Doctors told not to give flu vaccine to under-5s

I truly hope this is a catalyst for people to wake up and not give their kids the flu vaccine.



Doctors told not to give flu vaccine to under-5s

Updated April 23, 2010 12:41:00

Australian doctors are being warned not to give the seasonal flu vaccine to children under the age of five, after a child fell critically ill and dozens more suffered serious adverse reactions after receiving the free vaccine in Western Australia.
Today Western Australian health officials said the worst-affected child's condition was being changed from seriously ill to critical as officials investigated whether a bad batch of vaccine was to blame.
WA Health Minister Kim Hames says that in the past month, 23 otherwise healthy children have suffered fever, vomiting and febrile convulsions hours after receiving the vaccination.
Australia's chief medical officer Jim Bishop says parents should not have their children vaccinated at the moment.
"Until we know more we've suggested that we don't use that [seasonal flu vaccine] for the moment in children under five," he told ABC Local Radio this morning.
"I'm advising all doctors today not to use it until we know a bit more.
"This may be part of the normal pattern once we see the whole picture, or it may be more than we would expect. Therefore I just think it's wise and precautionary not to use it in children under five."
Professor Bishop says there have been no reports of issues with the vaccine in other states or territories yet.
"We've asked the TGA to be in touch with all of the states and we've spoken to chief health officers of all of the states," he said.
"We're getting all the information together so that we have a very complete picture, which we don't have fully at the moment."
The Australian Medical Association says the vaccine is still safe for older children and adults.
This morning a spokeswoman for Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said all Australian parents were being advised not to give their children the vaccine.
The spokeswoman described the measure as a "precaution".
WA's Health Department has suspended the free flu vaccination program for children under five after a spike in admissions to Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH).
WA's chief health officer, Tarun Weeramanthri, says the department is investigating whether the reactions were caused by a particular type of vaccine or batch.
"We are concerned that there's a much higher number of fever reactions than would be expected, and doctors at PMH have told us this," he said.
"Now we have to work out why, whether it's related to a particular type of vaccine or particular batch."
One of the manufacturers, CSL, says it is aware of the matter and is working closely with the Therapeutic Goods Administration and Western Australian authorities.
Dr Weeramanthri says parents should closely monitor their child if they have been vaccinated in the past 24 hours.
"Cool the child, [give them] paracetamol and make sure their temperature returns to normal," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/23/2880763.htm?site=westernvic

R hon, as I stated once before I think here on the forum, I overheard a receptionist in my GPs office tell an elderly gentleman that this year's flu shot has got some of the swine flu vaccine in it. So it is a combination apparently, that is what she said.

Maybe that part of the flu injection is what is making the kids sick, although giving flu injections to kids wouldn't be something I would be looking at. xo

Well the company mentioned in the article CSL are also the manufacturer for the swine flu vaccine here in oz.

It's a worry, people go thinking they will get their normal yearly flu shot and little do they know. I might do some more research on this R. xo