This Isn’t The First Swine Flu Outbreak We’ve Had
Posted by: Annika Harris
Filed in:
news, video
2:20PM, Wednesday November 18th 2009
The above documentary by CBS’s “60 Minutes” discusses the swine flu epidemic of 1976 and the federal government-sponsored inoculations that possibly caused 500 people to get Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes the body’s immune system to attack the peripheral nervous system. At first, sufferers feel a tingling sensation in the legs, but weakness and the sensations can spread to the arms and upper body. These symptoms can increase in intensity until certain muscles or the whole body is paralyzed. In extreme cases, the disorder is life-threatening, because the paralysis affects breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. The patient is often put on a respirator to help with breathing and is watched closely for other problems. The government cut short its vaccination program after 10 weeks because of the public backlash that resulted after 25 people died from Guillain-Barré.
This video is only the second time I’ve heard about the outbreak of swine flu in 1976. The first time was on the release form I signed in order to get a regular flu shot. While conducting a quick Google search I came across a few references to the 1976 epidemic—in Time, the Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times—but all of these articles were written in late April/early May, not when people were receiving the vaccine. I’m sure there was something in fine print on the current swine flu vaccine release form about the 1976 swine flu epidemic and the cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, but do you think the federal government should have done more to educate people about the 1976 outbreak? Maybe the insistence on it being called H1N1 was an effort to separate the current swine flu from the 1976 one, and, thereby, to assuage the fears of those who remember the inoculation debacle? Do you remember the 1976 epidemic? And what are your thoughts on swine flu and vaccinations, in general?
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H. Blue
wrote on November 18 2009 @ 03:21 pm: [report]
the video actually says that 4000 people are claiming damages from Guillain-Barre. And that 300 died as a result.
And, none of the cases that were reported in 1976 before they started vaccinating has been confirmed. How interesting.
I love how the CDC guy is sitting there lying the whole time too..
treehugr
wrote on November 18 2009 @ 03:52 pm: [report]
Guillain-Barré is something you’re at risk for with ANY vaccine. And H1N1 is a different flu strain from the 1976 outbreak—I’d personally rather hear about H1N1 than some other 1976 strain, so I can’t blame them for not dwelling on past history. Vaccinations are much safer now than they were even in 1976. I just recently got over having H1N1 and I did not die from it. Everyone needs to stop panicking.
treehugr
wrote on November 18 2009 @ 03:54 pm: [report]
**And they did not stop calling it swine flu to differentiate it from 1976, they stopped calling it swine flu because it isn’t purely a swine flu- its a mixture of avian, swine and human strains.
SueSue
wrote on November 18 2009 @ 04:23 pm: [report]
Considering that the government has granted drug companies complete immunity from any and all liability relating to these new vaccines, and that they weren’t sufficiently tested before being rushed through for release (as was the case in 1976), I don’t think getting the shot is the smartest thing.
And yes, Gullain Barre syndrome is a risk, among others, with any foreign substance you put in your body, including other vaccines.
This current so-called “epidemic” isn’t as crazy as the media makes it out to be. Thousands more die from the regular old fashioned flu every year - it’s very easy to whip people into a frenzy about stuff like this once you start using words like “epidemic” and “pandemic” - seriously? Then I guess I should have been panicked all those years I never got a regular flu shot.
Oreo
wrote on November 18 2009 @ 04:47 pm: [report]
No one is forcing the vaccine on anyone and all information and risks are available to everyone online.
As is the case with every medical decision, educate yourself and do what you think is right.
For myself, my mind was changed about getting the vaccine after a classmate told me about the death of her 14 year old cousin. She had swine flu and was being treated. Her family brought home dinner for her from a takeout restaurant. She got food poisoning (usually very treatable) and it overwhelmed her body’s defenses and she died.
You’re taking a chance either way. The decision is yours. We’d better pray that this doesn’t turn into a second Spanish Flu outbreak in the future, as it is also an H1N1 flu strain.
Knitter79
wrote on November 18 2009 @ 06:51 pm: [report]
I ended up getting vaccinated for H1N1 a couple of weeks ago. Went to the health department during their walk-in clinic hours, filled out a form, showed them my meds to prove I had asthma, they jabbed me, then on my way. There were hardly any people there. Took me longer to decide if I should get it or not (maybe three weeks of deliberating). I had to have the shot because they won’t do the nose spray thing if you’re high risk (asthma, pregnant, etc).
I’m generally not a fan of medication or vaccinations or drug companies unless I’m convinced they are safe (or the consequences of not taking them are really really bad), but what ended up tipping the scales was actually an interview I saw with an anti-vaccine lady. She creeped me out and seemed so crazy that I couldn’t justify not getting it anymore. That, combined with the higher death rate for people with asthma, and the fact that I live alone and have no one nearby to help take care of me if I do get sick made we take the chance.
From what I read while doing the research about whether to get the shot or not, the Guillain-Barre connection with the ‘76 swine flu vaccine was a result of a manufacturing problem, not the vaccine itself.
bumblebee
wrote on November 20 2009 @ 12:56 am: [report]
My mom had Guillan-Barre Syndrome a couple years ago as a result of a routine flu vaccine, which caused her arm to be paralyzed for 4 months. Even though I know the chances of contracting Guillan-Barre are very slim and are not limited to flu vaccines, I still haven’t had a flu shot since then and don’t plan to this year.
LadieBug
wrote on November 20 2009 @ 09:59 pm: [report]
My mom had Guillain-Barré Syndrome when I was younger. And she didn’t have any flu shots - this was in 83 or 84. She had to relearn how to walk, write and re-feed herself.
verynervous
wrote on November 20 2009 @ 10:06 pm: [report]
@Oreo - “No one is forcing the vaccine on anyone and all information and risks are available to everyone online.”
Not exactly - which is terrifying. There is something to be said for social ostracization, labeling, belittling and the like. A lot of vaccines ARE forced on people all over the world, with schools requiring people to vaccinate their children. I don’t feel like a debate about it but there are ways to force people into things without holding them down and poking them with a needle.
My mom also had Guillain-Barre and it was horrible. I myself had a terrible reaction to the HPV shot, and there was not a single doctor in town (including the one who gave me the shot) who was prepared to handle my side effects in any way. Eventually a dermatologist (that’s how far down the medical line I had to go for help) have me prednisone, and the effects faded. After that I did research and found that vaccines absolutely are NOT thoroughly tested before they are pushed on people, and when something happens, you are up a creek.
Ugh, sorry to be preachy and boring. Back to talking about sweater dresses!