Food for Thought Friday

Since the clock is ticking on the window in which you can receive a flu shot, I wanted to throw in my two cents...for what it's worth.

I know that some of you out there subscribe to the Jenny McCarthy school of thought that vaccines are evil and must be avoided, lest we poison our children with these man-made medicines. But in reality, vaccines are not the devil they've been portrayed as in the media and in fact, many of the news stories that originally found vaccines dangerous have since been debunked.

The fact is, vaccines keep our society, and especially our most vulnerable citizens (ie: kids and the elderly or infirm) free from horrible diseases that once ran rampant in our country. Yet, for all their benefits, Americans remain surprisingly skeptical about them.

Last year, only 43 percent of people in the U.S. got a flu shot. Experts note that the flu kills more people each year then any vaccine-preventable disease. Read that sentence again and be sure to seriously mull it over before you toss the idea aside. My son's teacher skipped the shot last year and missed nearly a month of school due to her lapse in judgement. Thankfully, she recovered but it's a misstep she has vowed not to repeat.

Each year, the flu kills nearly 50,000 people and sends another 200,000 to the hospital. Children are especially at risk. Just ask the parents of 4 1/2 year-old Amanda Kanowitz. Amanda was a healthy preschooler before she suddenly came down with the flu. Three days after being stricken, she died, leaving her family devastated but determined to spread the word about this preventable danger.

In case you're still on the fence (hey, I get that you are a worrywart, or just queasy about needles), here are a few other thoughts to keep in mind.

• It is impossible to get the flu from the flu shot. The virus contained in the shot is dead and the biggest side effect you can expect is a sore arm or a slightly runny nose. 

• The preservative, thermerosal, was once contained in flu shots but was phased out ten years ago from both the flu mist and single-dose vials. A small level is still used in vials that store multiple doses so if you're concerned, find a preservative-free option but don't let it deter you from getting the vaccination or giving it to your kids.

• The flu is much more serious than a bad cold. At best, it will have you in bed aching with fever, sore throat and congestion for a week or longer. At works, it can kill you.

So, if you've declined to get the shot this year, think again. Time is running out.