2009 H1N1 Vaccine for the Swine Flu

With the spread of the swine flu currently on the rise, many questions have begun to surface about swine flu vaccinations, who should get them and when and where they will be available. Before heading to your local hospital or clinic, however, it is important to do your homework so that you'll know what to expect. The following are a few important facts to keep in mind about the 2009 H1N1 vaccine for the swine flu.

Fact #1: The H1N1 vaccine for the swine flu will be available in October. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has indicated that nearly three and a half million doses of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine for the swine flu will be available beginning in early October (Moss, 2009). However, if you're expecting the traditional shot, you will be in for a surprise; the initial doses of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine will actually be in the form of a nasal spray.

Fact #2: Each state has a plan for administering the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. According to the CDC, the 2009 H1N1 vaccine for the swine flu will be available in a variety of settings, from local health clinics to schools and workplaces. However, each state has been tasked with developing its own plan for administering the vaccine and for disseminating information about it on a local level. Health care providers looking to order the vaccine can click on State/Jurisdiction Contact Information for Health Care Providers Interested in Providing H1N1 Vaccine.

Fact #3: The 2009 H1N1 vaccine for the swine flu is highly recommended for certain groups. A CDC advisory committee recently issued a recommendation that the following groups be given priority when the first doses of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine become available:

• Expectant mothers

• Persons who live with or care for children under the age of 6 months

• Health care workers

• All persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old

• Individuals from 25-64 years of age who suffer from chronic health problems

If you fall into any of the above categories, you are advised to get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine as soon as it becomes available. If you do not fall into one of the above categories and there should happen to be a shortage of the vaccine in your area, you may have to wait a spell before you are eligible to receive it.

Fact #4: Persons aged 65 and over are not a targeted group for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine for the swine flu. This does not mean that you will never be able to receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine if you are 65 or older. What it does mean is that should there be a shortage of the vaccine in your area, you will not be among the priority groups to receive the vaccination. Research has shown that persons aged 65 and older are less at risk for developing the swine flu than the aforementioned groups (CDC, 2009).

Fact #5: The 2009 H1N1 vaccine for the swine flu is not the same as the seasonal flu vaccine. The swine flu and seasonal influenza are not one in the same. Therefore, you can be vaccinated for one and still contract the other. Since the seasonal flu is still quite prevalent, you would be wise to receive both vaccines if you are able. The CDC has indicated that a person can receive both vaccines within the same day.

Sources

Centers for Disease Control. 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine. September 17, 2009.

Moss, Robert. CDC says 3.4 million doses of H1N1 vaccine to ship in early October. CIDRAP News, September 18, 2009.