To Vaccinate (H1N1) or Not To Vaccinate...That is the question!

My son is 5 years old and attends a school in Pennsylvania that has been hit with the H1N1 virus.

Cumulative Count: (Begining of school year (9/1) to date (10/16)

High School - 66 total  (44 prior, 22 new this week) - All but 14 have returned to school.

Middle School - 45 (18 prior, 27 new this week) - All but 10 have returned to school.

Intermediate School – 82 (40 prior, 42 new this week) - All but 21 have returned to school.

B. Elementary – 8 total (2 prior, 6 new this week) - All but 3 have returned to school.

LN. Elementary - 5 total (2 prior, 3 new this week) - All but 3 have returned to school.

S. Elementary -   15 ( 7 prior,  8 new this week) - All but 8 have returned to school.

Total -  221 reported cases to date.  49 out of school district-wide.  All others have recuperated and returned to school.

*Bear in mind, that after the first few cases the school district is treating all flu as the H1N1, so the numbers vary a little.

Should I have my son vaccinated? Especially since he has 2 younger brothers (ages 3 and 9 months) at home that he may carry 'diseases' to?

[tiredbuthappy]

i definitely would. If you've seen the news recently, the most recent statistics out show how the flu is hitting the younger half of the population much harder. What concerns me about your situation is the amount of NEW cases. it shows how quickly it is spreading in your district.

[sk123]

Are you worried about getting the swine flu vaccine only? Are you planning on getting the seasonal flu shot?

[AndiJ78]

I would get both vaccinations as soon as you are able. These age groups are at-risk, especially this early flu season.

[peekawho]

This is from the CDC website:

Who Should Get Vaccinated

CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel made up of medical and public health experts, met July 29, 2009, to make recommendations on who should receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. While the federal government has purchased enough vaccine so that anyone who wants to get vaccinated can, ACIP’s statement on the “Use of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine” recommends that vaccination efforts should focus first on people in five target groups who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 influenza or related complications, are likely to come in contact with influenza viruses as part of their occupation and could transmit influenza viruses to others in medical care settings, or are close contacts of infants younger than 6 months (who are too young to be vaccinated). These five target groups make up an estimated 159 million people in the United States.

Initial Target Groups Are:

When vaccine is first available, ACIP recommends that programs and providers administer vaccine to people in the following five target groups (order of target groups does not indicate priority):

    * pregnant women,
    * people who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months (e.g., parents, siblings, and day care providers),
    * health care and emergency medical services personnel,
    * people 6 months through 24 years of age, and,
    * people 25 years through 64 years of age who have certain medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications.

Who Should Not Be Vaccinated

There are some people who should not get any flu vaccine without first consulting a physician. These include:

    * People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
    * People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination.
    * People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously.
    * Children younger than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group), and
    * People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated.)

[April2]

I know Colorado didn't get the 30 million they were promised. There's a huge shortage right now. They've had clinics close too. Is anyone else experiencing this? We're getting more and more into the flu season with more cases, too, so this is worrisome. Of course, I guess I don't have to worry about it since it already hit my house.

[peekawho]

Supply is a big problem.

I want the vaccine, and can't get it!  I just got the regular flu vaccine, but our hospital can't get the H1N1 yet.

April, I asked Dr. Choi in the Swine Flu chat the other day.  He said even if you had a flu-like illness recently, you should still receive the vaccine.  

[Helen72]

Our pedi said that he will vaccinate Anna next month when he gets those vaccines.  She is Corbin's age.