Seasonal & H1N1 Vaccines: Who needs and Why? Published Nov. 2, 2009 By Nancy Driscoll 452 AMW Public Health MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. -- This year it's very important to get vaccinated against circulating flu viruses ... and yes - there is more than ONE. In fact there are several. The seasonal flu vaccine is a trivalent vaccine with three different strains of viruses which circulate each year causing flu illness in humans. This year there is also the novel (new) A-H1N1 virus not previously seen in humans which is causing significant influenza illness. The seasonal flu vaccine will not protect you against the novel A-H1N1 virus and the novel A-H1N1 vaccine will not protect you against the "seasonal" flu viruses. The symptoms of seasonal and novel flu are essentially the same, but the age groups being affected are different. That difference is critical to controlling the spread, mitigating the severity of illness and deaths, and minimizing the societal impacts on our families, workforce, economy and respective operational and support missions. Priority Age Groups: 1) Children 6 months - 18 years; 2) adults 50 years and older; 3) children & adults with chronic health problems affecting the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, blood disorders; 4) immune-suppression; and 5) women who are or may become pregnant during the flu season; and 6) healthcare workers, caregivers for children under 5 years old and/or people with medical problems. Why? The seasonal flu viruses cause severe illness and death disproportionally to those 18 years old and younger and 50 years and older groups; and it causes less illness and fewer deaths in the 19 to 49 year old group. Each year over 200,000 people are hospitalized and between 36 and 40,000 deaths occur in the U.S. from the Seasonal Flu alone. The two largest contributing factors are that over 40% of the U.S. population does not get flu shots despite the availability of flu vaccines and a lack of non-pharmaceutical interventions. For instance, not staying home when sick; not covering coughs/ sneezes; lack of regular/frequent hand washing; and not keeping hands/fingers away from the face, eyes, nose and mouth. Novel A-H1N1 Flu Vaccine -Note the different ages affected Priority Age Groups: 1) Pregnant women of any age; 2) caregivers of infants less than 6 months old; 3) health care and emergency medical personnel; 4) anyone 6 months to 24 years; 5) anyone 25 to 64 years with chronic health conditions (same as for seasonal flu); 6) all healthy 25 to 64 years old; and 7) healthy 65 years and older. Why? The novel H1N1 virus is affecting healthy infants through young adults 24 years of age, pregnant women and 25 to 64 years old with chronic health conditions. The 65 and older group, to date, are not becoming seriously ill and dying from the novel H1N1 flu. Serious illness and deaths are occurring in significantly higher numbers in pregnant women, young children and young adults, 18 to 25 years of age. Historical data shows these populations usually do not receive annual/seasonal flu shots. They are also the same age groups which rarely use non-pharmaceutical interventions. Getting both your flu shots this year has never been more important!! Both seasonal and A-H1N1 are being offered for FREE in many communities or for a minimal 'service fee' or donation. All H1N1 vaccine and administration supplies were bought by the Federal Government and must be given at no charge to everyone seeking the H1N1 flu vaccine. Only a small service fee can be charged, and even that is discouraged and the dollar amount limited by federal law. You can get both the seasonal and H1N1 Flu shots (inactivated) at the same time. You can get one flu shot and one intra-nasal live attenuated vaccine at the same time. You cannot get both the seasonal and H1N1 intra-nasal live attenuated vaccines at the same time. They should be separated by at least 28 days. Children 6 months to 9 years old will get two 2 H1N1 flu shots (inactivated) separated by 21-28 days. Children 2 years to 9 years old can also receive the intra-nasal (live attenuated) vaccine of two doses separated by at least 21-28 days. They cannot receive both the live attenuated H1N1 and seasonal intra-nasal vaccines at the same time. Get your Flu Shots!!