News in from the UK government. Last night ministers and senior government advisers ruled against the flu vaccine for children under five. Their decision was made despite the current flu epidemic in the UK.
Reports say that 39 people have died from flu since October, four of these were under the age of five.
Daily Mail reporter Sophie Borland who took up the story wrote (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health…):
“The latest figures show that an epidemic has now broken out among children under four and levels have reached a ten-year high.
But ministers and senior Government advisers last night ruled that the immunisation programme for those aged six months to five years – which was quietly cancelled earlier this year – would not have significant ‘gain’.”
Why the sudden turn around?
In July The Telegraph had this headline ‘Flu vaccine for under-5s given OK’. (http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news…) They reported that Professor Jim Bishop reassured the public that the flu vaccine was perfectly safe and wrote:
“In the meantime, I am now advising that if parents of children under five years of age wish to their children vaccinated against seasonal flu that they should discuss with their GP or vaccine provider the use of Vaxigrip or Influvac,” Professor Bishop said.
Have ministers had one too many drinks over the festive period? Perhaps common sense has finally hit the UK government between the eyes. Or… maybe they have given a closer look at what Hugh Fudenberg MD, world’s leading immunologist, has had to say on the flu vaccine.
Dr Fudenburg has said that anyone who has had more than two flu vaccines between 1970 and 1980 has a far higher chance of having Althzeimer’s in old age. The Top News website had this to say in their article ‘World’s Leading Immunologist Condemned Flu Vaccination’ (http://topnews.us/content…):
“This is because of the aluminum and mercury, which almost every flu vaccine contains. The gradual accumulation of aluminum and mercury in the brain leads to cognitive dysfunction”, said Fudenberg. So, he recommended that the flu shot had no much benefit so it was better to avoid them.
He added that as flu vaccine contained many toxic chemicals, so they instead of boosting immune system, make it weak, thus increasing the chances of getting affected with flu.
In an article ‘Why the flu vaccine does not work’ (http://chemistry.about.com/cs/…) they state:
“The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is looking at whether or not the flu vaccine is effective. Preliminary results indicate you’ll get just as sick (with colds, flu, flu-like illnesses) if you got the vaccine than if you didn’t.”
If this is correct then the flu vaccine is not cost effective.
In the UK, intensive care beds are full to bursting point. The UK government is trying to make as many cut backs as humanly possible in a bid to save the country. Currently there are a record number of flu patients in the UK in critical care beds. See the report in the Sun for details (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage…). There is little point wasting valuable resources advertising and administering a vaccine that is ineffective.
Last year the UK was left with egg on their face when the Swine Flu pandemic turned out to be little more than a sneeze. This left the government saddled with millions of unused vaccines with no get out clause.
The Telegraph had this to say at the time (http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news…):
“The swine flu pandemic cost Northern Ireland £41.8 million and Britain more than £1.2bn despite being much less severe than feared.”
Perhaps the UK government have learnt their lesson. Instead of vaccination they have decided to bring back last years Swine Flu ads with the caption ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT9fxhrjoQc). The message is the best way to combat the flu is a lesson in hygiene. I will second that.