Public H1N1 Flu Vaccine Clinic
- Registration Form - Please fill in form before your appointment
- PA Department of Health H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Record - Please fill in form before your appointment
- Injectable H1N1 Vaccine Information Statement
- Nasal H1N1 Vaccine Information Statement
Voluntary H1N1 Flu Vaccine Recall
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent out a voluntary recall for a few lots of pediatric 0.25 pre-filled syringes of H1N1 vaccine. Hamot did not receive any of the lot numbers mentioned in the recall.
The recall has nothing to do with the quality of the vaccine. Instead, the lots tested showed a small decrease in the specified antigen content (not thought to be clinically significant). The question was whether children who received this vaccine would still be protected from the H1N1 virus. According to the CDC and FDA, children who may have received vaccines from these lots will still be protected. Therefore, there is no recommended need to revaccinate.
For more information on the voluntary recall, log onto the CDC website.
H1N1 Flu Vaccine: Dispelling the Myths
Hamot Medical Center is very fortunate to have received enough H1N1 flu vaccine to offer it to the general public through our clinic and in our physician offices. Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths floating around about the vaccine that have people on the fence about whether to get vaccinated. Below are some of the myths with responses from Hamot Infection Control, Emergency Preparedness and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Myth 1: This new vaccine is not safe and is untested.
Clinical trials conducted by the National Institutes of Health and the vaccine manufacturers have shown that the new H1N1 vaccine is both safe and effective. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has licensed it. There have been no safety shortcuts, and no adjutants have been used to boost the immune response as have been allowed in other countries.
It is produced exactly the same way the seasonal flu vaccine is produced every year, using the same factories and equipment. It is simply a new virus strain. In fact, had H1N1 struck this country earlier than this spring, this H1N1 strain would have been included as part of this year’s seasonal flu shot.
Millions of Americans get the seasonal flu vaccine each year without any problems. Still, understanding that some Americans have concerns about “new” vaccines, the National Institutes of Health and the vaccine manufacturers have conducted more rigorous tests on the H1N1 vaccine than they do on other flu vaccines. There have been no red flags from these clinical trials or the millions of doses given thus far. -
Myth 2: I think I had the flu so I don’t need to get the vaccine.
Most people with flu-like illness since spring 2009 don't know whether they were infected with 2009 H1N1 or another virus strain. In fact, in a study done in Philadelphia, many patients who were thought to have H1N1 flu actually tested positive for a cold virus, not the flu virus. All persons who had a flu-like illness that was not confirmed as 2009 H1N1 virus infection by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test should get the 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine. -
Myth 3: I think I’ve been exposed to H1N1, so I don’t need to get vaccinated.
You most definitely should still get the vaccine. Just because you are exposed to it does not mean you are going to get it. It’s better to get the vaccine and try to start building an immune response. -
Myth 4: If I have already had the seasonal flu my body is immune to H1N1 flu.
The 2009 H1N1 flu is a new flu virus. It is very different from seasonal flu viruses. Most people have little or no immunity to 2009 H1N1 flu. Their bodies are not prepared to fight off the virus. You need the H1N1 flu vaccine in addition to the seasonal flu vaccine. -
Myth 5: It is just a mild flu so I am not worried.
The majority of people who get this flu have relatively mild symptoms, but when it hits certain people, it hits them hard.
We have not yet seen the peak of H1N1 flu or even started the normal flu season and yet here at Hamot we’ve had our highest number of hospitalized patients from influenza within the past five years or more. Between 85% to 90% of those hospitalized have been under the age of 25. This is by far the highest number of severe flu related cases we’ve had in the hospital.
Approximately a dozen people were in precautions for influenza, with almost half being in intensive care. Almost all of them had a secondary bacterial pneumonia infection. At one point, we had at least five or six patients on ventilators. In the average flu season, we have one or two people on a vent from influenza per year.
In addition, we have already reported more than 50 patients hospitalized with influenza-like symptoms to the Department of Health. Many of these 50 people had no other health issues. They were otherwise “healthy” individuals. Last year we have only 6 patients hospitalized with flu-like symptoms.
The link between H1N1 and pregnant women is extremely concerning. All pregnant women should be vaccinated in the first high-priority group. -
Myth 6: It is too late to get the vaccine now.
The virus has not gone away. It’s been in the U.S. since May of this year.
The severity of the second wave of the flu shows us that this has a lasting potential. Because it started in the spring and lasted through the summer, we highly suspect that we will have a third wave. Anyone who has not been protected, either from prior illness or vaccine, will have a greater risk of getting the flu or spreading it to others.
We are also concerned that the H1N1 virus will mutate. In some areas, it has already become drug resistant. It will be harder to treat, and potentially more severe. Getting vaccinated now would help you to be protected. -
Myth 7 : The vaccine has caused Guillain Barré syndrome (a severe paralytic illness also called GBS).
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare disorder in which a person's own immune system damages the nerves, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. GBS can cause symptoms that last for as little as a few weeks, or go on for several months. Most people recover fully from GBS, but some people have nerve damage that does not go away. It is not fully understood why some people develop GBS, but it is believed that stimulation of the body’s immune system may play a role in its development.
It is known that about two-thirds of people who get GBS do so several days or weeks after they have been sick with diarrhea or a lung or sinus illness. An infection with the bacteria Campylobacterjejuni , which can cause diarrhea, is one of the most common illnesses linked to GBS. Although rare, people can also get GBS after having the flu or other infections such as Epstein Barr virus.
Vaccines have not been found to cause GBS. In fact, studies have shown that the rate of GBS is less in communities where vaccination has occurred, as there are fewer cases of the flu.
To learn more you can listen to an interview with Richard AC Hughes, MD, FRCP, as he talks about the risk of GBS following influenza vaccines or other vaccines: Listen to Interview -
Myth 8: If I get the nose spray flu vaccination with the live virus, I will be able to pass on the flu to others.
In clinical studies, live vaccine viruses were rarely passed to close contacts.
The current estimated risk of getting infected with a flu virus after close contact with a person vaccinated with the nasal-spray flu vaccine is low (0.6% to 2.4%). Because the viruses are weakened, infection does not result in flu illness symptoms. These weakened vaccine viruses have not been shown to change into typical or naturally occurring influenza viruses. -
Myth 9: The vaccine will make me sick.
You will not get sick from the inactivated (shot) or live attenuated (nasal) vaccine. Because they contain just pieces of the virus or the viruses are weakened, vaccination does not cause the flu or result in flu illness symptoms. It's important to remember that we are still in flu and allergy season, and it's not uncommon to have cold or flu-like symptoms from an illness you happen to contract at the same time.
Keep in mind that it takes approximately 2 weeks for the vaccine to become effective, and if you had already been exposed to the virus, you may come down with symptoms, but they are not from the vaccine.
Protecting the health of our community is vital.
Good health is something no one can’t afford to sacrifice. That is why we are committed to helping you make and informed decision about your health- and the health of your loved ones. To learn even more about the H1N1 flu vaccine, please do not hesitate to talk to your healthcare provider or visit www.hamot.org today.
For official information regarding the 2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu),
please visit the CDC and Erie County Health Department websites by clicking their logos below:
