Two out of three people who participated in the Argus-Courier’s online poll Jan. 14, 2010 said they have not had a vaccination for the H1N1 (swine) flu virus and do not intend to do so.
Nearly 75 percent said they do not believe the swine flu situation is as serious now as when it first surfaced. Asked how local health providers’ response and information concerning the swine flu has been, nearly 55 percent responded “good” or “excellent.”
Here are some of the comments by those who participated in the survey:
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“In my eyes, a flu is a flu. Take the proper precautions like washing your hands, covering your mouth, and staying home when you are ill. Doesn’t anyone teach their kids to cover their mouths anymore? I see so many children just coughing away on each other. Besides, you should have them at home in bed! And older people, too. Seems they forget manners, and hack all over the aisles in the supermarket. Regardless, a flu is a flu. Take care of your body, and you won’t get sick.”
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“The whole swine flu thing seems to me to be blown all out of proportion.”
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“I wonder if we are becoming a fear-based and controlled society. The swine flu scare was nothing but that — a scare. It certainly took our minds off what was happening on Wall Street and in D.C.”
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“What an over-reaction and frightening of the population!”
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“I don’t think the vaccines are as effective as they were in the beginning. Flus mutate. I can’t remember getting a flu shot since I was 10 years old … that’s 23 years. My 4-year-old has also never had the shot or the flu. It isn’t that I don’t believe in flu shots. I just believe in the human immune system. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
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“An ER visit, Tamiflu, inhalers and a follow-up doctor appointment cost us over $400 and that is with insurance. Oh, and he did have the vaccine two week’s prior to getting the H1N1.”
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“I’m sick right now. I have no idea if it’s swine flu or just a regular flu. With no health insurance, I won’t be going to see a doctor.”
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“Seems like a lot of hype to me!”
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“As usual, Petaluma is at the bottom of the list for county services. Santa Rosa had the vaccine way before us, maybe Miss Piggy or Kermit could help us get the swine flu vaccine at our local pharmacies?”
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“No vaccinations for me.”
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“The federal government ordered the manufacture of the vaccine and controlled and set the rules of distribution. End result was that a sufficient supply was not available till late December. Another great indicator of how we will live under nationalized medicine.”
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“Kaiser does an excellent job keeping you informed by e-mails.”
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“I have suffered two serious bugs since November — an unusually severe head cold and recently flu-like symptoms with severe vomiting every 45 minutes for seven hours, then the other end every hour and a half for six hours. Temperature was up, then down, then up. Slight headache from dehydration I assume. Point is, I do not know if I have had the swine flu since symptoms have been sketchy and residents reports few… As said, both of these incidents were more severe than ever before – that is supported by others who had the bugs. So, a clear definition and symptom list was months late, remedies were scarce far too long, affected statistics were often at odds with each report. This is also the first time I can remember when people over 65 were told to not get a flu shot so there would be more for kids and mothers. In a bad world, this would be suspicious and a potential way to reduce the number of seniors who draw Social Security saving the country from a heavy debt load. Thank God this is not that bad country.”
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“The first question is two questions: If I have not gotten the vaccine and if I plan to get it – do I answer yes or no? In the last question, I believe it should read, How HAVE – since it is referring to a plural (response and information. – the compulsive proof reader.”