Yesterday the long expected vaccinations against the  New Influenza A (H1N1) – also known as Mexican flu, started.  I had received a letter with an invite for this vaccination last week, for me and my daughter. As far as I understood they only send  people with a risc factor an invite.  And me well  I don’t like needles.. I REALLY don’t. But with a daughter who’s asthmatic  I can’t take the risc of getting sick and infecting her. And now a day later my arm is still sore o.o;.

Antonio isn’t registered yet but I assume he will receive the same invite once he gets registered this week.

Why is it important to get this vaccination? Well in the first place you dont want to infect other people in your family, your wife, husband, your mother, or your children with a this virus that CAN be deadly. Secondly you don’t want to get sick yourself either do you? Yes I know there are far more diseases and they are deadly too, all the more reason to take control and make sure its not going to be this one that will cause your last breathe.

How to recognize this new flu? Well the symptomes are pretty much like the normal flu, here’s a little list of symptomes that should allert you.

• Fever
• Cold shiffers/rillings? (not sure of the translation)
• Headache
• Sore Muscles
• Being tired
• Dry Cough
• Sometimes diarea

People who have also a different disease can get seriously sick from this new virus. Don’t panic tho,  a normal flu  also can kill people, only in the Netherlands about 1000 a year. (I assume there are several other factors playing a role though).

But supposedly I am now fine and have nothing to worry even when I have no other disease and was not too worried already it does feel good to have this extra security.

Here you will find more info about this flu and the vaccinations in Dutch

And here you can find more info about it on a English site.

And another English site with information about this flu and vaccinations

I hope you guys have enough information here now to make a decision about if  you should or should not or want or don’t want to get this vaccination.