Monthly Health Articles Archive

Fears and Facts about H1N1 vaccine

Ever since H1N1 became front-page news around the globe last spring, we have been waiting for a vaccine to help prevent the spread of this highly contagious and sometimes fatal illness.  As of this week the H1N1 vaccine will be available locally at Kossuth Regional Health Center during announced vaccine clinic times. Now that the vaccine has finally arrived, the concern amongst the general public seems to be evolving from worries about getting H1N1 to fears about getting the vaccine itself.

In a recent Consumer Reports poll, it was found that two-thirds of parents plan to wait on vaccinating their children for H1N1 or skip it entirely.  Many parents are concerned that the vaccine was rushed into production and that negative side effects may arise later.  Expecting mothers may have the same reservations, as they are also in the high priority group for getting the vaccine.  Others may have a general distrust of even the regular seasonal flu shots and the feeling carries over to the H1N1 as well.

While it’s appropriate for parents to be curious and concerned about H1N1 and the new vaccine, health experts say that most fears about the flu vaccine are unfounded.  Meanwhile, H1N1 flu appears to be hitting our youngest populations the hardest. The Center for Disease Control reported 76 youth deaths from H1N1since it first emerged in April of this year.  In comparison, 68 American children died from seasonal influenza from September 2008 to April 2009. Many of the children who have died from H1N1 had neurological conditions such as muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy, the CDC said.

In Community Health and at Kossuth Regional Health Center our goal is to protect and educate the public in order to keep them healthy.  We understand the concerns of parents.  In fact, many of our community health nurses are a parent themselves.  Information is often the best antidote for fear and we’re encouraging people with questions about the H1N1 vaccine to seek out sound and reliable information from sources they trust.  On the KRHC website we offer links to the Center for Disease Control and the Iowa Department of Public Health, both of which are good resources for more information about H1N1 and the seasonal flu.

The vaccine, although produced quickly, was made in exactly the same manner as the seasonal flu vaccine, which has a very good track record as far as safety is concerned.  The side effects from 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine are expected to be minimal and much like those from seasonal flu vaccine.  The most common side effects after flu shots are mild, such as being sore and tender, red and swollen where the shot was given. Some may experience headaches, muscle aches, fever, and nausea or feel tired.  The incidence of more severe side effects is extremely low.

Fears about the H1N1 vaccine may stem from an occurrence in 1976, when an earlier type of flu vaccine was associated with cases of a severe paralytic illness called Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) at a rate of approximately 1 case of GBS per 100,000 persons vaccinated. Some studies done since 1976 have shown a small risk of GBS in persons who received the seasonal influenza vaccine. This risk is estimated to be no more than 1 case of GBS per 1 million persons vaccinated.

In most cases the side effects of the vaccine will pale greatly in comparison to the severe complications that could occur from the actual illness.  Since the seasonal flu and H1N1 are both easily transmitted, especially in the school and day care settings, we hope that parents, expecting parents and those within the high priority groups for experiencing complications from the flu, take advantage of the free H1N1 vaccine available this October.

For more information contact KRHC Community Health, go to the KRHC website at www.krhc.com or call the Flu Hotline at 515-295-4451.  Thanks for doing your part to have a happy, healthy fall season.

-Dixie Meyer, R.N. is the Director of Community Health at Kossuth Regional Health Center