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For health care providers: Information about distribution and supply of H1N1 vaccine including a Frequently Asked Questions page. |
H1N1 Vaccination Frequently Asked Questions Frequently updated information and resources about H1N1 vaccine and related topics. This page will be updated regularly, so check back often for the latest information. How much H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine
is available? You can find out more about H1N1 vaccine availability in your community vaccine locator Web page.
Now that more vaccine is available, it’s the perfect time to protect yourself and your family. Flu activity is slowing in many communities, but some H1N1 disease is still causing serious illness. Flu viruses are always unpredictable and we don’t know what will happen next with H1N1. Getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect your health and stop flu. How is vaccine distributed? The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention distributes vaccine to the states based on state
population; it is then distributed to counties based on population.
Local health officials, who best know and understand the needs of their
communities, decide which distribution strategy is best for their area.
Some use school-based mass vaccination events; some use a mix of local
public health clinics and private health care providers; others rely
more heavily on private health care providers. You can find out more
about how your county distributes vaccine by
contacting your local health department. New - Can I get the H1N1 vaccine if I am 65 years of age or older? Yes.
We encourage everyone who wants the H1N1 vaccine to get vaccinated.
Adults 65 years of age and older were not eligible at first to get
vaccinated. Now that more vaccine is available they are eligible to get
vaccinated. New data show that people over the age of 65 are less likely
than younger people to get H1N1 flu but have one of the highest rates of
complications if they do get the disease. You can find vaccine through
your health care provider, pharmacies, local health department, or by
going to our vaccine locator web page. Is it especially important for certain people to be vaccinated? Vaccination is the best protection against H1N1 and seasonal flu. Everyone can benefit from a flu shot, however, some people are at higher risk for complications when they get the flu and it’s crucial for them to get vaccinated. High risk groups include:
Note: If you are a pregnant woman or belong to a high-risk group, you should not get the nasal spray vaccine. Check with your vaccine provider to make sure injectable vaccine is available to you before getting vaccinated. Are there some people who should not receive the H1N1 vaccine?People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs or to any other substance in the vaccine should not be vaccinated. Let your doctor, pharmacist or vaccine clinic know if you have any severe allergies. If I got the 1976 swine fluvaccine, do I need to get an H1N1 vaccine?Yes. If you were vaccinated in 1976, you should still get the H1N1 vaccine. The 1976 swine flu virus and the 2009 H1N1 virus are different enough that the 1976 vaccine is unlikely to fully protect you from H1N1. Should I get the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine if I have had a flu-like illness since last spring?People who had a flu-like illness but did not have a lab-confirmed test for H1N1 flu should be vaccinated this fall or winter. This includes:
People whose test confirmed they had H1N1 flu should consult their health care provider about getting vaccinated. Someone who was infected with H1N1 will likely have some immunity. However, it is not harmful to vaccinate a person with some existing immunity or those that are unsure if they had the H1N1 flu. I'm not a U.S. citizen. Can I still get the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine?The Federal government does not have any residency restrictions for who can get H1N1 vaccine. However, local health departments may have restrictions. Vaccine supply may also be limited in some areas. High priority groups including health care workers, pregnant women, children, and people with medical conditions that put them at risk will be vaccinated first. It is important to check with your local health department for any special requirements or restrictions in your area. For example, some counties may be pre-registering for vaccination clinics. Will H1N1 (swine flu) vaccinations be mandatory?No. We encourage people to get the H1N1 vaccine when it is available, but you can decide what is best for you and your family. Will this year’s seasonal vaccine protect me from H1N1 (swine flu)?No. This year's seasonal flu vaccine will not protect you against H1N1. It will be important to get both vaccines for best protection against H1N1 and seasonal flu. Should I get vaccinated against both seasonal flu and H1N1 (swine flu)?Yes. We encourage everyone who can get vaccinated to get seasonal flu vaccine every year and to get the H1N1 vaccine. Seasonal flu vaccine has been in short supply in some areas. You may need to check regularly to find out when and where it is available and please be patient. Seasonal flu usually peaks in February and March, so you should have time to get vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and prevention is monitoring the seasonal and H1N1 flues very closely and hasn’t seen any evidence that being vaccinated for seasonal flu makes a person any more likely to get H1N1. Some people cannot get vaccinated due to a medical condition or because they are too young. It is important that people around them get vaccinated, like caregivers and family members, to help prevent spreading the flu to them. Talk to your doctor, nurse, or clinic about these vaccines for you and your family. More information on seasonal flu is available on our Seasonal Flu News page. Will I be able to get the seasonal vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine at the same time?Yes. You can get most seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines on the same day, if both are available. However, there is one exception - you cannot get two nasal spray vaccines on the same day. A seasonal flu nasal spray vaccine and a H1N1 nasal spray vaccine need to be separated by at least four weeks. Seasonal vaccine is available in many areas now, and if it is available near you, – don’t wait until H1N1 vaccine becomes available to get immunized. Both influenza viruses can cause illness, hospitalizations and death this fall and winter.If you are at risk for severe influenza and are also in a group at risk for pneumococcal pneumonia, ask your health care provider about pneumococcal vaccine to prevent the complications of flu. Where can I get an H1N1 (swine flu) vaccination?Many settings offer H1N1 vaccinations, including doctor’s offices, schools, workplaces, pharmacies, and public health agencies. Check these sources for information about vaccination sites near you:
You may also be able to find information in your local newspaper or through television or radio. How much will it cost to get vaccinated for H1N1?The H1N1 vaccine is free. However, providers can charge a small fee for administering the vaccine – for example, you may still have to pay your regular co-pay at the doctor’s office or pay a small fee at a flu clinic. In many areas, public health clinics will give the vaccine free of charge for people who have no insurance or who are unable to pay. Will two doses of H1N1 vaccine be needed?Yes, but only for people under age 10. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of one dose of H1N1 flu vaccine for those 10 years old or older. The less mature immune systems of younger children means that two doses create better protection. For that reason, the FDA approved two doses for children 9 years of age and younger. The FDA continu es to test to be sure that the number of doses it recommends for all age groups are effective.If two doses are needed, how long after the first dose must children wait to receive the second dose?The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that the two doses of H1N1 vaccine be separated by at least 4 weeks or 28 days. However, the second dose is valid if separated from the first dose by at least 21 days. It is important that all children under age 10 get two doses of H1N1 vaccine for the best protection. How long does it take for the vaccine to protect people from H1N1?Early studies show that like seasonal flu vaccine, the H1N1 vaccine creates a strong immune response in most healthy adults 8 to 10 days after a single dose. Is the H1N1 vaccine available in nasal spray form?Yes. You can get H1N1 vaccine either as a shot (injection) or as a nasal spray (mist). The nasal spray is safe for healthy people 2 to 49 years of age , but not safe for pregnant women. Talk to your doctor, or nurse or clinic about which vaccines are best for you and your family.The nasal spray will make up only 20 to 25 percent of the final total vaccine supply. Whoshould not get nasal spray vaccine?The nasal spray vaccine is not recommended for the following:
Ask your doctor, nurse or clinic if nasal spray vaccine is a safe choice for you and your family. Can I get H1N1 nasal spray vaccine at the same time as seasonal nasal spray vaccine?No, you should not get the
seasonal nasal spray vaccine and the H1N1 nasal spray vaccine at the
same time. This is because the nasal spray vaccines might not be as
effective if given together. You need to separate all nasal spray
vaccines or doses by at least 28 days. Note: Before getting the H1N1 or seasonal flu nasal spray vaccine, check with your doctor, nurse, or clinic if you have received another live virus vaccine (such as MMR, chickenpox (varicella), or yellow fever vaccines) in the last month. How many doses of nasal spray vaccine are required for children?All children under 10
will need two doses of H1N1 vaccine (either nasal spray or flu shot).
Vaccine SafetyIs the H1N1 vaccine safe?Yes. It is made by the exact same process, and in the same facilities that are used to make seasonal flu vaccine, which has a very good and long safety record. Like any medication, vaccines may have side effects. People who get vaccinated against H1N1 will be screened to make sure they do not have a medical condition, such as an allergy to eggs that would make it unsafe for them to be vaccinated. People who get vaccinated against H1N1 will get a fact sheet about the vaccine’s risks and benefits, signs of side effects to look for after vaccination and how to report side effects (also called adverse events). Visit these links for more information about vaccine safety:
Are there side effects to theH1N1 (swine flu) vaccine?Side effects from the H1N1 vaccine will be similar to side effects from seasonal flu, which are mild, localized reactions. The most common side effects are:
Is it safe to take the H1N1 vaccine if I am pregnant?Yes. The H1N1 shot is safe for pregnant women and does not cause miscarriages. Pregnant women are six times more likely to have serious complications when infected with H1N1, making it more important for them to get vaccinated and to get treated quickly. Pregnant women should not get H1N1 nasal spray vaccine. Will mercury-freeH1N1 (swine flu) vaccines be available?Yes. Some mercury-free or thimerosal-free vaccine will be available in Washington. H1N1 (Swine Flu) vaccine is being manufactured in several formulations:
As a precaution, Washington law limits the amount of mercury allowed in vaccines for pregnant women and children under three, but it allows the Secretary of Health to temporarily suspend the law when there is a shortage of vaccine or during a disease outbreak. Because mercury-free H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine may not always be available, the Secretary recently suspended the law to make sure that those who need and want H1N1 vaccine can get it. For more information about the suspension of the law, see our press release. How are the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccines be monitored for safety?The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (along with state and local health departments, health care providers, and other partners) watch closely for any signs that the H1N1 vaccine causes unexpected problems and investigate unusual side effects quickly. All data collected by the CDC confirm that the 2009 H1N1 vaccine is safe. They will continue monitoring throughout the flu season. Side effects (also called adverse events) may not be related to vaccination, but instead may just happen around the same time. Tracking and investigation help us figure out which side effects are truly caused by vaccination and which are not. Visit these links for more information about vaccine safety:
What can I do if I have a side effect from a vaccine?If you think you or your child may have a side effect from a vaccine, be sure to discuss this with your health care provider and either:
Vaccine Recall (Dec. 23, 2009)I heard some H1N1 vaccine has been recalled. Why?Some H1N1 vaccine manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur and MedImmune has been voluntarily recalled because the vaccine is not quite as potent as it should be. Vaccine is supposed to meet a certain level of potency, and it is just below that. This recall makes me nervous about getting myself and my children vaccinated. Should I be worried about the vaccine’s safety?No. The H1N1 vaccine is very safe and this recall shows how closely it is being monitored. We are concerned that this may make people decide not to get vaccinated, even though there is no safety concern. It is important for everyone, especially children, to get vaccinated. What age groups would have gotten this vaccine?The recalled Sanofi Pasteur vaccine was for children under age three. The MedImmune nasal spray vaccine was for people 2 to 49 years of age. If my child or I got this vaccine, will we still be protected? Do we need to be revaccinated?The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe the vaccines will still protect people from H1N1. The recall is purely precautionary. People don’t need to be revaccinated if they got these vaccines. However, children nine and under still need two doses of H1N1 vaccine at least 28 days apart. What are the safety issues with this vaccine? Should I be concerned?No, because there are no safety issues with the vaccine. You can check with your health care provider to find out if you or your children got this vaccine. There is no need to be revaccinated. Are there other vaccines that kids under age three can get?Yes, there are other options available for young children who still need to get the H1N1 vaccine. It is very important that children of all ages get H1N1 vaccine since they are one of the groups at highest risk of complications from the disease. Check with your health care provider on which option is best for your child. How many doses of this vaccine have been shipped to our state?About 5100 doses of the Sanofi-Pasteur vaccine and 138,110 doses of the MedImmune nasal spray have been shipped to Washington State. The Department of Health is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health agencies to track organizations that have it and make them aware of the recall. What should providers do if they have the vaccine?Providers should keep the vaccine for now and not use it. They will be getting instructions on how to return it. Where can I get more information?More information can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site.
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