Although much is being written about the global concern for the current Novel Influenza A (H1N1), or “swine flu”, pandemic, health officials are cautioning the public not to forget about seasonal influenza or to take it for granted. Each year approximately 36,000 deaths in the United States are attributed to our “usual” seasonal flu.
Health departments and other health care providers do not typically offer the seasonal influenza vaccine until later in the fall each year. However, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that health care providers begin administering seasonal influenza vaccinations earlier this year.
Therefore, seasonal influenza vaccine will be available through all county health departments within the 10 county South Central Health District beginning Tuesday, August 25, 2009. This vaccine is traditional vaccine for “seasonal influenza” and should not be confused with vaccine for swine flu. Though a vaccine for the Novel H1N1 virus is being developed and tested, it is not expected to be available for release to the public until mid October.
This change in timing is due mostly to concerns related to the Novel H1N1 (swine flu) virus which is circulating throughout the world. While most cases of Novel H1N1 Influenza have resulted in mild to moderate illnesses, there is a concern that the virus could mutate into a more severe strain.
One way this could happen would be for a person to become infected with both the Novel H1N1 virus and a strain of seasonal flu at the same time. If this occurred, it might be possible for the genetic material of the different strains to combine or mutate into a more severe form.
Since health officials know that Novel H1N1 will be circulating within the population at the same time as seasonal influenza, they are encouraging high risk individuals to be vaccinated with the currently available seasonal influenza vaccine to produce the highest level of immunity possible within the public. Hopefully this will lower the likelihood of individuals becoming infected with more than one strain of the virus.
A second reason to take the seasonal flu vaccine early is so that individuals will be able to take the Novel H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. Persons taking the seasonal flu vaccine will have to wait 28 days before taking the Novel H1N1 vaccine. Therefore, it is important for the public to take the seasonal flu vaccine as soon as possible so that they can take the Novel H1N1 vaccine when it is released.
In addition, though clinical trials evaluating the new vaccine are not complete, it is likely that the upcoming Novel H1N1 vaccine will consist of a two shot series that may have to be taken 28 days apart. This heightens the need to take the seasonal vaccine as soon as available so that the H1N1 vaccine could also be taken in as timely a manner as possible once available.
For these reasons, it is recommended that those who plan to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine do so as soon as it is available. As noted, the vaccine will be available at all county health departments beginning August 25, 2009. The cost of the vaccine through local health departments will be $25.00.
For more information about seasonal influenza vaccine or Novel H1N1 (swine flu), contact your local county health department or go online to www.health.state.ga.us/h1n1flu , www.cdc.gov or www.flu.gov. You may also contact the South Central Health District office at 478-275-6545.
