Here are the top questions from Oregonians coming in to the Oregon Public Health Hotline, 1-800-978-3040.
Q. When will H1N1 flu season end? When do we no longer need to bother getting vaccinated?
A. Seasonal flu hasn't even arrived yet. It usually comes in around December and peaks in February. We don't know how long pandemic H1N1 will hang around. We'll be monitoring for signs that it's decreased, but until further notice, if your health care provider recommends that you get the vaccine, you should get it.
Q. Information for priority groups changes from county to county. Why?
A. Priority groups are set by ACIP (the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) and the Oregon Public Health Division. Those can't be changed at the county level. However, within the established priority groups, counties have to decide individually how to best meet consumer needs. Resources are different in each county, so the method of delivery is not likely to be the same in every county.
Q. Is it OK to take aspirin, ibuprofen, Tylenol or other over-the-counter pain relievers after receiving an H1N1 vaccine?
A. It's important to be careful with aspirin in this setting -- be sure to avoid using it in kids 18 years old or less. Tylenol and ibuprofen are safe to use.
Q. Why isn't there enough seasonal flu vaccine?
A. Providers of seasonal flu vaccine did not anticipate the great demand for flu shots so early this season. However, there is still plenty of time to get your seasonal flu vaccine. Normally, seasonal flu doesn’t even appear until December and January, and more vaccine is on the way. There will eventually be enough seasonal flu vaccine for everyone who wants one. We're glad that people want to get their flu shots!
Q. How many people need to be sick for it to be considered an outbreak?
A. Normally, at least 3 people from different households getting sick constitutes an outbreak.
Q. Where can pharmacies and providers get more seasonal flu vaccines?
A. Pharmacies get flu vaccines through their normal distribution channels—Oregon Public Health is not involved in ordering seasonal vaccine.
Q. How can someone get a vaccine if they are allergic to eggs?
A. People can be tested to see if they have a serious anaphylactic reaction (hives, respiratory distress) to eggs, and if necessary can undergo a desensitization protocol to get the vaccine. Typically, however, this is not recommended, since they would probably need to do this every year and there is prophylactic medication available if they are exposed (and are in a high-risk category).
Q. Are caregivers of relatives considered healthcare personnel?
A. No
Q. Are people living with high-risk people considered high risk?
A. No, with the exception of caretakers of children under 6 months, since kids under 6 months are too young to be vaccinated. Other high-risk patients (i.e. people with chronic heart or lung disease) can be vaccinated, so their household contacts are not considered high risk.
Q. Does the state mandate schools to tell parents of H1N1 outbreaks in the school? Is it required or is it up to each school?
A. The short answer is no. There is flu in all communities right now. If a school has such a large outbreak that it has to close, school officials will tell parents. But schools are not required by the State to do so.
Q. What are the components of the H1N1 vaccine? Is there latex?
A. It contains egg, but no latex.
Q. Does a newborn who will reach 6 months of age later in the flu season need to get an H1N1 vaccine on that 6-month day?
A. Yes, as soon as possible.
Q. Should kids who got the flu, but aren't sure of what strain, still get an H1N1 vaccination?
A. Yes, unless they have very good documentation that they had a specimen obtained and it was found to be H1N1, they should get the H1N1 vaccination. There are no side effects from getting the vaccine if they’ve already had H1N1.
Q. Is there a line and/or email contact for those who want to complain about vaccine provider conduct?
A. Generally no, not with the Oregon Public Health, since the state is not the provider of the vaccine. Each provider probably has its own customer service policy, and the complainant would need to go through that process first.
Q. Can both seasonal and H1N1 vaccines be given at the same time?
A. Yes, provided that both are not nasal (because the nasal spray is a live vaccine). It’s possible to get both vaccines at the same time if one or both are injectable. But we can’t give two live vaccines (nasal vaccines) at the same time.
Q. How long should a person wait between the seasonal nasal vaccine and the H1N1 nasal vaccine?
A. A minimum of 4 weeks.
Q. Who will need to get two H1N1 vaccinations? How far apart?
A. Kids from 6 months to 9 years old, and the vaccinations should be 4 weeks apart.
Q. Is it true that nasal vaccine recipients must wear a mask after inoculation?
A. No.
Q. How sick is too sick to get a flu shot?
A. People with moderate to severe illness and fever over 100 degrees (37.7 degrees Celsius) should wait until fever has subsided before being vaccinated.
Minor illness with or without fever should not be considered an obstacle to vaccination, particularly among children with mild upper respiratory tract infection or runny nose.
Vaccine should not be given to anyone allergic to eggs, chicken protein, neomycin or polymyxin, or anyone who's had a life-threatening reaction to a previous influenza vaccination.
A doctor should be consulted if the person has a history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome or other serious neurologic events such as paralysis or seizures within six weeks of a previous influenza vaccination.
Q: Can someone receive a vaccine in a county or state they do not reside in?
A: Yes. There are no state or county borders for vaccination. Again, the only exceptions are tribal clinics (you must be a tribal member to receive a vaccine at a tribal clinic). Beyond that, someone in Multnomah County (for example) cannot be denied a vaccine on the basis of their residency in Clackamas County, or even in Clark County, Washington.
Q: Do I need a doctor's note or other proof of an underlying condition?
A: No. People with underlying conditions need only self-declare.