Wednesday, November 25, 2009

I Got Shot...

I'm not a huge fan of flu shots. I rarely get them. I wasn't going to get the shot for H1N1 this year either, until I read this article--For bubbly Va. 6-year old, swine flu's attack came quick and strong.1

Now granted, the article is a bit sensationalist (although, there's nothing sensationalist about the death of a child, an event that is existentially unjust in more ways than I can count), but, not to put too fine a point on it, it scared the shit out of me. Ironically, I've spent the last six months working with very smart folks who are tirelessly trying to get a handle on this pandemic outbreak. I've read a forest full of papers and meeting reports on this subject, but it's all so technical and clinical that the anecdotal stuff sort of gets lost in a wash of action items and policy discussions. The article in the  Washington Post gave it a name and some reality.

Having been offered the opportunity to get the H1N1 vaccine Pandemix, I decided to take it and today was the day. Let's just say, my arm is a bit sore, but I'm hoping I avoid getting the piglet flu. Maybe the motivation for my getting the shot wasn't the best one, but now I've done it and here's hoping...

On a happier note, here's a cute article about a piglet named Tetley.

1. There's a follow-up to this story from the Washington Post's ombudsman. It's worth a read, too.

Photo copyright: Washington Post

3 comments:

lacochran said...

Stay well. Happy Thanksgiving (if you're doing that sort of thing)!

Cele said...

Happy Thanksgiving I'm glad you shot up. Sadly I live where you have to be in the high risk sector to get a shot (Ducky got one.) But I will get one soon, although I think I might have had the swine flu back in 1977/78 Damn I was sick and NEVER want to get that again.

Maya said...

awww, I hope that little guy doesn't get the Pig flu!

I wish my arm would stop hurting from that darn shot!!