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NOTE: This is one in a series of articles provided by the Department of Health to keep South Dakotans informed about H1N1 flu issues and preparedness activities.
SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, August 07, 2009
CONTACT: Doneen Hollingsworth, (605) 773-3361
H1N1 flu: will there be vaccine?
PIERRE, S.D. – An H1N1 flu vaccine is expected to be available to states as early as mid-October, says a state health official. Vaccine manufacturers are working with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create the vaccine for H1N1, which is currently in clinical trials.
“The goal is to manufacture enough vaccine to immunize everyone in the country but that vaccine will be coming to us in waves throughout the flu season,” said Doneen Hollingsworth, Secretary of Health. “Vaccination is completely voluntary and the vaccine will be free.”
Hollingsworth said the state will distribute the vaccine on a phased basis to priority groups identified by the national Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The intent is to target the initial vaccine at people who are at high risk for complications from H1N1 and at those who deliver essential services such as health care workers taking care of the sick. As more vaccine becomes available it will be administered beyond the priority groups. The initial priority groups include:
- pregnant women,
- people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age,
- health care and emergency services personnel,
- persons between the ages of 6 months through 24 years of age, and
- people from ages 25 through 64 years who are at higher risk because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.
Hollingsworth said those 65 and over are not on the initial priority list because younger age groups appear to be at higher risk for H1N1 and its complications, unlike seasonal flu which impacts older adults more. Initial studies indicate that older adults may actually have some immunity to novel H1N1 due to infection with similar strains in the past.
“Given today’s mobile society and the current wide spread of H1N1, this virus can’t be contained. Instead, our goal is to decrease its spread and limit serious illness and death as much as we can,” said the Secretary. “The vaccine will give us one more tool do that but I can’t emphasize enough that simple public health measures that decrease contact between sick and well people are very effective in preventing disease spread and saving lives.”
These measures include washing your hands often, covering your coughs and sneezes, and staying home when you’re sick.
As of August 7, South Dakota had reported 74 laboratory-confirmed cases of H1N1 flu in 19 counties. There have been two hospitalizations and no deaths. Stay informed about H1N1 pandemic flu at the department’s web site, http://doh.sd.gov. Information is also available from CDC at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) or the web at http://www.PandemicFlu.gov.