Mumsnet Talk

I mean, I realise that Swine flu is nothing like Chicken Pox, what I mean is, with chicken pox the general ruel is you get it once and than should be immune, whereas with flu's well , you can catch it over and over, can't you?
So, if it is more like flu, than really Swine Flu parties and such likes are most defintely completely non-sensical, aren't they...because, it wouldn't mean that the child in question would be less likely to catch that "worse" stran expected in winter...
not that I am contemplating of exposing my children purposefully to swineflu or anything...just wondering really?
Does anyone know?

There are different strains of flu - so swine flu is different from so-called seasonal flu, which is itself different each year. So just because you've had one form of flu (which you would then be immune to) you aren't then immune from the others. That's why you need a flu jab annually - it only gives you immunity from whatever that year's strain is. So, in theory, if you get swine flu now you will be immune in the future unless it mutates and becomes a different virus. Which is possible, no-one really knows.

Chicken pox is just chicken pox. If you've had it once you probably won't get it again (though people can and do, and there is a theory that there has been a mutation in the virus which means that people who've had it once aren't immune from the new strain).

thank you snickers...
but swine flu is bound to mutate, as all flu strains do, isn't it?
So, catching it now, won't then protect you from catching a future strain anyway...?

but it makes more sense now why people think catching it now could be a good idea...