Reply #4: Why the negative reaction? [View All]

[Ms. Toad]

There are some questions I would explore more, but generally the article makes a valid point that many people don't seem to be aware of or don't understand.

Anyone "diagnosed" with the H1N1 influenza should still be vaccinated because, chances are, they were not tested to determine if that is what they actually had. I have talked to quite a few people who tell me they were definitively tested for the H1N1 virus. When I press a little harder, I find they were tested with an oral swab - one of a collection of tests for general influenza categories which are not specific to the H1N1 virus. My daughter is in this category - although she understands what her "diagnosis" really means - and will also be getting the H1N1 vaccination, since she is in a high risk group. For her, an "oops" as to whether her doctor made an accurate diagnosis would not be a good thing.

People who believe they are now immune based on their "diagnosis" with the H1N1 virus need to be aware that there is a reasonable chance that they might not have actually had the H1N1 virus - and if they want to be relatively certain that they are protected they should still be vaccinated.

I would question whether statistics based on H1N1 testing of individuals likely to have the H1N1 virus because of travel to Mexico are valid indicators of how accurate the "diagnoses" are currently - but I doubt the population that needs to get the main message of the article cares enough to read that far into the article.