Medical differences

There is an interesting perspective on vaccination tactics here in Japan. It's one I'd like to see adopted by the US some day. It has to do with the flu vaccine.

In the US, we vaccinate the "at risk" groups. This means that most of the shots are reserved for the elderly and infants. Those whose health would be most at risk should they contract the flu. These are also the groups that I believe are more likely to suffer adverse effects from the shots. With an immune system so delicately balanced, playing with it even for its benefit, is risky business.

In Japan, they looked at what group was most at risk for contracting the disease. This would be the kids in school. Those that contact dozens of other people every day and do it in the least sanitary manners that one can fathom. Japan vaccinates school age children. I don't know how old they go, but they start at the youngest in school.

Big difference, right? The US avoids those most likely to get the disease and tries to protect those it would hurt the worst. Japan tries to actually prevent the disease from spreading at all.

What happens? Japan sees fewer cases of the flu. I haven't read anything about flu pandemics in the local papers. I haven't seen any news about how worried they are about outbreaks. From what I understand, few people in Japan actually get the flu because those most likely to carry it don't get sick.

Interesting how lots of research on both parts has gotten such drastically different answers. I must confess a slight fondness for a society that just doesn't want to deal with the disease vs. one that wants to protect the weak when it gets out of control. Of course, Japan has been doing chicken pox vaccines for two decades and the US only started that in the last decade (I think). Wonder how long it will be until we catch on to some of the other vaccination practices? Seems a trade of best practices from both sides might be a good idea - we can give them dentistry and they can give us vaccinations...seems fair to me.