Why I Don't Want To Get The Flu Shot

    Despite the fact that media bring significant influence to people, I still doubt on the reliability of H1N1 flu vaccine until now. According to the news, many people died due to the side effect of the vaccine. Furthermore, our president wasn't willing to get the flu shot when the H1N1 vaccine just went public, which means our president doesn't trust our "home made" vaccine. Is H1N1 really horrible and fatal just like those reports on the news or it's drug manufacturers' strategy to frighten people to boost profit? Base on the reason above, I will not take the flu shot until it becomes more reliable.

    There are experts and reporters saying that taking flu shot is the most crucial moment for people to prevent the illness everyday. I think maybe people in Taiwan are still in the pain when SARS was widespread in 2003. They further temporary lost their skill of judgment because the media exaggerated the fact more than it really was. In addition, the government kept encouraging people to take the flu shot ASAP, but the president wasn't willing to be the first one to get the shot. Does it mean that even president is afraid of the side effect of our "home made" vaccines? If so, how can the government convince people the safety of H1N1 vaccines?

    We actually can do something to either prevent getting flu or avoid the possibility getting side effect from flu shot. As what the media tells us, exercise reduces the chance of being contagious. Immunity doesn't built in one day, and those who are easily to get illness must be careless taking care of themselves. Most people also misunderstand how H1N1 spreads. H1N1 is not a disease that spreads through the air, but a disease that spreads especially when people have close contact. That is to say, the infection takes place through breathing and spit to another person. To keep a safe distance when talking is one of the basic methods to prevent infection.

    In terms of our vaccine, the process of vaccine produce wasn't clear enough to make people trust its reliability. Some reports mentioned that our "home made" vaccine came public before it went through clinical examination. Actually, the medical technique in Taiwan is relatively high in comparison with other developed countries like the United States. But the government some how considers its achievement more than our health. That is not a positive attitude that a developed country supposed to have.