The thing that I feel is better this time round compared to ’76 is that we have the internet and I was able to get science based and hard science info on the H1N1 to help inform our decisions. Back then we had media hysteria, rumor and propaganda. Okay, so we still have those today but we have the science right in front of us (or at the public library with internet access).

I still feel this is far too hysterically hyped, perhaps reflecting of my anti-authoritarian nature. There is entirely NOT enough oversight of big pharma (whose meds I do rely upon) and entirely NOT ENOUGH science and science-intelligence people and media for me to simply “trust” even the CDC on any matter. But I’m not going to sit around and wait on someone to tell me what to do on any matter anyway. I’m going to go find out what I need to know, listen to experts and anecdotes and make an informed decision. My biggest concern is access to enough of the hard data and reliable credible anecdotal info in order to make my decision at all. Without the Internet, no one has that path available. And that to me, is worth a little concern.

This isn’t anything new to us either. we’ve been through the whole hoohah around natural childbirth, home births (we had both), delayed vaxes, thimerasol-free vaxes, breastfeeding, child-rearing, child onset “mental illness”, the gammut. The world is not short on the amount of crazy out there.

Fine post: I was blogging about the swine flu on Tikkunista! this week too. The most interesting comments I came across weren’t about the health issue, but rather about the phenomenon of how many people are resisting mainstream medical advice: certainly more than I’ve seen before in Canada. I would guess that’s true for folks elsewhere too. Here’s Rage Against the Vaccine from Judy Rebbick’s radical Canadian website rabble.ca.

Here’s my theory. Deep down, it’s about a growing collective mistrust in authority as much as it’s about the vaccine. It’s about challenging authority in one of the few ways people have left these days. They are exercising their right to refuse when it comes to their health.
They didn’t have time for a well-orchestrated protest when authorities came for their jobs, their taxes, their homes and so on. Now they are saying NO to that powerful wave of government, media, medical, church and other authority figures who are saying get the shot; it’s good for you.

And the funniest comment was certainly Dilbert.

Vaccines pose risks, but the risk of epidemics such as cholera, smallpox and diptheria are far greater.

Flu evolves rapidly. A highly contagious flu has an even greater chance of mutating. Vigilance is wise.