It’s challenging to navigate through all the information
out there to get to the facts. Dr.
Richard Besser who was acting head of the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) when the flu first broke out earlier this
year took time out to speak to ModernMom to answer some
pertinent questions.
Should we give our kids the H1N1 flu
vaccine?
The H1N1 flu is arriving in our communities. Most people feel lousy for 3 days to a week, but for others, it is a severe illness. To prevent the latter, get the vaccine.
Mist vs. vaccine.
The mist is a live virus – you must be ages 2 – 49 and in good health. The shot is for ages 6 months and over.
Swine flu is here, vaccines are not – will it be too late?
I would recommend getting it – we’re in the midst of the
second wave of the flu and honestly we don’t know if there are
going to be more waves. With a pandemic like this, strains
circulate until enough people get the shot to prevent further
spread. Getting the shot will prevent you from contracting the
illness if the flu comes back around. With this flu, just when we
think we have it figured out it does something different.
I wouldn’t feel comfortable saying that you’ve
seen the last of it.
When will the vaccines be here?
I wish the vaccine was everywhere sooner. Currently 10 million doses are around the country and every week there are more.
If you get the seasonal flu shot, can you get the
swine flu shot or mist at the same time?
You cannot get two mists at same time because the vaccines attach inside your nose and compete for the same spot rendering them less effective. You can get two shots or a shot and a mist at the same time with no problems.
Is it really safe for pregnant women?
It’s highly recommended. The seasonal flu has been tested for decades on pregnant women and has extremely good safety records. The vaccine is exactly the same as seasonal flu, just with a different strain of the flu. If you are a pregnant woman who gets the flu shot, you should not even think twice about getting the H1N1 shot. If you are someone who doesn’t feel comfortable getting the flu shot at all when pregnant, you should still get the H1N1 vaccine as the risk from this flu greatly exceeds and risks associated with the vaccine. Pregnant women are getting “hit hard.”
How can we protect babies?
For babies under 6 months, the best approach to protecting them is
to have caregivers and siblings vaccinated.
How can you tell what flu you have?
The quick tests done in doctors’ offices are “not good” – don’t count on them.
In the summer it was easy to tell, if they had the flu it was swine flu. This time of year, with so many viruses, you can’t be as certain. If you are otherwise healthy, manage your symptoms at home but if you see any danger signs or you are in a higher risk group, seek medical attention and as a precaution they will treat it as the swine flu.
What symptoms should definitely make you go see a doctor?
For young children – look for respiratory issues – blueness or grayness around the lips, 'inpulling' of their chest, dehydration (look for wet diapers) and trouble breathing.
Older children mainly look for difficulty breathing.
Important! If you or your child is getting better then takes a turn for the worse, see your doctor. If the fever goes away, then comes back, you may have a bacterial infection on top of the virus. (Think pneumonia).
Can you get it again?
If you truly had H1N1 you should be protected. Unless the strain mutates again, you should not get it again and do not need to be vaccinated, there is only one strain. If you aren’t sure if you had it, then get the vaccine - it will not hurt you if you get the vaccine and had H1N1.
To sum things up, Dr. Besser obviously highly recommends
the vaccine.
H1N1: Your Questions Finally Answered originally published on
Modernmom.com
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