Influenza (Flu) Vaccines
This
year there will be two different influenza (flu) vaccines: the usual,
"seasonal" flu vaccine, and the H1NI or "swine" flu vaccine.
These will be completely separate immunizations.
Seasonal Influenza (Flu) Vaccine
At
this time, the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academey of
Pediatrics recommend that the following groups of people receive the
SEASONAL flu vaccine:
All children aged 6
months to 18 years
People with chronic medical problems that put them at risk for more severe flu, including:
o
Asthma
o
Diabetes
o
Cystic fibrosis
o
Heart or lung disease
o
Sickle cell anemia
o
Kidney disease
o Children receiving long-term aspirin therapy
o
Conditions or medicines that weaken the immune system
Women who will be pregnant during influenza serason
Household contacts and caregivers of children under 5 years old (and particularly under 6 months old)
Household contacts and caregivers of other people at high risk for severe influenza
Residents of long-term care facilities
People aged 50 years and older
Health-care personnel
Please
Note: Supplies permitting, children under 9 years old need two shots
(spaced at least one month apart) if it is their first season receiving the flu
vaccine, or if it is their second season and they only received one shot last
year.
Our
seasonal influenza vaccine has begun to arrive, and all of our offices are taking appointments for flu shots on a first-come,
first-served basis, supplies permitting. For your convenience, we are
also planning a few evening or weekend "flu shot clinics" in our
offices. Shots at all of these times will be by appointment only.
Please contact any of our offices for further information or to
schedule a flu shot for your child.
H1NI "Swine" Influenza (Flu) Vaccine
We are hoping to start receiving
H1N1 "swine" flu vaccine some time in October. Unfortunately, it is
expected that the supplies will be limited. Because of that,
the final recommendations from the Department of Public Health as to
which groups will receive the vaccine are still in question. The
current Centers for Disease Control recommendations give the following
groups priority to receive H1N1 influenza vaccine:
Children aged 6 months to 4 years
Children aged 5 to 18 years who have high-risk chronic medical conditions (see list above for examples)
Pregnant women
People who live with or provide care for infants aged less than 6 months
Health-care and emergency medical services personnel
If there are adequate supplies of vaccine, all people aged 6 months to 24 years old will also become a priority group.
Again,
these guidelines are very tentative and subject to change.
Ultimately, it will be up to the Massachusetts Department of
Public Health in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control to
decide which groups will receice H1N1 flu vaccine. Because of
this uncertainty (and the fact that no vaccine has been distributed),
we cannot make appointments of reserve immunizations for any patients
at this time for H1N1 flu vaccine. Please check back with one of
our offices in October for updated details.