3 months ago, when influenza A was unknown and alarm voices were happening Juan Gervás, a doctor and professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the Autonomous University of Madrid and the National School of Health (Madrid), wrote a text published in El País in which he argued that the virus was more benevolent than what was being said.
Everything he wrote at the time has been proven over time: influenza A, in effect, it is a mild disease. Now a document in which he explains the 8 reasons not to get a flu shot I summarize below:
1. People born before 1957 have defenses against influenza A
Between 1918 and 1957 there have been various infections by influenza A and the immunity of the disease lasts more than 50 years (so many elderly people are not suffering from the disease). It seems more beneficial to pass the flu than to try a vaccine whose immunity time is unknown.
Children, youth and adults who get the disease will be "vaccinating" for life Against the disease
2. Influenza A is just one of many "flu-like" diseases
The flu virus causes very few "flu". In 50-70% of patients with flu symptoms (the popular trancazo), the disease is caused by another virus such as adenovirus, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus and others.
3. Flu shots are of little use in practice
The effectiveness of influenza vaccines is very low, on the order of 33%. In other words, they have no effect on 7 out of 10 vaccinates (who run the risk of side effects of the vaccine without receiving any benefits).
These vaccines are especially useless in children, and more in children under two years.
There are no clinical trials that last for years against influenza vaccines, so we know nothing about their long-term harms and benefits.
The effectiveness of the influenza A vaccine is unknown, but at most it will be 33%. The behavior that the virus has had in the countries of the southern hemisphere, where they have already spent the winter, shows us that not worth getting vaccinated.
4. Influenza A does not cause more complications in pregnant women than seasonal flu
Pregnancy, especially the end of it, is accompanied by more risks of complications from influenza A, as happens every year from normal influenza. Thus a pregnant woman has to have the same behavior of tranquility and common sense to the flu A than to the seasonal flu.
The most specific influenza A vaccine for pregnant women, Panenza (which has no adjuvant) contains thiomersal in its multidose presentation (there is also a single dose), which is discouraged in pregnancy.
The technical sheet of Panenza He says: “4.6. Pregnancy and breastfeeding There are currently no data available regarding the use of Panenza during pregnancy. The data obtained in pregnant women who have been vaccinated with different seasonal inactivated non-adjuvant vaccines do not suggest malformations or fetal or neonatal toxicity ”. That is, nothing is known except vague deductions.
5. Influenza A is a mild disease that has low mortality
Influenza A has already suffered the populations of the southern hemisphere with some lower mortality rates than seasonal flu from other years.
In New Zealand, for example, there have been 19 deaths from influenza A, compared to 400 deaths caused by seasonal influenza.
It is estimated that the mortality of the virus is less than one case per 100,000 infections, which predicts in Spain about 500 deaths (against 1,500 caused by seasonal flu).
6. Influenza A is a mild disease that has few complications
In Australia (southern hemisphere), there have been fewer casualties from influenza A than from seasonal flu from other years. In Australia and New Zealand, influenza A caused 722 admissions in the ICUs (Intensive Care Units, in hospitals), against up to 40,000 previously calculated cases.
In these countries, ICU admissions for influenza-associated pneumonia was 8 patients daily.
During the epidemic, in Spain you can calculate about 15 daily income in the ICUs for influenza A and pneumonia, and a total of 1,300 admissions. They are figures well below expectations.
7. Pharmaceutical companies are not responsible for the damage caused by the influenza A vaccine
Faced with uncertainty, politicians have decided to exempt pharmaceutical companies from any responsibility for the damage caused by influenza A vaccines, both in the US and in the European Union.
With this, the pharmaceutical industry manages to protect itself from claims and responsibilities.
8. Public financing of the influenza A vaccine diverts funds that are not used for other health problems
All money destined to buy vaccines for influenza A is money that could have been used for other purposes.
Suicide in adolescents and young people (more deaths than influenza A), oral health of adults and the elderly, dignified death at home, etc. These are some of the problems that will not be valued because the necessary funds are not available.
As I say, this is a summary. You can read the full text on the Cesca Team website.
The truth is that if I were a pregnant woman I would be a real mess with so many contradictory voices ...
Website | Team Cesca Photos | Flickr (daviddesign) On Babies and more | WHO advises pregnant women to get vaccinated for influenza A, Gynecologists also recommend pregnant women to get vaccinated against influenza A, The vaccine against influenza A is different for pregnant women, Survey on pregnancy and influenza A: would you get vaccinated against influenza A ?, Influenza A: consensus document and recommendations of the AEP
