Many parents refuse swine flu shots for their kids
NEW INFORMATION: The Georgetown County School District announced Wednesday plans have changed for vaccination clinics.
Vaccinations will be given only to elementary school children and Waccamaw Intermediate School next week. Clinics for all other grade levels will be rescheduled. This is due to a shortage of vaccines, said Laura Tucker, lead nurse for the district.
"Everyone will get the vaccination eventually, but because of the supply limitations we will only be able to do the elementary schools next week," she said.
Parents are strongly encouraged to accompany their children while the shots are given, which begin at 9 a.m. Monday.
Original Story:
Many parents in the Georgetown County schools are refusing to allow their children to have swine flu shots.
Only 3,400 of 10,300 consent forms sent to parents to allow the shots were returned to the district by a deadline of Monday.
The risks associated with the shot and the unknown side effects are convincing many people to refuse the treatment for their kids.
"I don't know enough about it,'' said parent Karen Fulton. "You always think about reactions. There has got to be side effects. Don't put this poison out there.''
Another parent, who asked not to be named, agreed with Fulton.
"They [the parents] don't think it's a good idea because they don't have a lot of information about it," she said. "I feel the same way. For instance, more information about the side effects and stuff."
Another death
Meanwhile, nearby Brunswick County, N.C. has reported its first death of a pregnant woman due to H1N1.
At least one pregnant woman in South Carolina has died from the virus. The woman, who was from Richland County, died in October.
Doctors are urging pregnant women in North and South Carolina to get vaccinated for H1N1, since their immune systems are compromised by pregnancy.
"Public health has been trying for several years for pregnant women to get the flu shot, and H1N1 is another form of influenza," said Fred Michael, deputy director of public health in Brunswick County.
"Pregnant women can get the shot, if they are willing to take the risk, because it does have preservative."
Vaccine shortage
There is not enough vaccine in North or South Carolina to give shots or nasal spray to the general public, according to health officials.
Both states are hitting high risk groups first.
This includes daycare workers, emergency workers, hospital employees and school children.
"We don't have that much vaccine to open it up to the general public,'' Michael said.
South Carolina DHEC has received at least 158,000 vaccines, said Thom Berry, spokesman for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The number is a combination of the nasal spray and the injectable form of the vaccine.
So far, the vaccine has not made its way to many private providers in North or South Carolina.
Local health departments in Georgetown County are not giving the swine flu vaccination to the general population.
"We're at the mercy of the distributors of the maker of the vaccine,'' DHEC spokesman Thom Berry said. "We do have some vaccine in, but not enough where we can open it up for everyone.''
The shots are mandatory at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, Georgetown Memorial and Waccamaw Community Hospital.
Employees who can't take the shots are being told to wear masks.
Out-patients are being asked to wear masks, if they feel they have symptoms of the flu.
At least 16 South Carolina deaths and 456 hospitalizations had been attributed to H1N1, according to DHEC. In North Carolina, about 900 people have been hospitalized and 30 people have died.
To deal with the flu outbreak, hospitals are tightening their rules on visitation.
Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, a nearby hospital in Horry County, will soon limit people visiting loved ones in the hospital or emergency room.
Pastors and any others who might have flu-like symptoms are being asked to not visit their congregation members or family if the visitor has fever, runny nose or cough.
Grand Strand Regional's rules will go into effect Sunday, said hospital spokeswoman Joan Carroza.
Children and young adults will not be allowed to visit patients after then.
Georgetown Memorial Hospital already has similar rules in place.
Normal visiting practices are expected to resume at Georgetown Memorial and Waccamaw Community hospitals once the influenza incidence rate decreases.
Limits on patient visits at Grand Strand Regional are expected to last until March 15.
Exceptions to the visitation policy can be made in special individual circumstances, such as visiting requests for gravely-ill inpatients.
: 11/8/2009
You all are panicing over nothing...the swine flu is not deadly to a normally healthy person. My 7,8 and 10 year old neices have it as well as my sister and her husband. It is no worse then a severe cold. Sore throat, stuffiness, fatigue...just general feeling bad. Yes I know it is actually the swine flu..they were tested. It isn't even as bad as a regular flu so pumping more shots into everyone is just not worth it
: 11/6/2009
You can eat properly and be as hygeinic as can be but when it comes to swine flu, if you come in contact with someone who is infected, it doesn't matter what you ate or if you washed. It's what THEY did that counts.
: 11/2/2009
This has nothing to do with the swine flu.I am posting to let people be aware if you live in harmony hills trailor park please keep you and your kids away from the stray kittens and cats or dogs over there.A child was bit from a kitten last Thursday from over there.The kitten tested positive for RABIES.The others over there are most likely carrying it.
: 11/2/2009
I never knew tuna had mercury,Wow,we should all be dead then,so get the vaccine it is safe!My kids are getting it.You will see that the ones get it will be ok.The ones that don't will be the ones getting the swine flu and most of them dieing.
Recommended reading : 11/1/2009
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/10/ff_waronscience/all/1 Wired magazine's article on "An epidemic of Fear: How panicked Parents Skipping Shots Endangers us All"
: 10/31/2009
REPLY TO TUNA SANDWICH...You may be absolutely correct, there may be more mercury in a tuna sandwich then in the vaccine..however I do not eat fish to avoid the contamination and I absolutely will not have someone inject it into myself or my children either. People need to stop relying on having things pumped into them to be healthy and concentrate more on healthy living, eating, and proper hygenic practices.
: 10/31/2009
http://www.flu.gov - This is full of helpful information.
: 10/30/2009
Please. There's more mercury in a tuna fish sandwich. Quackery kills. Preventive medicine saves lives. Wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry with your child's life?
: 10/29/2009
Two main ingredients in the vaccine are: MF -59 which is not approved for use in the USA by the FDA. This will put your immune system in hyper mode and force your body to get an auto-immune disease! Squaline- is another hyper mode chemical which by passes your immune system! “ But Dr Hletkos office said it was still safe and to make sure my kids get it.
: 10/29/2009
Where has these deaths accured?Because there have been none here in Georgetown and alot have got the shot and no problems yet?
: 10/29/2009
Why is it FDA approved if it was not safe?
: 10/29/2009
I have read the package insert for the vaccine and it does have squaline and mercury in it..those who do not know..they are poison. I, as a nurse, will not get it or give it to my kids as it is not safe and was not properly tested..they rushed it so the long term effects are not known. There have been documented deaths, cases of paralysis, and also catching swine flu from the vaccine itself. To me it is not worth it...especially since I personally know a 7yr old who does have the swine flu and her symptoms are no worse then the common cold/flu so does not justify pumping more poison into ourselves or our children.
: 10/29/2009
I have called several places this morning about the swine flu vaccine.I was having doughts on whether my kids should get the vaccine or not.I talked to several nurses and different clinics.I made my last call to DHEC.After speaking with them I have made a final decision that I will let all my kids get the swine flu vaccine.I found out it is safe and all these videos that are being posted on the net most of them are fake.Starting in 2010 the same ingrediants thats in the swine flu vaccine WILL be added in every regular flu vaccine for now own.So,those that are refusing the swine flu vaccine for their kids if they in 2010 go and get the regular flu vaccine they will be getting both vaccines actually because all the regular flu vaccines will then have the ingrediants in them as the swine flu vaccine.It will be both shots into one.So,my kids will get the swine flu vaccine at school and me and my husband will go to our doctor and get one.
: 10/28/2009
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR5p_bD3uLc
: 10/28/2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWMgC_Dm2tA
shot : 10/28/2009
This vaccine has not been studied long enough. It also contains a significant amount of mercury which has been linked to autisum. I would not give it to my children either. Georgetown County Parents are concerned of the possible side effects that could result from this vaccine. So go parents who do not want their children to have this vaccine!
: 10/28/2009
Dr.Hletko is the BEST doctor around!!! My kids have been going to him ever since they have been born,and the oldest is 16 years old now.He is the best!When I take my kids there I only want him to see my kids not the other doctors that are now there.One time he was not there and my child had to see one of the other doctors in his office.They are NOT good as him!I prefer Hletko over them all!!!!He is #1
: 10/28/2009
There are people standing in line for hours in other parts of the country begging for this vaccine to help protect themselves and their children! What is wrong with Georgetown County?!
: 10/28/2009
I posted above saying I am gone let my kids get the swine flu vaccine but now I don't know if I will or not.Look at this website I just found saying what the vaccine can do....my god.... http://healthychristianliving.com/Swine%20Flu%20Shot%20Linked%20to%20Killer%20Nerve%20Disease.htm
: 10/28/2009
It said on tv just the other day that the swine flu shot has been FULLY tested and IS safe. My kids will be getting it. If I don't let them get it and they ended up with the swine flu and something happened to them,I would feel really bad. Dr.Hletko said the shot IS safe and to make sure my kids get it.