Better Flu Vaccine On the Horizon

In Better Flu Vaccine On the Horizon, an article found on CNN's website, the discussion is led about the ever present influenza virus. They point out that as summer approaches we tend to forget about the flu virus. And then it presents itself in a new way each year, killing between "3,000 and 49,000 people in the United States. . ." Scientists believe that they are now coming up with a better way to fight it. a more advanced technique. They are, in fact, almost to the point of claiming that they have an influenza "catch all", that soon you will be able to be vaccinated for basically every flu.

So why would I have a problem with this? It would seem amazing, and an extremely GOOD thing, that we are developing another vaccine that could cure disease. But how many of you know what goes into a vaccine? How many know why people often get the flu right after getting a flu shot?

The problem is, in order to create a temporary safeguard, scientists have designed a way to "beat" viruses and diseases. And how do they do it? They give it to you. Now, they don't give you large doses of the virus, no, they are controlled, and limited amounts of weak or dead forms of the disease. At least, they are supposed to be. In many cases we have been extremely successful. I am not trying to condemn all vaccines. But there is something fundamentally wrong with getting injected, year after year, with that year's chemical smorgasbord. That is why I am against the flu vaccine.

In cases like polio, measles, etc. where the disease has been all but eradicated from the United States, and mutation rates are low, I think that vaccines can be helpful. But the flu is ever changing, new mutations and strains coming out each year, some with extremely deadly repercussions. It is estimated that during a normal year, about half a million people die from influenza. Half a million. And what is the success rate of our vaccine? Well, they reduce risk by a whopping 60%. Am I supposed to be impressed? The scientific and health community throws that percentage out there like it is the greatest achievement in the world! But if they were in a classroom, they would be failing. And that isn't even the people that don't get it, that is just reduced risk.

I do not think that vaccines are the answer to curing influenza. In fact, I don't know if there is a way you can cure a disease that mutates so rapidly. However, you can fight it. Without a shot. The only answer I can see to actually reducing the potency of this disease in our communities is a complete cultural shift. Something that I don't see happening, but would be ideal. The coupling of modern health technology and good, healthy eating habits is, in my opinion, the way to solve this. So to what ends should modern health be used? I think it should be used in fighting the disease if it comes, not in the prevention which it tries to anticipate. Our immune systems are powerful. Well, they can be. The lack of good eating habits and physical exercise are what makes them weak. If we could get on track by eating healthy, balanced diets, and exercise regularly, you would see disease and health problems plummet. This cultural shift is the only way I can see fighting disease in an effective way, and for a long period of time.