Senior Citizens Should Get Regular Flu Shot Now,
H1N1 Shot After Younger People
Studies show the risk for H1N1 Flu infection among
persons age 65 or older is less than the risk for younger age groups
Sept.
21, 2009 The government agencies involved in protecting U.S. citizens
from the flu this season regular seasonal flu and H1N1 are pouring
out information to help citizens better understand the threat and
prevention, but there is still much confusion among senior citizens, who
are surprised to find themselves at the end of the line for H1N1
vaccinations.
First, seniors should already be in line for their
regular flu shot. Nothing has changed in the highly successful program
to prevent the regular flu. And, senior citizens are still at the front
of the line for this one, which is also paid for by Medicare.
But, for the H1N1 shots, seniors are going to
have to wait awhile.
Current studies indicate the risk for infection
among persons age 65 or older is less than the risk for younger age
groups, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Therefore, as vaccine supply and demand for vaccine
among younger age groups is met, programs and providers should offer
vaccination to people over the age of 65.
The CDC also stresses that people over the age of
65 receive the seasonal vaccine as soon as it is available.
Even if novel H1N1 vaccine is initially only
available in limited quantities, supply and availability will continue,
so the committee stressed that programs and providers continue to
vaccinate unimmunized patients and not keep vaccine in reserve for later
administration of the second dose.
The novel H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace
the seasonal flu vaccine. It is intended to be used alongside seasonal
flu vaccine to protect people.
Seasonal flu and novel H1N1 vaccines may be
administered on the same day.
Currently, the potential availability of H1N1
vaccine for seniors is looking positive.
Last week the Food and Drug Administration
announced that it has approved four vaccines against the 2009 H1N1
influenza virus. The vaccines will be distributed nationally after the
initial lots become available, which is expected within the next three
weeks.
This vaccine will help protect individuals from
serious illness and death from influenza, said FDA Commissioner
Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.
The vaccines are made by CSL Limited, MedImmune
LLC, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited, and sanofi pasteur Inc.
All four firms manufacture the H1N1 vaccines using the same processes,
which have a long record of producing safe seasonal influenza vaccines.
The H1N1 vaccines approved today undergo the same
rigorous FDA manufacturing oversight, product quality testing and lot
release procedures that apply to seasonal influenza vaccines, said
Jesse Goodman, M.D., FDA acting chief scientist.
Based on preliminary data from adults participating
in multiple clinical studies, the 2009 H1N1 vaccines induce a robust
immune response in most healthy adults eight to 10 days after a single
dose, as occurs with the seasonal influenza vaccine.
This was good news one shot since earlier
speculation was that it would require two shots to stop the H1N1 virus.
As with the seasonal influenza vaccines, the 2009
H1N1 vaccines are being produced in formulations that contain thimerosal,
a mercury-containing preservative, and in formulations that do not
contain thimerosal.
People with severe or life-threatening allergies to
chicken eggs, or to any other substance in the vaccine, should not be
vaccinated.
In the ongoing clinical studies, the vaccines have
been well tolerated, the FDA reported. Potential side effects of the
H1N1 vaccines are expected to be similar to those of seasonal flu
vaccines.
For the injected vaccine, the most common side
effect is soreness at the injection site. Other side effects may include
mild fever, body aches, and fatigue for a few days after the
inoculation.
For the nasal spray vaccine, the most common side
effects include runny nose or nasal congestion for all ages, sore
throats in adults, and -- in children 2 to 6 years old -- fever.
As with any medical product, unexpected or rare
serious adverse events may occur. The FDA is working closely with
governmental and nongovernmental organizations to enhance the capacity
for adverse event monitoring, information sharing and analysis during
and after the 2009 H1N1 vaccination program. In the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, these agencies include the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
Below are the
Specific CDC Recommendations for Vaccine Against H1N1
The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) made these
recommendations for use of vaccine against novel influenza A (H1N1).
The committee met in July to develop
recommendations on who should receive vaccine against novel influenza A
(H1N1) when it becomes available, and to determine which groups of the
population should be prioritized if the vaccine is initially available
in extremely limited quantities.
The committee recommended the vaccination efforts
focus on five key populations. Vaccination efforts are designed to help
reduce the impact and spread of novel H1N1. The key populations include
those who are at higher risk of disease or complications, those who are
likely to come in contact with novel H1N1, and those who could infect
young infants. When vaccine is first available, the committee
recommended that programs and providers try to vaccinate:
● pregnant women,
● people who live with or care for children
younger than 6 months of age,
● health care and emergency medical services
personnel,
● persons between the ages of 6 months through
24 years of age, and
● people from ages 25 through 64 years who are
at higher risk for novel H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or
compromised immune systems.
The groups listed above total approximately 159
million people in the United States.
The committee does not expect that there will be a
shortage of novel H1N1 vaccine, but availability and demand can be
unpredictable. There is some possibility that initially the vaccine will
be available in limited quantities. In this setting, the committee
recommended that the following groups receive the vaccine before others:
● pregnant women,
● people who live with or care for children
younger than 6 months of age,
● health care and emergency medical services
personnel with direct patient contact,
● children 6 months through 4 years of age, and
● children 5 through 18 years of age who have
chronic medical conditions.
The committee recognized the need to assess supply
and demand issues at the local level. The committee further recommended
that once the demand for vaccine for these prioritized groups has been
met at the local level, programs and providers should begin vaccinating
everyone from ages 25 through 64 years.
The CDC also stresses that people over the age of
65 should receive the seasonal vaccine as soon as the it is made
available to them.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
Sept.
21, 2009 The government agencies involved in protecting U.S. citizens
from the flu this season regular seasonal flu and H1N1 are pouring
out information to help citizens better understand the threat and
prevention, but there is still much confusion among senior citizens, who
are surprised to find themselves at the end of the line for H1N1
vaccinations.
