Swine Flu Vaccine Disadvantages

The huge hoopla around the swine flu virus a few months ago has barely subsided, but a new controversy has brought the issue back into the public eye again. This time, the hype is about the swine flu vaccine, which reportedly causes alarming side effects, one of which even leads to death. According to medical experts, the vaccine has been directly linked to a neurological disorder - the Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) - which affects neural linings, leading to paralysis, respiratory problems and eventually, death.

This disturbing information comes at a time when governments across the world are preparing mass public vaccination programs using this swine flu vaccine. Ironically, the linkage between the swine flu vaccine and GBS was discovered as early as 1976, in the U.S. where a mass vaccination rollout was stopped after 25 people died as a result of taking the vaccine, rather than of the disease itself!

Here are some of the earliest findings on the toxicity of the swine flu vaccine during the 1976 swine flu scare.

• The risk of being affected by GBS increased by eight times for people who took the vaccine than for those who didn't.
• 25 people died as a result of contracting GBS; only one person died of swine flu in 1976.
• Around 500 cases of active GBS were diagnosed and the vaccination program was shut down, ten weeks after it began.
• The U.S. government paid compensation to those affected by GBS and the final bill ran to several million dollars!

So, what is the Guillain-Barre Syndrome?

In the simplest terms, GBS is a neurological disorder where the body's immune system targets the human peripheral nervous system. Symptoms begin to show up as general weakness or sensations in the lower limbs (legs), which then spread to the upper limbs and torso. Generally, GBS is considered to be a rare disorder, usually showing up after someone has suffered from a gastrointestinal or respiratory infection. While the linkage between GBS and the swine flu vaccine or any other vaccines is not clearly known, the evidence from the 1976 outbreak shows that the incidence of contracting GBS increases significantly where the vaccine was administered.

Stoking the fires of controversy further, no known cure exists for GBS and the only way to beat this syndrome is an early diagnosis, followed by a protracted period of treatment, where plasmapheresis and large dosages of immunoglobulins are required. Plasmapheresis involves the removal of plasma from your blood and replacement with other fluids which aid in recovery. Immunoglobulins, on the other hand, are protein-based molecules which act as antibodies and neutralize pathogens such as bacteria or viruses which caused the infection in the first place.

Now that you are aware of the side effects of the swine flu vaccine, the fundamental question to be answered is, "Should you take the vaccine?" To answer this question, take a look at the actual facts about swine flu - people may have died from the swine flu, but not in numbers which could lead to a dangerous epidemic. More people have died from taking the vaccine than not!

What you need to do is:

• Maintain a healthy and nutritious diet.
• Observe general hygiene and cleanliness in your home and surroundings.
• Keep your hands clean, avoid close contact with people if you are sick or vice versa, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
• Follow any medication and advice given by your family physician.

This way, even if you are infected, you will recover without needing any vaccination and thus avoid contracting GBS or any other fatal side effects which remain unknown at this point of time.