2009 -2010 Flu Season
Frequently Asked Questions - Vaccines
Is there a vaccine available for 2009 H1N1 flu?
Yes. We have only received enough H1N1 vaccine to vaccinate approximately 15 percent of Harvard Vanguard's total 400,000 patients at this time. Based on the H1N1 vaccine we have received to date, Harvard Vanguard has been able to complete initial outreach for a single dose of H1N1 to all our pediatric patients 18 years old and below; pregnant patients; and parents and siblings of pediatric patients under the age of 6 months old.
As of December 17, 2009, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) announced that it is lifting all restrictions on H1N1 in order to make it available to all residents of Massachusetts who may be interested in receiving the vaccine. Massachusetts now joins more than 24 states that have already lifted restrictions on H1N1 to ensure that as many people as possible can be vaccinated. we currently have a limited supply of various formulations of H1N1 and will be accommodating patients who wish to be vaccinated on a first come, first serve basis as vaccine supply and appointment slots are available. If you wish to schedule an appointment for an H1N1 vaccination, please call your Harvard Vanguard practice site.
Is the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine safe?
The 2009 H1N1 vaccine is being made exactly the same way seasonal flu vaccine is made every year, and with the same testing process required before distribution. It is as safe as seasonal influenza vaccine.
Was the H1N1 vaccine subjected to the same testing and clinical trials as seasonal flu vaccine ?
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) does not require a new round of human clinical trials to study minor changes in the flu vaccine when the strain is changed each year. However, clinical trials were conducted on the 2009 H1N1 vaccine to determine the adequate dose and included surveillance for side effects, which were the same as with seasonal vaccine. In addition, because 2009 H1N1 is a pandemic, we now have information from other countries.
Were manufacturing shortcuts taken to rush this vaccine to market ?
Secretary of Health and Human Services has lauded the government's quick response to the pandemic threat and the fast turnaround of the new vaccine. That has created perceptions that the vaccine was rushed. The reality is that in 2005, worries of a bird flu epidemic prompted the Bush administration to increase flu vaccine production capacity. It typically takes five to six months to make flu vaccine, and that is about how long it took to produce the H1N1 2009 vaccine. The H1N1 virus itself grows more efficiently than some past flu strains. The CDC director said at a news conference, "We have cut no corners. This flu vaccine is made as flu vaccine is made each year, by the same companies, in the same production facilities with the same procedures, with the same safety safeguards."
Does the new vaccine contain the mercury compound thimerosal ?
Flu vaccine packaged in a multidose vial contains thimerosal, a preservative that prevents contamination of the vial during repeated use. One dose from a multiuse vial contains about 25 micrograms of mercury. By comparison, a tuna fish sandwich contains about 28 micrograms of mercury. Repeated studies have shown thimerosal to be safe.
What about the severe complications associated with the 1976 swine flu vaccine?
A 1976 swine flu vaccine was associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome (pronounced ghee-yan bah-ray"), in which the body damages its own nerve cells, causing weakness and sometimes paralysis. The data on flu vaccine and Guillain-Barre syndrome are not conclusive. One study suggested that the 1976 vaccine posed a 1 in 100,000 risk. Another study found flu vaccine in general carries a 1 in one million risk for Guillain-Barre syndrome. By comparison, 1 in 8,300 Americans die of flu each year. According to the CDC, each year approximately 6,000 to 9,100 people in the United States get Guillain-Barre syndrome whether or not they receive a vaccination. This means that about 140 people get Guillain-Barre syndrome every week. During the 2009-2010 influenza season, CDC and FDA will be closely monitoring reports of serious problems following the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines and the regular seasonal influenza vaccines including Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Who should get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine this flu season?
As with seasonal flu, anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting the flu can get vaccinated. However, because the CDC is initially releasing a limited supply of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, they have recommended that certain groups of the population receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it first becomes available. As directed by public health authorities, Harvard Vanguard will be targeting the following groups to receive the 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine first:
- Children under the age of 2
- Siblings of infants below 6 months of age to safeguard the under 6 month old who can't get vaccinated themselves
- Children 18 years of age and under with clinical criteria that places them at high risk of complications.
- Pregnant women
- Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel
- People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age
- People ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems
Who should get the seasonal flu vaccine this flu season?
Anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting the flu can get vaccinated. However, because we are experiencing a moderate delay in seasonal flu vaccine shipments from vaccine manufacturers, CDC recommends that certain groups of the population receive the seasonal vaccine when it first becomes available. In accordance with those recommendations, Harvard Vanguard will be targeting the following groups to receive seasonal flu vaccine first:
- Pregnant women
- Children aged 6 months up to their 19th birthday
- People 50 years of age and older
- People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
- People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
- People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
- Health care workers
- Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
- Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)
Will the seasonal flu vaccine also protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu?
The seasonal flu vaccine is not expected to protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu. Similarly, the 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine will not protect against seasonal influenza.
Can the seasonal flu vaccine and the 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine be given at the same time?
Seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu vaccines may be administered on the same day when given as injections, but given at different sites (e.g. one shot in the left arm and the other shot in the right arm). The vaccines may be available in a nasal spray formulation; the two different vaccines may not both be given as a nasal spray at the same time or within a month of each other. One may be given as a nasal spray at the same time as the other is given as an injection.
Can I get vaccinated if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
Yes, it is safe to give seasonal and 2009 H1N1 vaccinations to pregnant women anytime during pregnancy or to nursing mothers.
Should I get vaccinated against 2009 H1N1 if I had "the flu" between April and now, or was told I had H1N1?
There is no harm in being vaccinated if you already had 2009 H1N1 influenza. There is no test that can now show whether a person had the 2009 H1N1 influenza already. Many different infections, including influenza (in all of its different strains), can cause influenza-like symptoms such as cough, sore throat and fever. In addition, infection with one strain of influenza virus will not provide protection against other strains.
People for whom 2009 H1N1 vaccine is recommended should still receive it, even if they had an influenza-like illness previously. It is not possible to test a person who previously had an influenza-like illness except in a research setting. People for whom the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine is recommended should receive it unless they have been told by a health care provider that they had a positive laboratory test that can specifically detect the 2009 H1N1 virus. CDC recommends that persons who were tested for 2009 H1N1 influenza discuss this issue with a health care provider to see if the test they had was either an RT-PCR or a viral culture that definitely showed 2009 H1N1 influenza. No other test can prove that a person had 2009 H1N1 flu as opposed to other strains of flu.
Additional Information
How can I learn more?
There are both state and federal web sites that have information on both seasonal and 2009 H1N1 flu:
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) web site – www.mass.gov/flu
- Centers for Disease Control (CDC) web site – www.cdc.gov/flu
- United States Department of Health & Human Services – www.flu.gov
Source: The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the New York Times
Page last updated: 12/17/09