A survey conducted by Harvard University has found that only
one third of adults trust the safety of the imminently available
H1N1 vaccine.
Just 40% of respondents said they would take the swine flu shot
in the
poll carried out by Harvard Opinion Research Program
at Harvard School of Public Health.
The study, funded under a cooperative agreement with the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, also found that respondents
were worried about side effects or not concerned about catching
the flu at all.
44% of respondents who were parents said they were unsure over
getting their children vaccinated against H1N1, with 21% of
those parents saying they absolutely will not allow their kids
to be vaccinated.
Parents said that they were concerned about their children getting
other illnesses from the vaccine and that they do not trust
public health officials to tell them about vaccine safety.
The results show a great public distrust in the vaccine with just
one third (33%) of the public viewing the H1N1 vaccine as very
safe "generally for most people to take". Even less
(18%) believe it is safe for children aged 6 months to 2 years,
and only 13% feel it is safe for pregnant women.
Almost one third (31%) of respondents think that public health
officials' concerns over H1N1 flu have been overblown.
Of the 40% of adults who said they would not take the shot, the
majority said they may reconsider if people begin dying from
the virus en mass.
The survey was conducted with a broad representative national
sample of 1042 adults aged 18 and over.
As we have previously reported, both the GlaxoSmithKilne and the
Novartis H1N1 vaccines contain both the novel
adjuvantsqualene,
which has been linked to Gulf War Syndrome, and thimerosal,
the mercury based preservative that some scientists have testified
can cause brain disorders.
A survey conducted by Harvard University has found that only
one third of adults trust the safety of the imminently available
H1N1 vaccine.
