Should Flu Vaccines for All Pre-School Children Be Added To the List of Compulsory Vaccines? Kids today! They watch TV for hours on end and then they give everyone the flu. The solution? Force flu vaccines on all pre-school children. (So far the government hasn't found the solution for the TV watching thing.) Kids spread the flu. They cough without covering their mouths; they don't wash their hands; and they always give their grandparents a big hug and a smooch. If you were TRYING to spread the flu, you couldn't come up with a better plan. And a flu shot for the grandparents is no help in this situation. According to NPR reporter Richard Knox, "Experts say that flu shots are just not very effective among the oldest and highest risk seniors." And he added that older people are generally reluctant to get flu shots anyway. Hmm. I wonder why? Do you suppose it's because, year after year, older people have NOTICED that flu shots are not very effective? So, if they can't make those wise old birds line up for a vaccine, maybe they can FORCE the shots on the group that has limited free will. Later this month the CDC will sponsor a conference on the question of universal vaccination of children and young adults. The thinking goes like this: If the vaccination works on the young (a big "if"), they'll be less likely to pass a flu bug along to the elderly. Advocates of universal vaccination say that vaccines would only be given with the parents' permission. But how long would that last? Every child who attends a public school in the U.S. is required to receive certain vaccinations, and parents have no say in the matter. All CDC officials need to do is scare enough do-gooder lawmakers with flu fear and suddenly the flu shot is added to the list of compulsory vaccines. Or we could just pass a law that sick kids can't hug their grandparents. Stay tuned… Sources:
"Shots For Kids May Be Best Flu Defense" Richard Knox, Morning Edition, National Public Radio, 10/5/05, npr.org | 
