H1N1 and Vaccine Essentials

Seasonal flu

State agencies and many local units of government have been offering seasonal flu vaccines since late September. People who should get a seasonal flu vaccination each year include:

• Children age 6 months to 19 years
• Pregnant women
• Adults age 50 or older
• Individuals with chronic medical conditions
• Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
• People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu 

H1N1 influenza

Vaccines against the H1N1 flu strain are expected to be available beginning in mid-October. Initially, these will be made available on a priority basis. High-risk populations and work groups – such as public safety, corrections and front-line health-care workers – will be first in line, said Dana Andrews, of Local 66, who is a pubic health nurse in St. Louis County.

Because H1N1 seems to affect younger people more quickly than it affects senior citizens, the vaccine recommendations are different from what is advised for seasonal flu. The priority groups for H1N1 vaccines:

• Pregnant women
• Caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age
• Health-care and emergency medical services personnel
• All people ages 6 months through 24 years
• Those between ages 25 and 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza

High risk for H1N1

So far in the United States, the H1N1 virus has been relatively mild for most people. However, it can cause fatal complications for people with additional medical conditions, including:

• Pregnancy
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Compromised immune systems
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Neurocognitive and neuromuscular disorders

H1N1 flu symptoms

• Fever of 100 or higher
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Body aches
• Headaches
• Chills
• Fatigue