This "Sticky" Lil Virus (Plus a few thoughts on vaccination)

arrliinn(74)

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It's been almost 3 weeks since I've been infected by a very bad flu. Until now, my voice is a little bit hoarse (I guess coz I'm too talkative! Lol) and I still have colds (it came late). When I went for check up 3 days into my bout with this virus, the doctor did mention that coughs and colds these time really take longer to go away. In other words, I just really had to endure it with the help of course of paracetamol for the fever and body pains and medicine for my dry cough.

I got worried that I would pass the virus on to my family.

Especially my children.

They say that the flu virus is more contagious at the time when you have the fever. I had fever for more than 5 days! I even suffered moments of confusion (like there were gaps in time, lost moments).

The 2 smaller ones, Little Miss and my youngest did get fever too. Good thing though, after a dose of paracetamol, the fever did not come back anymore.

"Mommy, I am not sick any more. I feel a lot better now," my girl told me.

Wonderful.

As for my eldest, he has already built up his immune system, he rarely gets sick since he turned 7. Thanks God.

The Flu Vaccine

Here in our current city, the Abu Dhabi Health Authority (HAAD), encourage people to get free flu vaccines to protect its residents from getting infected by the seasonal influenza.

The "flu shot"–an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle. The seasonal flu shot is approved for use in people 6 months of age and older, including healthy people, people with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women

_{Image: Pixabay}

Ideally, we can just go to the designated health centers to get the vaccines. The government was diligent in promoting the vaccine, propagating through flyers and even newspapers. Honestly, we thought about going and getting shots for the kids. But I decided against it eventually.

People who go for medicals to get their visas processed even got the flu vaccine. Hubby @kennyroy had his shot when he went for visa processing late in November. He said that he did not even know what it was for - he was just injected. Either, he did not really ask, or the medical attendant did not explain properly.

That was scary.

Being injected with something you do not know.

How much do we really know about vaccines?

For a long time, people have been made aware that vaccination is important to protect people from diseases that could be contagious or even fatal.

Infants and children get vaccinations even just a few hours after birth, then every other 2 months until aged 18 months.

Immunization card is mandatory when applying for a slot in schools.

All my 3 children were vaccinated.

I remember 8 years ago, when I had to bring my son to the health center here in Abu Dhabi for his first shot for immunization. My colleague told me to be careful because they had an experience with his niece who was perfectly fine before getting the vaccine then was not able to walk anymore afterwards.

I got scared, but dismissed the idea that the vaccine could harm my child. For me, the supposed benefits of the immunization weighed more.

Up until recently, I did not have any reservations about vaccines. I believed that they can help make my children stay healthy.

With the recent turn of events in the Philippines about the Dengvaxia vaccine fiasco and after seeing a lot of people turning up and sharing their horrible vaccine stories though, I started to think and read more.

Luckily, I do not even have to go far to get information or to read first hand vaccine horror stories. A lot of them are being shared by people here on steemit. Few weeks back, I came across an article- The History of Vaccines by @reddust. Imagine being injected with cow pus just to get immune to smallpox! G R O S S. Very gross.

Actually, that's how it works. They inject you with the virus so you get immune to it. Whaat???

Now, come to think of it, it is odd, isn't it? To willingly get a virus get injected into our body?!

Immunity

For me immunity can be built up over time. With mild/moderate exposure to bad microorganisms like germs or bacteria. Remember what elders say, too much cleanliness can also hurt you. That is why for me, I do not mind my kids getting dirty from time to time especially during playtime. I just ensure that they are cleaned up properly afterwards.

I also try my best to ensure that they eat healthy and get supplement vitamins for the times when I think they do not get enough nutrients from what they eat.

Health Is Wealth

Really true. How great is it when nobody is sick in the family, right? For me, it does not matter when we lack money or a lot of other material things. For as long as we do not get sick. I hate seeing my kids sick (for which I am lucky, because thanks God they are not sickly children).

Vaccines?! I cannot do anything much now since my kids have already been immunized of the mandatory shots. I would definitely think twice, thrice or even a hundred times about future shots though.