. She said she did not know how many senators have taken his advice.
Eisold "is a big believer that members of Congress are at high risk, because they shake hands with a lot of people" and then visit veterans centers and other concentrations of susceptible people, his spokesman said. Because lawmakers can be both victims and spreaders of flu, he said, Eisold urged all 535 to get the shots.
The practice appears to directly contravene the instruction being given by the government's executive branch...
"What we are telling people is: If you are not in a priority category, do not get the shot," he said.
etc, etc,
The FluMist is approved only for ages 5-49. I happen to be the latter.
I guess I just don't see the point in the mist --- unless you decide you're likely to get the flu so you want to have it at a time that's more convenient --- get it over with --- but you might not get it at all otherwise. I haven't had the flu in years --- no flu shots either so why would I deliberately expose myself to the virus?
Or maybe the mist contains a virus that is considered less pathological, less aggressive so you deliberately get sick from that one to get protections against a more aggressive strain of the same type. Still --- if they advise the young and old not to take the mist --- they could catch it from someone else who did take it.
It's like the oral polio vaccine given to newborns --- everyone in the house gets a booster --- revaccinated -- when the baby is vaccinated because that's a live virus and isn't supposed to be given to babies living with someone who lacks an immune system.
...why would they tell healthy health care workers who work with unhealthy patients not to take that vaccine.
Is this a question or a statement? If a question, then my question is where did you get that from?
My understanding is that healthcare workers are being urged to get the vaccine and are being given priority in some instances. From 1999...FLU VACCINES FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS
Some places, it seems, are already getting their workers prepared...
'Healthy people' may be out of luck on flu shots (10 days ago)(notice the "alarming" headline)
Rapides Regional Medical Center, for instance, began vaccinating its employees Monday.
MedImmune bumps up production of FluMist vaccine Friday, 22-Oct-2004
MedImmune has announced that it is increasing its planned delivery of FluMist (Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal) up to a total of three million doses. Originally the company had completed production of 1.1 million doses.
It simply hasn't got legs.
Does anyone know if the Flu-Mist is safe for people allergic to eggs? I also understand that conventional flu shots use mercury as a preservative. Yuck! I'm more worried about what mercury might do that a virus. I wonder whether or not the nasal spray has mercury in it.
Screw the flu vaccine. I want to be re-inoculated for 12 diseases just like in the Air Force. My antibodies need something to do. And I noticed I've been catching colds lately. I was never sick in the AF.
All of you need to get over yourselves. The #1 reason people need to get flu shots is to prevent older more frail people from developing pneumonia. Pneumonia is the number one killer for our elderly citizens. The pneumovax injections, which is also a vaccine used to prevent pneumonia, is in ample supply. Anyone of age or frailty in regards to health can go get one - any day of the week without waiting in line. The truth is that last year flu season was mild, which is expected again this year. The makers of the flu shots can only predict what virus will hit the hardest and create a vaccine for it. Apparently last year the vaccines missed altogether - - those who had them had no benefit. I am just glad that our CDC and other government agencies were bold enough to refuse contaminated supplies to prevent more illnesses than it would prevent, and even death of American citizens.
4. Some people have allergic reactions to the shot.
Since I am in no way new to FreeRepublic, your misconceptions have already proved false, so it is almost useless to go on since this in itself shows you don't you are talking about when it comes to me or what I know. Second, I did not say the vaccine caused the flu, I said the only people I have ever known who took the vaccine got the worst flu of their life, including the only person that works in my office, and since I didn't have the flu, or anybody else where I work for that matter, your assumption there is also false. The runs and vomit comment I made was obviously facetious, it has been a long long time since I had the flu so I can't recall the symptoms. It looks like you have only been around since 2003, maybe I should be telling you welcome to FreeRepublic. In closing I would still like to state, who cares about some "shortage" as I did with my initial comments. I am sorry if I don't subscribe to the "common knowledge" that you may offer, but that is that.
Which misconceptions are those, MM?
Please provide links or references.
Your misconception about me being new to FreeRepublic, and so I did not somehow understand what some people may believe about it here.
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