Health Department H1N1 vaccine update
Oct 21, 2009 - 12:55:45 CDT
Madison County has begun to receive small numbers of doses of the H1N1 Influenza Vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for administering the vaccine based on the recommended priority groups is challenging with the number of doses we will receive weekly. Currently Madison County is working to vaccinate the Essential Medical Workers and First Responders groups. With the limited number of doses of vaccine received, this priority group is being addressed in categories.
Notification of the H1N1 vaccine shipments are received on Wednesday afternoons. The shipments are received within 48 hours of this notification. When the dose numbers and types of vaccine are allocated, the health department will have to quickly set up clinics to address a priority group, based on the number of doses we will receive.
The priority groups are Essential Medical Workers and First Responders, Children 6 months to 24 years of age, Care Givers of children less than 6 months of age, and Pregnant Women.
There are four presentations of the H1N1 Influenza Vaccine. The Live, Attenuated H1N1 Influenza Vaccine, (The Nasal Spray). This vaccine can only be administered to Children 3 years of age through adult age 49 years. This vaccine is not thimerasol free, and cannot be administered to children less than 36 months of age.
The thimerasol free injectable H1N1 Influenza Vaccine, the shot, is for children 6 months through 35 months of age and pregnant women. The thimerasol free vaccine comes in two different dosages. Madison County will not receive any vaccine for pregnant women at this time. The allocation of pregnant women is being sent to the county of delivery. All pregnant women will need to talk with their obstetrician for the H1N1 Influenza Vaccine. The H1N1 Influenza Vaccine for children 10 years through all adult ages is not a thimerasol free vaccine.
All children 6 months through age 9 years will need a second dose of the H1N1 Influenza Vaccine at least 21-28 days from the first dose. All other age groups will only need one booster.
To vaccinate the children priority age group, the Madison County Medical Providers are planning to have school based vaccination clinics. Parents must bring their children to the clinic. The information regarding the vaccine is being sent home to parents of both school districts and the day care centers.
The clinic dates will be short notice and we will do our best to notify parents as soon as possible. As priority groups are expanded, we will notify the public through these weekly updates and public notices.
The last two priority groups are:
Adults ages 25-64 years of age. This group may be broken into two groups. The first one being adults ages 25-64 years of age with a chronic health condition except essential hypertension. The second group being all others, age 25-64 years.
The last group is adults ages 65 years and older. There have been three potential exposures to the H1N1 influenza strain, and CDC states this age group has the most potential to have resistance to the influenza virus.
It is projected that all citizens will have the opportunity to be vaccinated by the middle of January 2010.
Prevention and staying home when you are ill are the most effective measures. The local physicians recommend that if you or a family member has Influenza A or are symptomatic that you and your household members stay home for at least 7 days and fever free without fever reducing medicine for at least 24 hours. If you become ill, you have been contagious 24 hours before you began to feel sick.
By covering our coughs and sneezes and discarding tissues immediately and proper hand washing you can reduce the spread of diseases including H1N1 influenza.
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http://www.dailyjournalonline.com/articles/2009/10/21/dn/news/doc4adf44da197ae309488107.txt
Notification of the H1N1 vaccine shipments are received on Wednesday afternoons. The shipments are received within 48 hours of this notification. When the dose numbers and types of vaccine are allocated, the health department will have to quickly set up clinics to address a priority group, based on the number of doses we will receive.
The priority groups are Essential Medical Workers and First Responders, Children 6 months to 24 years of age, Care Givers of children less than 6 months of age, and Pregnant Women.
There are four presentations of the H1N1 Influenza Vaccine. The Live, Attenuated H1N1 Influenza Vaccine, (The Nasal Spray). This vaccine can only be administered to Children 3 years of age through adult age 49 years. This vaccine is not thimerasol free, and cannot be administered to children less than 36 months of age.
The thimerasol free injectable H1N1 Influenza Vaccine, the shot, is for children 6 months through 35 months of age and pregnant women. The thimerasol free vaccine comes in two different dosages. Madison County will not receive any vaccine for pregnant women at this time. The allocation of pregnant women is being sent to the county of delivery. All pregnant women will need to talk with their obstetrician for the H1N1 Influenza Vaccine. The H1N1 Influenza Vaccine for children 10 years through all adult ages is not a thimerasol free vaccine.
All children 6 months through age 9 years will need a second dose of the H1N1 Influenza Vaccine at least 21-28 days from the first dose. All other age groups will only need one booster.
To vaccinate the children priority age group, the Madison County Medical Providers are planning to have school based vaccination clinics. Parents must bring their children to the clinic. The information regarding the vaccine is being sent home to parents of both school districts and the day care centers.
The clinic dates will be short notice and we will do our best to notify parents as soon as possible. As priority groups are expanded, we will notify the public through these weekly updates and public notices.
The last two priority groups are:
Adults ages 25-64 years of age. This group may be broken into two groups. The first one being adults ages 25-64 years of age with a chronic health condition except essential hypertension. The second group being all others, age 25-64 years.
The last group is adults ages 65 years and older. There have been three potential exposures to the H1N1 influenza strain, and CDC states this age group has the most potential to have resistance to the influenza virus.
It is projected that all citizens will have the opportunity to be vaccinated by the middle of January 2010.
Prevention and staying home when you are ill are the most effective measures. The local physicians recommend that if you or a family member has Influenza A or are symptomatic that you and your household members stay home for at least 7 days and fever free without fever reducing medicine for at least 24 hours. If you become ill, you have been contagious 24 hours before you began to feel sick.
By covering our coughs and sneezes and discarding tissues immediately and proper hand washing you can reduce the spread of diseases including H1N1 influenza.
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
Services provided on a nondiscriminatory basis.