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Sept 6th.  Have a safe holiday weekend!

Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Information

[December 3, 2009]  We have received additional vaccine and we are now, once again, ABLE TO VACCINATE patients with Seasonal Flu shots.

These vaccinations are intended to protect against infections from Seasonal influenza (which is usually active in fall and winter annually).  These vaccinations are different from H1N1 vaccinations (which are not yet available to give, see our H1N1 page).  The high risk patient groups for Seasonal Influenza and H1N1 influenza are different.  You can find information regarding the high risk groups below and on our H1N1 page.

In general, anyone 6 months of age or older who wants to reduce their chances of getting influenza can get vaccinated. However, it is recommended by many health care entities, including the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), FDA and ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices), that certain people should get vaccinated each year.

People in the following groups are considered to be at higher risk of influenza complications
and vaccinations are therefore RECOMMENDED:

• Children aged 6 months to 5 years old
• Pregnant women
• People 50 years of age and older
• People of any age with certain chronic health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease)
• People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
• Household contacts of person at high risk for complications from influenza
• Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age
• Health care workers
   

People who should NOT be vaccinated include:

• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs
• People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination
• People who have developed Guillian-Barré syndrome within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine
• Children less than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group)
• People who have a moderate to severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated)
   

You are always welcome to discuss any concerns regarding Influenza and / or vaccines with your provider.
 

Websites with information on Seasonal Influenza

• CDC Influenza site
• FDA Flu site