Flu syringe works for the once-dreaded Mexican flu

1. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) no longer uses the term Mexican flu, because it suggests that there is a great danger to public health. According to the RIVM, after the huge commotion in 2009, nowadays there is just normal seasonal flu. The flu injection that many people get in October is now also intended for the Mexican flu. How different was that in 2009. The World Health Organization WHO warned of possible serious side effects of the vaccine against the 'deadly' swine flu. The expected pandemic did not materialize, because the New Influenza A, H1N1 turned out to be only a mild virus here. Calm has returned and the designation swine flu has not triggered any panic reaction since 2010.

The first report and the responses

1. In 2009, the first reports of a new flu virus came in, among others, the Netherlands, for which no vaccine had yet been found. Everywhere measures were taken to prevent spreading. At the entrance of the dental practice, for example, there was a bottle of soap. You never entered without washing your hands. In restaurants, flyers hung on the doors of the toilets, mainly to wash hands before returning to the eatery. Every public place tried to make the visitor aware that there was a very dangerous flu. In retrospect, the number of victims was better than expected, but they were there.

A brief overview from 2009

1. Swine flu, also known as New Influenza A, H1N1 and swine flu. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated in 2009 that it was not until September of that year that clinical research among adults could be started into the effect of the vaccine that was to be used against swine flu. This vaccine could have potentially serious side effects. Because it was a new virus and a new technology, there were still many uncertainties and the degree of protection was still unknown. Many countries thought this was too late and decided to start vaccinating people even before the test results.

United States 1976 example of an insufficiently tested vaccine

1. In 1976, things went completely wrong in the United States with a new vaccine against a new flu virus. They wanted to prevent a pandemic. More than a quarter of the population was vaccinated urgently with the new vaccine. The pandemic was counteracted, but side effects with serious consequences occurred. More than 500 people became seriously ill. Most of them developed Guilian-Barré Syndrome. This is a disease that causes paralysis in many cases with lasting consequences. At least thirty people died. The vaccination program was stopped immediately after ten weeks.

2011 Study of the side effect of the vaccine against swine flu

1. In January 2011, Finnish research showed that there is a link between the rare sleeping sickness narcolepsy and the vaccine containing the drug Pandemrix. The disease is reported to have been found in about 60 children from Finland and Sweden.

Side effects in the Netherlands

1. According to the Medicines Evaluation Board, the side effects of the sleeping sickness narcolepsy were unknown in the Netherlands. There was no cause for alarm. The research was intended to be on the safe side.

How a vaccine works for a common seasonal flu

1. A vaccine against the normal seasonal flu has a positive effect in about 70% of the people who are vaccinated. They don't get the flu. The other 30% does become ill, but the clinical picture is less serious than without an injection. The cause of this is that the flu is constantly changing, so that the vaccine from the previous season no longer has sufficient effect.

Vaccine and duration of protection. Several months to six months

1. The average duration of the protection of a vaccine is several months to six months. That is why people who get the so-called flu shot should be vaccinated every year.

Flu vaccine and group protection

1. The flu vaccine has no group protection. In the case of the flu, group protection only occurs when 95% of the population has had the flu injection. The non-vaccinated people will not get the flu. An example of a vaccine that does offer group protection is the childhood disease measles.

Effect of the swine flu vaccine

1. The effect of the agent then available was still unknown. The results were not known until the end of 2009. There would be no danger.

How did the Netherlands prepare for a pandemic of the Mexican flu

1. In the Netherlands, each region had an action plan ready, stating what care providers and hospitals had to do. All GPs also had an action plan ready. The Netherlands also had enough virus inhibitors ready. In case of an impending influenza pandemic, the information on radio, TV and in the newspapers should be monitored.

Flu cases in the Netherlands

1. The number of people infected with the Mexican flu in the Netherlands at the end of August 2009 was more than 360. Most patients contracted the virus abroad. Most infections were contracted in the United States. Other countries where the Dutch contracted the disease were Spain, Mexico, Greece and England. People were also infected in the Netherlands itself. Meanwhile, there were several deaths and hospitals received more and more patients with this flu. Some even ended up in intensive care.

The most common age groups who got the flu

1. Young adults between the ages of 20 and 30 years.

Most patients showed the following symptoms

1. Fever sore throat cough muscle strain

The difference between Tamiflu and the new swine flu vaccine

1. Tamiflu is a virus inhibitor. This means that people who have the flu will get this drug. The use of Tamiflu reduces the multiplication of viruses in the body, so that infected body cells do not infect other cells. The new vaccine had to be used to prevent the flu. It was a preventative.

Free virus inhibitor Tamiflu

1. In August 2009, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment stopped testing all flu patients. At the same time, the prescription of Tamiflu was also reduced. Only people who had been diagnosed with swine flu and their family members received the drug Tamiflu, which was available free of charge through their doctor.

Measures to prevent infection with the flu virus

1. Avoid contact with people who have the flu. If you need to be with a flu patient, you should do so for as short a time as possible and then wash your hands immediately. Wash hands often with soap and water and dry with a paper towel or paper towel. Then immediately throw the paper in the trash. Touch your eyes, nose and mouth as little as possible. Hands can get the virus in your eyes, nose or mouth. Use paper tissues while coughing or sneezing. Then immediately throw the paper in the trash. Then immediately wash hands with soap and water. Regular cleaning at home: kitchen appliances and door handles. Ventilate living and sleeping areas.

Consequences for cervical cancer vaccination due to swine flu

1. The cervical cancer vaccination campaign that was to start again in September 2009 was postponed until 2010. Due to the expected major outbreak of the Mexican flu, there was no time that autumn.

Vaccinate children yes or no

1. Should children be given the swine flu vaccination with or without reasonable 'compulsion'? The then Minister of Health Klink thought that children aged 6 months to 4 years should be vaccinated. Many doubted or disagreed. A frequently heard comment was that parents should be able to choose and take responsibility themselves.

50% of SGP supporters do not have their children vaccinated

1. Almost half of the parents from the strict Reformed supporters of the SGP do not have their children vaccinated against diseases such as mumps, measles, rubella and polio. Even if vaccination is desirable for influenza, it will be refused. Biblical arguments weigh more heavily in their decision than medical ones. This has been shown by PhD research by Helma Ruijs of UMC St Radboud in Nijmegen.

Reactions after the first flu shot

1. After the first round of vaccination there were several reactions. From the many responses that can be read under this article, opinions about the vaccination and its side effects were very different:

The second flu injection with or without a second vaccination. Even experts disagreed

1. In December 2009 the second round for the vaccination against the Mexican flu started But was it necessary? A large number of people questioned the usefulness of a second flu shot. Nevertheless, the GGD regions started the second round. This round of vaccination was intended for children from 6 months to 4 years and household members of babies up to and including 5 months. Opinions on the second vaccination varied a lot.

The opinion of GGD Nederland then

1. "The second shot offers the best protection. It is important that the risk groups also get the second shot, so that their immune response is further strengthened. The flu can be erratic. We don't know if the course remains mild and or the number of cases continues to decrease. ”

The opinion of virolog Schellekens member of the Medicines Evaluation Board

1. He was not firmly against a second shot for the group of children. "It makes sense". He found a second vaccination for the adult risk group to add little.

RIVM nowadays calls swine flu a normal seasonal flu

1. Then the last step in the fuss about the dreaded swine flu

Reactions, effects and consequences of the vaccinations with the then new vaccine

1. Because the effects were not known, but the vaccine was administered anyway, a flood of reactions started. This is also the case with the article I wrote at the time. You can read them below by scrolling. Some are skeptical, others very critical, but most people share their experiences and feelings.