I'm under the impression I shouldn't get vaccinated because I'm not in a high-risk group and there might not be enough vaccine for everyone. Is that not true?

Okay, it's my fault for not making my rant more detailed.

Because supplies of the H1N1 vaccine *right now* are less than anticipated, high-risk people are the ones who have priority right now. Our health department is actually turning non-high-risk people away.

When your area has enough vaccine to have enough for non-high-risk people -- and they *will,* eventually (and no, I don't know when; I don't work for the CDC, FDA, or a vaccine manufacturer) -- THEN would be a good time to get vaccinated.

All I can say -- to everyone -- is check your city or county's health department Web site, or call, and find out what their H1N1 vaccination status is.

But even the non-high-risk people *should* get vaccinated -- when there is enough vaccine -- to avoid passing on the virus to high-risk people who, for whatever reason, might have chosen to not get vaccinated.

It's that it's her last night in town, and I was not well-pleased by having plans to bring a total stranger into the mix more or less dropped in my lap. Saying--without having much time to react and think about why she was asking--that I have no plans in mind is not the same as saying that I'm gleeful about other plans being made without my input.

oh, I see now. A similar sort of thing happened when I visited a friend. I didn't want her to feel like she had to spend every second with me. I made various plans, including specific plans with just her, but also made sure to invite her to the other stuff. But, it turns out that I hurt her feelings because I was trying not to be a burden. Maybe it's a similar thing?

When your area has enough vaccine to have enough for non-high-risk people -- and they *will,* eventually (and no, I don't know when; I don't work for the CDC, FDA, or a vaccine manufacturer) -- THEN would be a good time to get vaccinated.

according to CNN yesterday, the virus is taking longer than anticpated to grow, but the manufacturers think that they will have enough for everyone by mid to late November.

The swine flu vaccine in '76 killed more people than the flu did.

To be fair, it is a general rule that the more successful a public health prevention program is, the more likely it is that people will die or be injured by the prevention than by the disease. That's becuase as the effectiveness of the prevention goes up, the number of people harmed by the disease goes down, so that eventually even very small risks from the prevention will outweigh morbidity from the disease.

I expect that more people died in the US last year while building and maintaining sewers and fresh water supply systems than those who died of cholera.

I expect that more American children in the last 40 years injured themsleves walking up the steps to their grade school auditorium to get a smallpox vaccination than the number actually injured by smallpox.

But the reason is that fresh water systems and vaccinations are so effective for preventing some infectious diseases that those diseases rarely harm anyone anymore. It's not a sign that you should avoid vaccinations or choose the option of an open sewer for your community.

My two-apartments-down neighbor just brought home her 5-day old little girl from the NICU last night. I feel like I want to add H1N1 FluMist to the building's HVAC system just to keep her safe.

(Note - I am not actually planning to sabotage the building's heating system. But herd immunity only works if the whole herd plays along.)

according to CNN yesterday, the virus is taking longer than anticpated to grow, but the manufacturers think that they will have enough for everyone by mid to late November.

Well, there you go! Mid- to late-November, everyone gets jabbed in the arm!

Very well said, Rick. ITA.

Mid- to late-November, everyone gets jabbed in the arm!

Stabby stabby!

Maybe it's a similar thing?

Possibly. I think it may be that she was being put on the spot by the other person.

Rick and Jess's HVAC sabotage dreams FTW!

Is thankful Em has been vaccinated so as to remain on the good side of Jess and Tep.

Joe and I will get vaccinated once there is enough to go around.