News from Women's Health of Central Massachusetts

Greetings from Women's Health! We hope you had a fun and healthy summer. With the school season underway and the flu season approaching, we have focused this issue on providing you information on the seasonal flu and H1N1. We hope that the following information is helpful to you and your family.

What is 2009 H1N1 (swine flu)?

Since April 2009, there has been an ongoing threat of H1N1 virus, most commonly referred to as "The Swine Flu." The H1N1 virus is a form of the influenza virus that causes fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. H1N1 virus is most threatening to infants, pregnant women and young healthy adults. Pregnant women especially require medication within the first 48 hrs of the onset of symptoms. This reduces the risk of complications. These medications are safe to take during pregnancy.

Prevention

The signs and symptoms of The Seasonal Flu and H1N1 are very similar. So, if you suspect you are developing the flu, immediately contact your doctor. The best way to avoid contracting the Seasonal Flu or H1N1 is to wash your hands frequently with warm, soapy water, and use alcohol based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available. When you have to cough or sneeze, make sure you use a tissue or cover your mouth with the elbow of your arm.

Vaccination

"Every flu season has the potential to cause a lot of illness, doctor's visits, hospitalization and deaths. CDC (Center for Disease Control) is concerned that the new H1N1 flu virus could result in a particularly severe 2009-2010 flu season. Vaccines are the best tool we have to prevent influenza. CDC hopes that people will start to go out and get vaccinated against seasonal influenza as soon as vaccines become available at their doctor's offices and in their communities. The seasonal flu vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against 2009 H1N1 influenza. However a 2009 H1N1 vaccine is currently in production and may be ready for the public in the fall. The 2009 H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine - it is intended to be used along-side seasonal flu vaccine."
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Women's Health of Central Massachusetts will be receiving an allotment of both the Seasonal Flu vaccine as well as the H1N1 vaccine from The Department of Public Health.

The CDC has stated that there is "no shortage of 2009 H1N1 vaccine is expected, but vaccine availability and demand can be unpredictable and there is some possibility that initially, the vaccine will be available in limited quantities."

Women's Health is expected to get their first shipment of H1N1 vaccine by the end of October. Women's Health will prioritize our pregnant patients to receive our supply of the H1N1 vaccine. Others, who qualify for vaccination as listed above, should contact their primary care physician's office or workplace for vaccination.

For more information on The Seasonal Flu, H1N1, and vaccination, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/

(Some information in this article was taken from The CDC website, webpage: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm)