H1N1 vaccine is safe, effective

When the vaccine is available, parents should have their child immunized

This year, two vaccines exist to help protect from various strains of the flu. One vaccine protects against seasonal flu viruses, and the other is an H1N1-specific vaccine to protect against the novel H1N1 (“swine flu”) flu.

You may have heard some news stories concerning the safety of the novel vaccine for H1N1, but infectious diseases experts at Children’s Medical Center are confident of its safety and efficacy, and recommend that parents take their children for immunization once the vaccine is available to the general public. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects a similar safety profile for the H1N1 vaccine as for the seasonal flu vaccine, which has a very good safety track record.

Vaccine testing

The H1N1 vaccines were tested at nine centers throughout the country in thousands of volunteers in clinical trials for safety and efficacy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the H1N1 vaccines in mid-September from four manufacturers. All four firms manufacture the H1N1 virus using the same processes, which experts from the FDA say have a “long record of producing safe seasonal influenza vaccines.”

FDA’s chief scientist said the H1N1 vaccines approved in September “undergo the same rigorous FDA manufacturing oversight, product quality testing and lot release procedures that apply to seasonal influenza vaccines.”

Side effects

Side effects from both the seasonal and the H1N1 influenza vaccines are reported to be mild and can include side effects such as injection site redness or a runny nose, depending on which type of vaccine one receives.

Availability

The first H1N1 vaccine to arrive for public use is the FluMist 2009 H1N1 nasal vaccine, which has been available in limited supply in most states since early October. Shipments of the injectable vaccine are expected to arrive in the next several weeks. Check with your primary care physician to see what supplies his or her office has. The U.S. has purchased some 250 million doses of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, so initially the vaccine will be available in limited quantities. However, no long-term shortages are expected.

How it works

Neither H1N1 vaccine causes the flu. And, with both forms of the vaccine (nasal spray or injectable), it takes about two weeks for antibodies develop in the body that provide protection against infection by the H1N1 virus.

Who should receive the vaccine

• The FluMist vaccine can be given only to individuals who are 2 to 49 years old and have no underlying medical conditions, including pregnancy, which is the same group of people who can take the seasonal FluMist vaccine.
• Once an individual receives the seasonal FluMist vaccine, they must wait 28 days before receiving the FluMist for H1N1.
• Additionally, the FluMist vaccine cannot be given to an individual who has been taking the antiviral agents Tamiflu or Relenza until 48 hours after the last dose. If a person has been taking these drugs within 2 weeks of receiving the FluMist vaccine, they should be revaccinated because the antiviral agents interfere with the effect of the vaccine.
• Viral shedding from FluMist does not pose a risk to patients exposed to vaccine recipients.

The flu shot for H1N1 is indicated for the same groups as for the seasonal flu shot. The flu shot is approved for use in people 6 months of age and older, including healthy people, people with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women.

We support CDC recommendations

Children’s Medical Center supports the CDC recommendations for the use of the vaccine in individuals 2 to 24 years old without underlying medical conditions, especially if they are household contacts of pregnant women or immunosuppressed individuals.

There still are some people who should not get any flu vaccine, either seasonal or H1N1, without consulting their doctor. These include people:

• With a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
• Who’ve had a severe reaction to a previous influenza vaccination.
• Who’ve developed Guillan-Barré syndrome previously.
• Younger than 6 months of age.
• Who have moderate to severe illness with a fever.

Tags: H1N1 , vaccine , safety , swine flu , seasonal flu , disease , prevention , flu , FluMist , CDC