Are 'Swine Flu Parties' Safe?

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This is no different than the vaccination which has live virus in it. One benefit would be that unlike the vaccination you would not be getting your daily dose of thimerasol which is nothing more than a mercury compound which is used as a preservative. Which one is safer? Screw the mercury! That is a known killer!

Jeff of WI 10:09AM September 29, 2009

I do not think that ihave heard of such an irresponsible notion as to have a party of this type. While this is well meaning. it is way too risky. KIds are going to get sick. With a bug like this. Let the flu take it's course. Kids are strong. With good care,they will recover very quickly. Why expose them unecessarilly?

mike of WI 11:46PM September 28, 2009

There's no guarantee that your child would eventually get sick with H1N1 some time later in the school year. Who becomes infected with the flu every single year without fail? Many people will go through flu season and never get infected. It's irresponsible to deliberately infect young childern with this potentially life-threatening illness because they MIGHT catch it later, and that strain MIGHT be worse than the one now. If either was a guarantee - that they would for sure catch it later, or that it would for sure be a worse strain - then it might make some sense.

Kris of CO 4:12PM September 28, 2009

They just removed a comment that had capital letters that was up a few minutes ago. Granted, it was a poorly written comment, but certainly did not warrant removal. Whoever is controlling this forum is being selective and therefore has a biased agenda. Personally, I trust my own immune system over any vaccine for Flu (other vaccines for diseases are different. I wouldn't want to die from tetanus, as it is proven to be preventable). I have never gotten a flu shot, and guess what, I have never gotten the flu. I personally know many people who have had the flu shot, and every time they get it, they get the flu. Whether or not it is worse than an actual infection is debatable, but it is still the flu. Stay healthy, be active and support your immune system with your diet. It is the best defense against any disease. I don't get why doctors do not emphasize this more. More drugs, more shots seems to be the only answer.

Jim Grick of CA 3:40PM September 28, 2009

Just because you've "heard" people are having swine flu parties doesn't mean they're actually happening. I'm still looking for the infamous chicken pox parties.

Julie Deardorff of IL 3:36PM September 28, 2009

isn't the primary killer from Swine Flu something like a cytokine storm?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytokine_storm
wouldn't a swine flu party be the worse possible thing you could ever do in this case?

chasd00 of TX 3:25PM September 28, 2009

Listen to the AMA and get sick !
Need I say more?

DE of FL 3:21PM September 28, 2009

These parents are stupid and I can think that only white urban soccer moms would even come up with such a lame idea.
Now I do think it is good these parents, sans children, might attend these parties, because Darwinism is a healthy tool when it comes to thinning the population of the "stupids."

Ben Dover of TX 3:12PM September 28, 2009

The Chicken Pox unlike Swine Flu can be dangerous if you contract it as an adult. So, it makes sense to get it as a child to prevent adult infection. The Vaccine for Chicken Pox does not provide life long immunity and adults rarely keep up on their vaccinations so it makes more sense to contract it as a child. Swine flu on the other hand could be worse for young children and your better off avoiding the vaccine and the natural virus. Eventually the swine flu will mutate or die off unlike Chicken Pox which doesn't mutate or die off totally.

Jim of NJ 2:17PM September 28, 2009

I think the flu party now has an little mentioned side effect. By having it now, if complications occur, you can get your kid to a hospital that's not overwhelmed by a major swine flu outbreak later in the year.
Of course, the downside, there's absolutely no guarantee that the flu party will do anything to protect your child. It's a given that the flu will mutate, bypassing your immune system protections. After all, that's why we've got different variants of the flu each year, and why people can get the "flu" every year.
Also, by infecting your child, you put in danger anyone that comes in contact with your child, possibly killing them. So, the real question should be, how many people do you want to make seriously ill or even kill in order to infect your child with a disease that may not provide any protection to the child?

JC of CA 2:15PM September 28, 2009