Why I'll be getting my kids their flu vaccines

"I view vaccination as akin to wearing seatbelts while traveling. "

Taking a brief hiatus from my hiatus to discuss a question I've been asked a number of times in recent weeks by friends and family: what about flu shots? Are you getting one for yourself? Your kids? The answer is yes to both, with more explanation after the jump.

First, for readers unfamiliar with this blog, let me be frank regarding my opinion on vaccine "controversies," such as "vaccines cause autism." As I've discussed here several times already (and more can be found by searching my older posts), this assertion is completely unsupported by many scientific studies, so this is not a concern to me as either a mother or an epidemiologist. (Orac is a wealth of information on this topic as well, for anyone who would like some further reading).

Second, I will be similarly frank that, despite the false association with autism, vaccines can cause other side effects. For flu, the most common side effect is soreness at the site of injection. Some individuals can have serious reactions to the shot, and for this reason a number of people should not get flu vaccinations: those who have had a previous serious reaction to a flu shot; those with known allergies to eggs (since the virus is grown in eggs); individuals who previously developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) shortly after a previous influenza vaccination; and infants under the age of 6 months, as well as anyone who is currently ill with an infection causing a fever. Serious reactions to influenza vaccinations are, however, quite rare outside of these groups, and my kids and I have had flu shots for many years now with no adverse reactions.

Third, it should be acknowledged that the influenza vaccine isn't 100% effective. It's actually quite a bit lower than 100%, but the efficacy varies from year to year, depending on how well the strains of virus included in the vaccine match those which actually end up circulating during the flu season. Additionally, the point of flu vaccination isn't only to prevent *cases* of influenza infection--it's also to prevent the serious complications that influenza can cause, so that if a vaccinated individual does develop an influenza infection, the symptoms will be milder.

Read full article here:
http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2009/09/why_ill_be_getting_my_kids_vac.php