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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – New York, NY – Flu shots are now being routinely given to adults and children not only in doctors’ offices but also in pharmacies at local drugstores and supermarkets. Target, CVS, Walgreens and Duane Reade are among the many national retail pharmacy chains that market and administer influenza vaccine to customers. Each offers a mercury (thimerosal) free shot upon request but only until limited supplies run out.
If consumers do not request a flu shot without a thimerosal preservative, pharmacists give a shot that contains mercury, a known neurotoxin. Although pharmacists are trained to administer the vaccine, they are not always trained to address a sudden and life threatening health emergency that may arise after the shot is given, such as fainting or having a seizure. If children are vaccinated in a pharmacy setting, parents may be less likely to warned about vaccine risks as required by federal law under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986.
“Every vaccine, like every prescription drug, carries a reaction risk that can be greater for some than others and flu shots are no exception,” said Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the non-profit National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC). www.NVIC.org “When vaccines are given in a non-medical setting like a drug store or supermarket, it leads people to believe that there are no risks and that is an illusion, which can have serious consequences if the risks are 100 percent for you or your child.”
NVIC urges everyone to become informed about the many options for staying healthy during the flu season, including talking with one or more trusted health care professionals abut vaccination. NVIC also supports the use of common sense, proven ways to help prevent illness,
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including washing hands frequently; covering the mouth when coughing; eating a healthy diet rich in vitamin C and D; getting plenty of exercise and rest; and reducing stress.
For more information about influenza and influenza vaccine, go to www.NVIC.org.
The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) is a non-profit charity founded in 1982 and is dedicated to preventing vaccine injuries and deaths through public education and protecting the informed consent ethic in medicine.
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