Are you eligible for the H1N1 vaccine?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends conditions be placed on those who can be vaccinated first against H1N1 flu.
Bellin Health is now vaccinating those patients who are the most vulnerable to the H1N1 virus, including:

  • Pregnant women
  • Persons who live with or provide care for infants age 6 months or younger (examples: parents, siblings, daycare providers)
  • Health care and emergency medical services personnel who have direct contact with patients or infectious material
  • Children aged 6 months-4 years
  • Children and adolescents aged 5-18 years who have chronic medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications

Please call (920) 445-7313 or call your regular Bellin Health Family Medical Center to schedule an appointment. Vaccine supplies are limited and will be dispensed by appointment only and on a first-come, first-served basis.

28
Oct
2009
Prioritization of H1N1 Vaccine Urged
H1N1
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 02:58 PM

The State Department of Health Services wants local health departments and health professionals to reserve use of current supplies of H1N1 flu vaccine for individuals who are most vulnerable to the virus.

In a recent status update, the Department of Health Services said the measure is being strongly encouraged as H1N1 vaccine supplies nationwide continue to fluctuate. As of Monday, Oct. 27, Wisconsin had been allocated 407,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine.

“As we have seen in every state in the nation, the supply of H1N1 vaccine is unpredictable,” said Secretary of Department of Health Services Karen Timberlake. “Therefore, the safest course of action is to target the vaccine we do have for those who are most at risk of becoming seriously ill from this virus.” The measure is not intended to be a long-term fix, she added.

The department recommends that the public health and health care community focus vaccination efforts on:
· Pregnant women
· People who reside with or provide care for infants age 6 months or younger
· Health care and emergency medical services personnel who have direct contact with patients or infectious material
· Children age 6 months-4 years old
· Children and adolescents age 5-18 years old who have chronic medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications

The recommendations are consistent with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices guidelines when vaccine supply is limited. The committee advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The CDC had to choose between waiting to distribute vaccine until it had large quantities ready to be shipped or distributing limited quantities of the vaccine sooner,” Timberlake said. “The CDC chose the latter, knowing it would create some challenges and frustrations for health care providers and the public, but also realizing it would allow us to start protecting people against this virus as soon as possible.”

The CDC projects as many as 40 percent of Americans will be affected by H1N1, while the World Health Organization expects about 2 billion cases worldwide.
 

 

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