get shot or not?

My doctor is over sixty and remembers family members and family friends getting sick and even dieing from polio and diptheria. She has a real appreciation for vaccines and their ability to save lives. I'd say she's even passionate about it. Yes, I am from a generation that takes vaccines for granted and even has the luxury to refuse them and not get sick. When the majority of the population has been vaccinated, the likelihood of getting a potentially debilitating or fatal disease is greatly diminished. So, the logic is why take the risk of you or your child having some adverse reaction or becoming developmentally impaired by having the vaccine? The rest of the population can take the risk.

When I travel, I don't question getting myself vaccinated for Hepatitis A, B, Thypoid, or Yellow Fever. The chance of contracting one of these diseases is real, and I'd rather take my chances on a vaccine then give up traveling. We chose to give Anneka all the regular vaccines on the prescribed schedule. We want to travel with her, and these vaccinations have stood the test of time (with the exception of the chicken pox vaccine). We'll do the same with our second child.

Why then, do I always turn down the flu vaccine and have, so far, refused the H1N1 vaccine? I think it's for similar reasons as my doctor feels strongly about vaccinations. When I was a kid, we all got the flu. People got the flu, you had a fever, puked, whatever; but you got over it pretty quick. And that was it. It wasn't a big deal. Although flues do kill, they never harmed anyone around me. And so I always felt the flu shot was a bit of a waste for the general population. But, maybe it's not? If you vaccinate the herd, those that slip through also gain some protection.

Probably the main reason I haven't got the H1N1 flu vaccine, is because we think it already swept through our household (as I mentioned in a previous post). I'd be willing to put money on it, but I'd still be gambling.

Is there any harm in getting the vaccine regardless? Probably not. And I would like to make sure this little baby (coming in February) is not exposed to flu-like illnesses so early in its life.