Every year public health officials urge Canadians to inoculate themselves with a shot of the flu vaccine that guards against seasonal flu. But while there have been minor debates over the course of many flu seasons whether or not the seasonal flu vaccine is effective, this year is different. With the introduction of a new strain of influenzavirus A (Pandemic H1N1/09 virus, and commonly known as “Swine Flu”) that has rapidly spread throughout the world, health officials worldwide (and here at home) have been concerned because the virus is new and could easily mutate and become more virulent.
It was on October 26 2009 that 13-year old Evan Frustaglio, a healthy boy who played in a minor hockey league, died of the H1N1 virus at St. Joseph’s hospital. Evan Frustaglio’s fatal complications from the H1N1 virus, along with the death of a two-month old London Ontario baby on November 2 2009, have both shocked and unnerved Torontonians about the H1N1 flu virus. And while scientists have produced a specific vaccine that guards against this new H1N1 flu virus called Arepanrix, and vaccinations have already begun for “priority groups” in Toronto, there continues to be a heated debate whether or not the H1N1 flu virus should be treated as a pandemic, and more importantly, whether or not Arepanrix is safe to use.
Some argue that while this is a new flu virus, there is no need to create mass hysteria over the H1N1 flu virus, as they argue that the regular seasonal flu virus is just as severe…if not more. They also argue that because officials were so eager in obtaining a “swine flu” vaccine in the early part of 2009, they rushed production of it and thus raising the question whether or not Arepanrix is even safe for humans, and more importantly, what are the vaccine’s side effects? But while there are many who doubt this vaccine and its prevention of the H1N1 flu virus, many others (public health officials and government health bodies being among them) vehemently argue that because this is indeed a new flu virus, the only reliable way of controlling the spread, especially to those who are susceptible to the virus’ most severe effects, is to vaccinate. They declare that it is the responsibility of all citizens to guard themselves against this new flu virus. They also argue that Arepanrix has been tested and declared safe for human use by officials and scientists around the world.
With the so-called “third wave” of the H1N1 flu virus potentially on the brink of hitting Toronto in 2010, Toronto Public Health will announce the eventual roll-out of vaccinations for all Torontonians in the coming weeks. So we ask, what are your thoughts on Arepanrix? Will you be among the many who are vaccinated, or will you be among the others who will use alternative methods to guard against the H1N1 flu virus?