Swine Flu Vaccine - Who Needs It, What's in It, Where to Get It

Every state has locations that will be giving the Swine Flu, also known as H1N1 Flu, vaccinations as soon as it become available. Go to www.flu.gov, click "where you live" on the left side of the page, select your state and you will be redirected to a website telling you how to find locations, who to call, or when the vaccine is expected to arrive in your state. Each US state has different and specific information.

Some states / localities are are offering the H1N1/Swine Flu vaccination free of charge; check with your local health department. CVS Pharmacies will be giving free flu shots to unemployed Americans - but you will need to call the CVS Pharmacy in your area for information as days and times for the free shots may be limited. To see how many doses have been sent to your state, click this link: H1N1 Doses Available by State.

The H1N1 vaccine, like all flu vaccinations, is generally voluntary. However, in some areas health care workers are being required to take the vaccination in order to be able to care for patients during this flu season. Not all states/institutions are making this mandatory.

What's in the H1N1 Flu Vaccine?

The 2009 H1N1 flu vaccination in shot form contains killed virus; the nasal spray form of the vaccination contain live, but weakened, virus. The shot is given in the upper arm, while the nasal spray is delivered by spraying a mist into the nostrils. The shot is the most common form of vaccination and is recommended for everyone over the age of 6 months.

The nasal spray is only recommended for healthy people between the ages of 2 and 49 years. The spray is NOT recommended for pregnant women or those with underlying health problems such as diabetes or any other chronic illness.

The shot form of the vaccination may contain the preservative thimerosal. This has be the cause of some trepidation among those deciding whether or not to get the H1N1 vaccine for their children. Thimerosal is a mercury-based preservative that has been used for years by vaccine manufacturers and is deemed safe by the CDC. Only the flu shots contain this preservative; no other childhood vaccine is currently manufactured using thimerosal or any other preservative containing even trace amounts of mercury.

Although the amount of thimerosal in the shots is very small, it still worries some parents who want to have their children vaccinated. If this is the case, they can opt to allow their healthy children over the age of two years to receive the nasal spray form of the H1N1 vaccination which does not contain any thimerosal.

However, not all flu shots contain thimerosal. The shots that contain this preservative are the ones manufactured in multi-dose units - they contain the thimerosal to prevent contamination after the vial has been opened. The single-dose vials do not contain thimerosal as there is no need for a preservative in the single-dose vials. You can ask your provider which type of vaccine he/she is using.

Who Should NOT Get the Vaccine in Any Form

• Anyone with an allergy to eggs,

• Anyone who has ever had a severe reaction to any flu vaccine,

• Anyone who has ever developed Guillain-Barré syndrome within six weeks after getting a flu vaccination,

• Children under six months of age,

• Anyone currently running a fever or who is moderately ill - get the vaccine after recovery from the current illness.

Enough H1N1 Vaccine for Everyone

The CDC doesn't expect that there will be a shortage of the H1N1 vaccine, but, at first it may be available in limited quantities. Health care workers, pregnant women, children, young adults under 25 years old, and those with chronic health conditions will be given a higher priority when the vaccinations begin. Once those people are vaccinated, then everyone from the ages of 25 -64 will begin receiving their vaccines.

Most senior citizens over the age of 65 don't appear to be at risk from the H1N1 virus if they are otherwise healthy, but should get this vaccine when it becomes generally available. They are much more at risk from the ordinary seasonal flu and should get vaccinated against that as soon as possible.

For more from this author click here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/619355/patricia_lee.html

Sources

http://diseases-viruses.suite101.com/article.cfm/free_flu_shots_at_cvs_2009_flu_vaccinations

http://www.muskegonhealth.net/current/h1n1_vaccinations.htm

http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/vaccination/supply.html

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/promoContent/promoLandingTemplate.jsp?promoLandingId=1138

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/thimerosal_qa.htm

http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/vaccination/supply.html