Swine flu shots start in October for high-risk patients
Vaccinations for the H1N1 flu virus will be available nationwide in mid-October, officials announced Thursday, but only for those considered at highest risk of serious illness.
The first shots will be given only to pregnant women, caregivers for infants, health care workers with direct patient contact, anyone age six months to 24 years, and those age 25 to 64 with high-risk illnesses such as heart and respiratory diseases or possibly diabetes.
Those over 64 may have some natural immunity, and have not shown an increased susceptibility to complications.
Those who do not fit in the target population will not be allowed to get the preventive shots until health officials decide the high-priority population has been served.
In the meantime, officials urged the general public to get seasonal flu vaccines while awaiting the H1N1 vaccine. H1N1 has been circulating at low levels all summer, and is spread across more than half the state, so the flu season is already under way, Dr. Craig Conover, Illinois Department of Public Health health protection medical director said.
The severity of H1N1, or swine flu, appears to be similar to that of regular seasonal flu. The death rate is about the same, and the symptoms are almost indistinguishable: fever of more than 100 degrees, cough, sore throat, head and body aches, and in some cases, perhaps more often with H1N1, nausea and vomiting.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has contracted with four companies to produce 45 million vaccines by mid-October, and 20 million additional doses each week following for as long as necessary.
Illinois will get 4.3 percent of the initial allotment, and the shots will be distributed at about 3,800 sites, including local health departments, clinics, doctors' offices, pharmacies, and some schools - but not typically at workplaces.
The shots will be free at health departments and some health care providers, but there will likely be an administrative fee at commercial sites like pharmacies.
At all times, the public should practice the three C's of prevention: cover your cough; clean your hands with soap and water or wipes and jells; and contain the disease by staying home if you are sick, health officials said.
Initial indications are that one shot of the H1N! vaccine will be sufficient.
Dr. Damon Arnold, director of the state Department of Health, said a lot of misinformation is circulating about the H1N1 virus.
"There's no way for you to develop the illness from the vaccine," he emphasized. "What you can do is develop some of the symptoms."
For updates on the number of cases and fatalities by county and age, and advice for staying healthy, check the state's new Web site, ready.illinois.gov. In the future, the Web site may list locations where the public can get shots. Otherwise, contact your county health department for information about where to get the vaccine. The state also offers two hotlines for information about the flu. Dial (866) 848-2094 for English, and (866) 241-2138 for Spanish.