67% of parents surveyed will not be vaccinating their kids against H1N1 Influenza

Online, June 2, 2010 (Newswire.com) - However, swine flu vaccinations are recommended and H1N1 is expected to be the dominant flu this winter season.

Professor Bishop, Australia's Chief Medical Officer said, "It is safe to have the swine flu vaccine. The TGA's assessment of clinical trials and the advice of its expert committees is that Panvax® is a safe, effective vaccine for prevention of the H1N1 influenza."

Despite this, over two-thirds of Parenting Australia's members surveyed say they will not be vaccinating their children against swine flu, with only 32.5% saying they will be having their children vaccinated.

Given the active ad campaign by the Government promoting the fact swine flu does cause fatalities and that a high percentage of usually healthy people who fell ill from swine flu last year had to be
treated in intensive care units across the country, Parenting Australia spokesperson Elena Pascoe said, "We found the survey results alarming and urge parents to re consider the vaccine, our founder Jane King and her son Cristian both had HINI last year and were sick for weeks, it was horrible".

Jackie Smith a member of the Parenting Australia Online community chose to have herself and her child vaccinated. She said, "I could live with us both being a little sick from the immunisation (though neither of us reacted to it), but I couldn't live with myself if my daughter got it [swine flu] and died from it. I would forever blame myself. At least I know I have done what I can to prevent it."

Member, Kim Hutchison has also immunised her family as her daughter's prematurity and her own immune disease mean they are in a high risk category.

Others were adamant about their choice not to vaccinate. Katrina Harrison said, "Nope! We are not guinea pigs! There hasn't been enough testing done on the swine flu vaccine and I don't want to be told in 10â€15 years that it should never have been given."

Chrissy Grainger agreed, and questioned the effectiveness of the vaccine and lack of long-term studies.

Vaccinating children is obviously a contentious issue with Australian parents, and they are divided on the best course of action. Professor Robert Booy's opinion as the Head of Clinical Research at the National Centre for Immunisation Research, who battles to save the lives of sick kids at the Children's Hospital Westmead. "Vaccination is still the most effective preventative."

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