Some panic. Others hesitate. The rumors travel.
People question whether the vaccination is a complot to exterminate part of the population to benefit the most powerful. Is it a conspiracy between pharmaceutical companies and certain politicians, a scheme to redirect the focus on the actual financial crises? Is it a way to make the population more dependent on vaccination? A true paranoia!
The different flu pandemics
To convince ourselves, take a look at the statistics together. The Spanish flue (H1N1) from 1918 has taken more than 20 million lives worldwide. The Asian flu (H2N2) from 1957 and the Hong Kong Flu (H3N2) have each killed around 2 million people. Similarity, the Bird Flu (H5N1), appeared since 1997, have ravaged, until now, more among the poultry population than humans. However, the flu has not had its last word yet. In 2003, the SARS attained more than 30 countries and fired panic into Canada. By 2009, the swine flu has infected more than 70 countries! Medical alert from the WHO reached level 5 on a scale of 6. Therefore, we can conclude that the flu can have a severe impact on human when it is not controlled.
The annual influenza is a virus with high mutation rate, and it reaches 5-15% of the world's population, which totals to 600 million annually, and 250,000 to 500,000 people dies from it. Every year, from Canada and the United States alone, thousands of people passed away from the influenza.
The viruses represent an important liability to both the public and the economic health. In fact, it is accountable to high cost from work absenteeism and other health expenses. The direct (mortality and morbidity) and indirect (absenteeism and intangible cost) costs of a pandemic influenza largely surpass the cost of a vaccination program. Where is the logic of the conspiracy? None.
The efficiency of the vaccination program
The vaccination helps eliminate infectious illness, such as the smallpox and the poliomyelitis. However, the poliomyelitis started to surge from developing countries, because certain countries, such as India and Nigeria, refused to give vaccination to their children. On the other hand, the measles has almost been extinct, but unvaccinated individuals serve as viral propagation medium. Hence, we have seen reoccurrence of the infection.
Additionally, the tetanus has not caused a single death, since a large scale vaccination program and the systematic recall, in North America, while it sentenced millions to death each year worldwide.
Finally, since the inclusion of the Type B Haemophilus Influenzae vaccine (HiB) in the routine vaccination program, the number of meningitis cases caused by HiB has drastically diminished.
The risks and secondary effects related to vaccination
Yes, the vaccines have secondary effects, which are usually minor. The possible more severe complications related to vaccination are rather rare. However, the benefit of vaccination has proved to surpass greatly its possible severe secondary effects.
For example, after a vaccination against measles we have only 1 chance in a million to develop the encephalopathy, a disease that could become mild or severe. However, if we are infected with measles, we would have a chance in one thousand to develop the same complication. When it comes to the rumor that vaccination caused the appearance of autism and multiple sclerosis, no study has demonstrated the evidence of such cause and effect relationship.
Until now, even after extensive clinical trials, researchers still cannot trace severe side effects of the vaccine, which could only occur in millions of cases. Similar to the lottery, the odds of severe complications are low. On the other hand, there are more risks of complications due to daily activities than due to vaccination. When driving a car, the risk of an accident is always lurking somewhere. When eating in a restaurant, the risk of food intoxication could not be underestimated.
Answer in a bundle
No, you would not become dependent to vaccination. Your immune system would not be weakened by vaccination. Because the influenza virus is highly mutational, every year, it will become different. The subsequent protection will not be effective in the following years. It is hence necessary to be vaccinated every year.
No, the vaccination against influenza does not give 100% protection. In fact, the effectiveness is anywhere from 70% to 90%. As vaccination will only protect from certain types of the influenza virus, it does not protect from neither catching cold (see below table), which is caused by a variety of other viruses, neither from new varieties of viruses. It will therefore be natural that you still catch cold event after vaccination.
Difference between influenza and common cold:
No, the vaccination is not mandatory. Those who refuse are putting their family, friends, company, and society under danger, which is an act of irresponsibility toward collectivity.
Yes, the anti-influenza vaccination is simple and efficient. It saves lives, reduces sickness, mortality, and absenteeism. Personally, as a doctor, I consider it an obligation to be vaccinated in order to protect my patients, my family, my friends, and my society.
And you? Do you prefer unusual rumors from the internet or be proactive in the health preservation of your country?
Dr. Kenneth T. Tran
President | YCPA
