I am still fuming over that piece you published by Blythe Nilson (You can't vaccinate against stupidity, Jan. 27).
She insulted many medical professionals as well as judges, the French and Australians, all because they oppose flu shots or have concerns. 
She produced no evidence of her own, but resorted to name calling. Maybe she should watch House of Numbers: the full documentary on the Internet.
Let's see her denigrate and obfuscate these dozen or so epidemiologists, microbiologists and researchers who are now speaking out, like Dr. Peter Ducsberg, a molecular and cell biologist at Berkeley, who openly admitted he and his colleagues have prostituted themselves and fudged data to receive funding for research.  
Her targets were obviously specific because French researchers were the ones who produced a video that showed what mercury in vaccines does to neurons. Australia banned the flu shot for children in 2010, but some doctors still gave it. 
Only hundreds of cases have ever been settled for medical damages after vaccines, while thousands were rejected because the requirements for evidence were so specific and exhaustive. 
Meanwhile, Dr. Wakefield, a surgeon, is far more credible than Nilson. He did his research and works with the sick. She doesn't. Looks like she is nothing but a shill for big pharma and government funding. 
Concern over the rising cost of health care? "Follow the money" is what Mike Felty former FBI agent, is renowned for saying. So, who really is costing the health-care system? Big Pharma lobbies the government more that big oil and the profits are enormous.
You did a great disservice to all nurses who oppose flu shots. Why do you think some of us would do that? 
We have seen, experienced and treated people for bad reactions, some life lasting.
We know what's in Thimerosol but let Nilson tell the public what's in it. I dare her.
A least half of our staff did not want the flu shot, but were "bullied" into it because of fear. The biggest fear was of losing pay by not being allowed to work and losing wages if the flu broke out. Others really disliked having to wear a mask all day (a new mandate later rescinded) even when away from the patients who were ill.
Do note: Nurses are the primary patient advocates, not some teacher who sits in a classroom teaching biology. We are on the front lines with the ill, the ones who do vital signs, clean up body fluids, dress wounds, feed, assess, dispense meds, ambulate, listen to and palliate the dying, among other duties. 
You had better hope and pray that if you are ever sick or in a nursing home, that you have a nurse who won't be easily intimidated or coerced against her better judgement and be an advocate for you as well as for herself. 
A teacher like Nilson is not a nurse, but let me stress to you that a nurse is also a teacher. That is part of our mandate. We teach about procedures, drugs, rehab, healthy choices, food safety, you name it. 
Did you even notice that Nilson talked about getting the measles and she was so sick her parents feared her dying? I did. If she was born in Canada and is under 45, she would have had her MMR vaccine.
When my oldest son got his MMR shot in 1967 at the age of eight months, he broke out in a fever that same day and a measle rash soon after. 
Public Health's answer to me was, "Well if he ever caught the real measles without the vaccine, he probably would have died." That "probably" answer is their best and what we always hear.
Lastly, I am incredibly disappointed in your newspaper. Dozens of newspapers and magazines have gone out of business in the past few years. Why? Maybe one reason is because investigative reporting is dead, propaganda is in and truth is irrelevant.
Elaine Elden, RN,
Kelowna