H1N1 flu vaccine expected to be available by mid-month
Originally published October 7, 2009 at 3:43 p.m., updated October 8, 2009 at 11:11 a.m.
WENATCHEE — Twelve hundred doses of vaccinations for the swine flu, or H1N1 flu, should be arriving in Wenatchee by early next week and will be distributed to health care providers caring for children.
Those providers should have doses to give to children by the end of next week, said Mary Small, director of community health and preparedness for the Chelan-Douglas Health District. The providers are the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center, Central Washington Family Physicians, Columbia Valley Community Health and pediatrician offices.
The doses will be in the form of a nasal spray, which is expected to give people ages 10 and older immunity in seven to 10 days, Small said. Younger children will need a booster dose four weeks after the first dose to have immunity. Pregnant women, the elderly and people with health problems should not take the live nasal spray virus and should wait and take the virus inoculation, she said.
“The live vaccine should be reserved for healthy people ages 2 to 49,” Small said.
It will be up to providers to distribute the flu doses. Small said it won’t be until November or December when enough vaccine will be available to hold mass immunization clinics. Health-care providers at all of the larger health-care centers have been strongly encouraged to take the vaccine, Small said. Records show that more than 90 percent have followed those recommendations in the past, she said.
“We’re asking people to be patient and watch for information to be released on where you can get this,” Small said. “We’re right at the very beginning of being able to have vaccine, so we don’t have dates to share.”
As for the seasonal flu vaccine, some providers have been running out of vaccine, she said. People should check with other providers to see if vaccine is still available. Swine flu and seasonal flu require separate vaccinations.
Small said information will be available on the health district’s Web site, www.cdhd.wa.gov, and through public service announcements.
Meanwhile, local schools continue to report absenteeism higher than 10 percent, which is probably due largely to the swine flu, Small said.
On Tuesday, Cashmere Middle School reported 22 percent of its students absent. That is the highest rate reported so far, Small said. Seven schools in Chelan and Douglas counties have reported high absenteeism in the past week.
In addition to Cashmere, they are: Entiat schools, with 10.5 percent on Thursday; Wenatchee High School with 11 percent on Friday and 12 percent on Monday; Foothills Middle School with 12.7 percent on Friday, 15 percent on Monday and 17 percent on Tuesday; Orondo schools with 12 percent on Friday and 15 percent on Tuesday; Mission View Elementary School with 13 percent on Monday; and Clovis Point Intermediate School with 12 percent on Monday.
“Flu is widespread in our community,” Small said. “Parents can help by keeping their sick children home for at least 24 hours after they have a fever.”
World staff writer Rick Steigmeyer contributed to this report.
Dee Riggs: 664-7147
deeriggs@wenatcheeworld.com
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Comments
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LiveFREEorDIE (Kyle Read) says...
This vaccine contains squalene, an adjuvant (preservative) that is known to cause serious health problems such as autism in children. Mercury is highly carcinogenic and is one of the primary ingredients of squalene. Don't take the shot!
October 7, 2009 at 5:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
WX (WX XW) says...
I read your comment about the vaccine containing squalene. So I did some research on the internet. This does not appear to be the case. Many articles in medical research and journals say this is not the case. I will provide a link to one, Science-Based Medicine,
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?...
It says,
"However, it must be clearly stated that there are no adjuvants, nor have there ever been, in the US influenza vaccines. Furthermore, barring the highly unlikely failure of the standard unadjuvanted vaccines currently in trial, the H1N1 vaccines available in the US will also be adjuvant free.7
Even if Dr. Mercola’s entire article made a single valid point regarding the use of adjuvants in the H1N1 vaccine, it is irrelevant to the US population. Based on poor science, packed with misinformation, and designed to promote unwarranted fear, his article is not a source of information, it is dangerous, irresponsible fear mongering."
Do a little research and let me know what you find.
October 8, 2009 at 11:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kitkatbar (ashley jones) says...
gosh , im really freaked out about this swine flu- 1200 doses isnt very much for wenatchee! my son is 8 months old, very healthy an chubby, should i get him a vaccine for swine flu? also have another boy in school that could catch it a bring it home!
October 8, 2009 at 11:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kaylavw (K VW) says...
Kids will be first priority KitKatBar, however, the first dose will be the (mercury-free) nasal spray that is only for use in 2 year olds and older. Personally, I play to vaccinate my older child as soon as possible, who can bring it home. And the rest of our family (including our 8 month old) my pediatrician highly suggests it.
October 9, 2009 at 9:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kitkatbar (ashley jones) says...
yeah i called the kids doctor the other day to see if i needed to set an appontment, the front desk lady said that we wouldnt have a vaccine untill november!? jeez
October 10, 2009 at 12:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Nobody (Name Unavailable) says...
Before you vaccinate your children you should weigh the risks of exposing them to high levels of mercury (thimerosal). Washington state is raising the level of alloted mercury to be given to pregnant women and children in response to the contents of the H1N1 flu vaccine. That means it has a higher content than what has been deemed low risk. Also, you may want to consider the heightened risk of Guillain-Barre Syndrome in children. Vaccines have been known to cause autism, paralyzation, organ failure, death and other mental deficiencies. Why take a risky vaccine that was pushed onto the market and hardly tested? Why give that to your children??? The vaccine isn't 100% effective against preventing the virus anyway, so why add to the risks you may face? Officials have already stated the swine flu is less severe than normal flu, so why risk death, retardation or paralysis?
October 10, 2009 at 9:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kitkatbar (ashley jones) says...
people have argued the risks of getting there monthly shots, like hep b vaccine..and so on, there are always risks. So far what i heard about swine flu is that it it killing healthy young kids an babies. not like the regular flu witch ushally targets older people. I know id rather have my babies alive with autism, than dead from the swine flu. Im sure they will be fine. I continue to research this vaccine, an swine flu- yes it is a hard choice to make. thank you for your opinion, ill keep it in mind.
October 11, 2009 at 12:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )