Dr Steve
10-06-2009, 12:50 PM
My kids have been offered the H1N1 vaccine (we take the seasonal flu shot every year). What do you think about this?
The best I can do, really, is quote from the CDC website. This quote bothers me the most:
The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) based on the 122 Cities Report was low and within the bounds of what is expected at this time of year. However, 60 pediatric deaths related to 2009 H1N1 flu have been reported to CDC since April 2009, including 11 deaths reported this week.
This is 11 deaths out of THOUSANDS of patients, but it still skeeves me enough (i have little kids, too, and I can't even imagine what those families are going through) to get my kids vaccinated for H1N1. I am absolutely biased by the fact that my kids are 6 and 4, I don't deny it. So take my bias into account when you decide whether to vaccinate your kids. Here's what the CDC has to say about vaccination itself:
CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel made up of medical and public health experts, met July 29, 2009, to make recommendations on who should receive the new H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. While some issues are still unknown, such as how severe the flu season, the ACIP considered several factors, including current disease patterns, populations most at-risk for severe illness based on current trends in illness, hospitalizations and deaths, how much vaccine is expected to be available, and the timing of vaccine availability.
The groups recommended to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine include:
Pregnant women
because they are at higher risk of complications and can potentially provide protection to infants who cannot be vaccinated;
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 younger 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 in this population 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 cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in children who are in close contact with each other in school and day care settings, which increases the likelihood of disease spread, and
Young adults 19 through 24 years of age
because many cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in these healthy young adults and they often live, work, and study in close proximity, and they are a frequently mobile population; and,
Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.
let me know what you decide to do. The FLUMIST is actually supposed to give better immunity because it is a live virus. It's got an extra gene or two that makes it produce a much weaker influenza syndrome (if any at all). The kids do shed the virus and can spread it to other people. The flu "shot" is a dead protein that cannot cause infectious illness, but doesn't convey as strong an immunity against influenza, in general. But it's been "good enough" for many years. There's no perfect vaccine in this world...each one has its pros and cons. I let my kids do the flumist this year because 1) they wanted to avoid the needle stick and 2) since it's supposed to convey better immunity I thought it would be smart this year. They seemed to do fine with it. We'll see.
good luck,
your pal,
Steve
The best I can do, really, is quote from the CDC website. This quote bothers me the most:
The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) based on the 122 Cities Report was low and within the bounds of what is expected at this time of year. However, 60 pediatric deaths related to 2009 H1N1 flu have been reported to CDC since April 2009, including 11 deaths reported this week.
This is 11 deaths out of THOUSANDS of patients, but it still skeeves me enough (i have little kids, too, and I can't even imagine what those families are going through) to get my kids vaccinated for H1N1. I am absolutely biased by the fact that my kids are 6 and 4, I don't deny it. So take my bias into account when you decide whether to vaccinate your kids. Here's what the CDC has to say about vaccination itself:
CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel made up of medical and public health experts, met July 29, 2009, to make recommendations on who should receive the new H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. While some issues are still unknown, such as how severe the flu season, the ACIP considered several factors, including current disease patterns, populations most at-risk for severe illness based on current trends in illness, hospitalizations and deaths, how much vaccine is expected to be available, and the timing of vaccine availability.
The groups recommended to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine include:
Pregnant women
because they are at higher risk of complications and can potentially provide protection to infants who cannot be vaccinated;
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 younger 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 in this population 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 cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in children who are in close contact with each other in school and day care settings, which increases the likelihood of disease spread, and
Young adults 19 through 24 years of age
because many cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza have been seen in these healthy young adults and they often live, work, and study in close proximity, and they are a frequently mobile population; and,
Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.
let me know what you decide to do. The FLUMIST is actually supposed to give better immunity because it is a live virus. It's got an extra gene or two that makes it produce a much weaker influenza syndrome (if any at all). The kids do shed the virus and can spread it to other people. The flu "shot" is a dead protein that cannot cause infectious illness, but doesn't convey as strong an immunity against influenza, in general. But it's been "good enough" for many years. There's no perfect vaccine in this world...each one has its pros and cons. I let my kids do the flumist this year because 1) they wanted to avoid the needle stick and 2) since it's supposed to convey better immunity I thought it would be smart this year. They seemed to do fine with it. We'll see.
good luck,
your pal,
Steve