| Mills Family Pharmacy |
|
|
Posted: Monday, May 18, 2009 9:45 am
|
 Email  Print
|
Chad & Rebecca Mills
|
|
|
Q Who should get a seasonal flu shot?
In general, anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting the flu can get vaccinated. However, certain people should get vaccinated, including:
1. Children aged 6 months up to their 19th birthday
2. Pregnant women in the second and third trimester
3. People 50 years of age and older
4. People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
5. People who live in nursing homes & other long-term care facilities
6. People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from
flu, including: • Health care workers • Household contacts of persons at
high risk for complications from the flu • Household contacts and out of
home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children
are too young to be vaccinated)
Q Do I need to get the seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 shot?
The CDC is recommending getting vaccinated against seasonal influenza as soon as vaccines become available, which is now! The seasonal flu vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against 2009 H1N1 influenza. However a 2009 H1N1 vaccine is currently in production & may be ready for the public as early as the end of September, early October. The 2009 H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine - it is intended to be used along-side seasonal flu vaccine. Mills Family Pharmacy is working to be able to provide the H1N1 when available. No appointments are necessary for the seasonal flu vaccine. Call with any questions!
Q Is the Flu mist® as effective as the flu shot against preventing the flu?
There are two types of vaccines: 1) The "flu shot" - an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use in people over 6 months, including healthy people & people with chronic medical conditions. 2) The nasal-spray flu vaccine - a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu (Flu Mist®). It is approved for use in healthy* people 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant.
The ability of flu vaccine to protect a person depends on the age & health status of the person getting the vaccine & the similarity between the virus strains in the vaccine & those in circulation. Testing has shown that both the flu shot & the nasal-spray vaccine are effective at preventing the flu. We offer the flu shot & Flu mist® here at Mills Family Pharmacy. For more information, go to www.cdc.gov.
|
|
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Google
Yahoo!