The Wait is Over

As of Monday, December 14, the Whitman County Health Department now has enough H1N1 vaccine to lift any restrictions on who may receive it. Most other health departments in our area have also lifted restrictions now that vaccine supplies are adequate.

In Whitman County, we will be distributing vaccine to physician offices and pharmacies that are interested in giving the vaccine. Special clinics will be conducted at the offices of the Health Department, and, for WSU faculty and staff, immunization clinics will be held at the WSU Health and Wellness Service clinic on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 1-5 pm.

H1N1 vaccine is now available to anyone over the age of 6 months. Vaccination is especially encouraged for anyone with a chronic medical condition, pregnant women, children 6 months to 2 years of age, everyone 65 years of age or older, and parents/care givers of children under 6 months of age.

H1N1 vaccine is available in several formulations. Preservative free injectable vaccine is reserved for young children and pregnant women. The nasal spray formulation is for healthy people age 2 to 49. Injectable vaccine with preservative is best for anyone with chronic health problems and folks age 50 and up.

The safety of the H1N1 vaccine has been excellent, with a rate of reactions/complications less than what we typically see with seasonal influenza vaccine. The most common reaction is soreness at the injection site.

If you are interested in getting the vaccine, this would be a good time to receive it. It takes about 10 days after immunization for immunity to build up. People who are traveling over the holidays should get the vaccine now to ensure protection.

Although it appears we are well past the peak of the H1N1 influenza epidemic around the country, there is a possibility of a resurgence or 'third wave' later in the winter. It is impossible to predict. Get the vaccine now and you won't need to worry about it.

Stay tuned for a more complete review of the H1N1 outbreak in a coming blog post.

Call the Whitman County Health Department (Colfax 509-397-6280, Pullman 509-332-6752, or the Flu Line 877-783-0039) or visit our website (www.WhitmanCounty.org/PublicHealth) for more information.