H1N1 Swine Flu & Seasonal Flu Update

Parkmedical.net will post periodic updates regarding Flu vaccine and other flu issues of importance to our patients. All the information regarding flu in general can be found through the CDC site at www.flu.gov Information regarding flu in Maryland can be found at www.flu.maryland.gov

Seasonal flu vaccine and H1N1 vaccine are NOT currently available.

Vaccine Priority Groups for H1N1

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel made up of medical and public health experts, recommends several groups receive the H1N1 flu vaccine as soon as possible:

Pregnant women and recently pregnant women because they are at higher risk of complications and can potentially provide protection to infants who cannot be vaccinated. Note that pregnant women should not receive the nasal-spray flu vaccine LAIV (FluMist®)

Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age because younger infants are at higher risk of influenza-related complications and cannot be vaccinated. Vaccination of those in close contact with infants less than 6 months old might help protect infants by “cocooning” them from the virus.

Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel because infections among healthcare workers have been reported and this can be a potential source of infection for vulnerable patients. Also, increased absenteeism among healthcare professionals could reduce healthcare system capacity.

All people from 6 months through 24 years of age
Children from 6 months through 18 years of age because there have been many cases of H1N1 flu in children and they are in close contact with each other in school and day care settings, which increases the likelihood of disease spread.
Young adults 19 through 24 years of age because there have been many cases of H1N1 flu in these healthy young adults and they often live, work, and study in close proximity, and they are a frequently mobile population.

Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.

We recommend both the seasonal and H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine for our patients who do not have a history of allergy or adverse reactions to flu vaccination. We have no reason to believe that the safety of the H1N1 vaccine will be any different than the yearly seasonal flu vaccine. For the current information about the swine flu vaccine including safety and groups receiving priority for vaccination, see the following link. www.flu.gov/vaccine/vacresearch.html

Swine flu outbreaks have been reported from students who have returned to certain college campuses in the U.S. We are not seeing an excessive number of cases of swine flu in our patients currently. For weekly updates on flu activity in the United States see www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

Park Medical does not offer diagnostic flu testing as the currently available tests are not accurate. The diagnosis of the flu will be made by recognition of the typical symptoms of the flu in the setting of widespread illness in the community. Typical symptoms of the flu include fever and respiratory symptoms and can be found at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm#2

For information about what to do if you think you have the swine flu see the following link. www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm Current recommendations guide us not to prescribe antiviral medications such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) except in specific circumstances such as in high risk patients or those with severe disease. While the majority of individuals with the flu recover completely, a small number of patients may develop severe complications, especially pneumonia, that may require hospitalization or emergency treatment. If you believe you have the flu and fall into one of the high risk categories or are experiencing the emergency warning signs described at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm#5 please contact your physician or go to the emergency room or urgent care center for urgent evaluation.