Swine Flu - Immunize Your Child or Not? By Norbert Georget At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

As the health departments in North America begin ramping up production of swine flu immunization, the pressure will mount for people to be immunized. While I am not advocating one way or the other and believe it is a personal decision each family must make, I am amazed at the controversy that is being stirred by certain companies and schools who are requiring the swine flu immunization.

Some hospitals are requiring all of their employees to be immunized. It may seem like an extreme measure, but because of the risk involved of health care providers either being too sick to work in large numbers or getting swine flu and passing it on to compromised individuals in the hospital, the hospital administrators feel justified in making it a requirement.

Many schools are also considering making Swine Flu immunization a requirement for continued attendance. As many as one-third of parents do not agree with the idea of having their child immunized. There is some reason for concern. In 1918 when the last Swine Flu epidemic raced through the world, the Swine Flu immunization that was given had an unexpected side effect of exacerbating a certain type of paralysis. While it was an extremely small number of people who were impacted, to this day the U.S. government does not know what caused the problem.

Parents are fearful that the government's desire to swiftly put in place a Swine Flu Immunization program will cause some of the same complications down the road. However, the people at the health department who have been working on the vaccine assure the public that this Swine Flu immunization benefits from advanced testing procedures that allow them to pinpoint problems with the vaccination before it hits the general population.

Only you can decide whether or not your child should receive the Swine Flu immunization. It is worth bearing in mind, however, that the number of people harmed by the immunization program in the early 1900s was miniscule compared to the number of lives saved.

We do have a pandemic on our hands. Whether you choose to be immunized or not, be sure to talk to your children and teenagers about taking safety precautions. The following precautions are recommended by the health department:

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze. Put it in the trash after you use it, and then wash your hands.

• Avoid touching your eyes and nose or putting your fingers in your mouth.

• If you are ill with flu-like symptoms, stay home at least 24 hours.

• If you have a fever, you should be fever free without the use of medication for at least 24 hours before returning to work or school.

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. When washing your hands is not an option, use an alcohol based wipe or hand sanitizer.

We all must take responsibility for the health of our communities during this pandemic. Children under the age of 24 are one of the most vulnerable populations, so talk to your teens and younger children often about making safe and healthy choices.

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