foodconsumer.org: Study: 50% of Americans want H1N1 vaccine

Study: 50% of Americans want H1N1 vaccine
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admin on 08/15/2009 21:02:00
 
By David Liu (davidl@foodconsumer.org)
Slightly less than 50 percent of Americans indicated in a recent survey that
they would receive H1N1 vaccine shots.  The finding was reported in the August
10, 2009 issue of Vaccine.
The survey led by Maurer J and colleagues at Rand Corporation was meant to
predict how many U.S. adults would have the intention to receive a novel H1N1
vaccine when it becomes available this fall.
RAND is a research organization current financed predominantly by the U.S.
government, a private endowment, predominantly pharmaceutical corporations,
universities and private individuals, wikipedia says.
Maurer and colleagues conducted the survey on the Internet between May 26th and
June 8th 2009.
They found as many as 49.6 % of participants, which corresponds to about 115
million adult vaccinations, may want to receive the novel H1N1 vaccine.
The rate is similar to the vaccination rate of seasonal influenza vaccine last
year, possibly suggesting that people viewed the novel H1N1 virus or swine flu
as something no riskier than seasonal flu.
The researchers suggested that both populations may share the same
willing-to-receive attitude to vaccination or those did not take seasonal flu
vaccine may not want H1N1 vaccine either.
The vaccination rate could be even lower among medical workers although the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that this group should be
the first to receive H1N1 vaccine.
Claudia Kalb published an article on Newsweek on Aug 15 saying that “only 45
percent of health-care workers get a seasonal flu sot every year.”
The risk of seasonal flu is low.   Elderly people, young children and
immunity-compromised people are at higher risk of comlications from the illness.
 The efficacy of flu vaccines is often no more than 45 percent.
The risk of the novel H1N1 virus seems smaller right now than that of seasonal
flu unless it gets mutated becoming highly contagious and virulent.  Hand
washing is considered the best way to prevent swine flu.