H1N1 INFLUENZA AND SDS

According to the CDC, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions should get the flu/swine flu vaccine but this is certainly a decision that you are your doctor can make together. There are some people who should not get a flu/swine flu vaccine without first consulting a physician. These include:

• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
• People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination.
• People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine.
• Children less than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group), and
• People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated.)
• SDS Patients whose blood counts are very abnormal compared to their usual counts
• SDS patients who are taking steroids

If you decide that getting the flu/swine flu vaccine is the right option for you and your family, here is some information that you need to know about the differences between the vaccines delivered by shot and by nasal spray.

It has been advised to our SDS community to get shots only. The nasal spray is a live, attenuated virus and should only be given to healthy people between the ages of 2-49 years of age. One of our Medical Advisory Board members has recommended that no one in the household should get the live attenuated virus if someone who also resides in the household may immunosuppressed.

According to the CDC, “Simultaneous administration of inactivated vaccines against seasonal and novel influenza A (H1N1) viruses is permissible if different anatomic sites are used. However, simultaneous administration of live, attenuated vaccines against seasonal and novel influenza A (H1N1) virus is not recommended.”

If you have more specific questions about the flu vaccine and what is right for you, please call your doctor and please refer to the CDC web site http://www.cdc.gov/FLU/protect/keyfacts.htm for the regular flu vaccine info and http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm for the Swine flu vaccine info and make sure to check back to these sites for up to date information.