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Swine flu vaccine available in some schools, doctors' offices next week
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Vaccines for the H1N1 influenza virus will be available at some schools and obstetrician offices in New Jersey when the vaccine becomes available next week.
The first doses of the vaccine for swine flu will be available as a nasal spray intended to cover a large portion of people at risk to be sickened by the virus.
The announcements were made at the final statewide H1N1 pandemic planning summit, held in New Brunswick on Tuesday.
The nasal spray, known as flu mist, is not for all patients. It is only recommended for healthy people between the ages of 2 and 49. Pregnant women are not allowed to take the flu mist.
A vaccine that can be injected will make its way to sites across the state in multiple shipments staggered over the next few weeks. Vaccine manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur reported that the first shipments were made Tuesday. More than 2,300 sites across New Jersey have placed orders for the vaccine.
New Jersey has also received $40 million in funding from the federal government help local and community health departments purchase vaccines and schedule clinics.
At the conference, state health officials said that most health insurers had reached agreements to cover the vaccine. Gov. Jon S. Corzine previously announced that New Jersey's 1.3 million uninsured residents would be guaranteed to receive the H1N1 vaccine.
"The underlying issue is that we need to make sure that the people who need a vaccine find a place to get it," said Heather Howard, commissioner of the state's Department of Health and Senior Services.
One of those priority groups is students.
The concern for school districts is that a disproportionate number of children are getting sick from the H1N1 virus, far more than with a typical seasonal flu. With students in close contact with one another, children can spread the virus very quickly.
"Whether you get seasonal or H1N1 (influenza), you are going to get sick," said Dr. Susan Walsh, deputy commissioner of public health services for the state DHSS.
So far, 83 percent of people who have died from the H1N1 virus are between the ages of 5 and 64. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than one in four confirmed or probable cases of swine flu are reported in people between 5 and 24 years old.
Schools in New Jersey will follow one of three procedures when it comes to giving vaccines to students.
n Some schools have registered their school nurses to give out the H1N1 flu vaccine in clinics held during schools.
n At schools where nurses are not the ones giving the vaccinations, local health departments vaccinate students at the school.
n If schools are not hosting any kind of vaccinations for H1N1, the school nurses will have information for students and their parents about where they can get the H1N1 vaccine locally.
Pregnant women are another vaccination priority group. They are more at risk for complications related to the H1N1 flu than the rest of the population.
Government researchers said pregnant women could account for 13 percent of deaths related to swine flu, even though they only make up about 1 percent of the U.S. population.
OB/GYN doctors in the state will be allowed to give the vaccine to pregnant women without having to refer them to their primary doctor's office.
Pregnant women do not need to go to OB/GYN physicians to get their flu vaccines. They also do not need notes from their OB/GYN to get the vaccine at another location.
To get the word out about the H1N1 vaccines and how to control the spread of the virus, the DHSS launched a series of public service announcements running on television and the radio in English and Spanish.
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Most at risk:
These are the groups of people that the state considers the most at-risk for complications:
* Pregnant women.
* People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age.
* Health-care and emergency medical services personnel with direct patient contact.
* Anyone between six months and 24 years old
* People 25 through 64 years of age who have chronic medical conditions.
Swine flu
The novel H1N1 flu strain was first detected in the U.S. in April.
Symptoms are similar to the seasonal flu: fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches and chills.
H1N1 is spread as infected people cough or sneeze.
Touching surfaces with the virus and then touching your nose or mouth can also lead to infection.
To avoid spreading the infection, cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Wash hands frequently. To avoid contracting the virus, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
To learn more
For more information on how New Jersey is preparing for swine flu, visit the Department of Health and Senior Services Web site at:
www.state.nj.us/health/er/h1n1/
For more information about what your county health department is doing to prepare for more cases of swine flu, visit their Web sites:
Atlantic County
Cape May County
Cumberland County
www.co.cumberland.nj.us/content/173/2090/934.aspx
Cumberland County (Vineland)
Ocean County
Posted in NEW JERSEY | BREAKING on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 5:25 pm
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