Vaccinate or not vaccinate

The second wave of H1N1 is about to hit, so say the so-called experts, and the United States just received its first batch of the vaccination created to put up a valiant fight and save millions, if not billions, from the virus.

That means Canadians will be lining up soon to get their snort or shot of the swine flu protector.

But is that a good thing?

Everyone has been told, or rather fed, all the benefits that getting such a shot will bring, including less complications and minimizing hospitalization.

However, has anyone put out any information on the side affects the antibody may have? And we all know, every drug has side affects, whether it's a simple headache and upset stomach to more serious disorders.

Even though it hasn't been confirmed to be the sole contributor, there were cases of people that received the swine flu vaccination in 1976 who were later diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome - a temporary paralyzing disorder.

This is not to scare people away from getting the H1N1 vaccination, but it is meant to bring forth the idea that people should have all the information about such drugs before a mass vaccination campaign is launched.

Everyone is quite aware the drug has been rushed to be administered, and even though drug standards may be met, everyone is also aware when things get rushed things get overlooked.

It may not be Gullain-Barre syndrome this time around, as medical professionals have said this vaccination is different from the one in 1976, but the rush does pose the questions of what are the actual ingredients, and what has been proven to be the side affects of the components that make up this new vaccination?

This is the information that people also need to know to make an informed decision on whether or not they should get the vaccination. This information should also be the mandate of the health professionals dishing out the reasons why to get the vaccination.

The decision to be vaccinated or not to be vaccinated should be a personal one, with all facts publicly out there for all to know before deciding. There's no doubt all the facts given such as lowering the risk and reducing loss work time are true, but the question remains, are there other true facts that aren't being told to the public?

If one wants to take the time to research the depths of the Internet, these facts are available for consumption. It does take some time and effort, unlike the easy-to-get information frenzy that the world has been fed regarding the so-called positives of the H1N1 vaccination.

Simply put, it's time the so-called experts released a true, complete version of "Everything you need to know about H1N1," and then let the people decide whether they will vaccinate or not.