Swine Flu Vaccine Arrives: Who Gets It First?

on October 5, 2009 at 7:30 AM

flu shot The first doses of the H1N1 vaccine to protect against the swine flu will be available as early as Tuesday. However, not everyone will be able to get the vaccination immediately. So who is first in line?

There are two types of the vaccine: a nasal spray, which is made with a live, weakened flu virus and is recommended only for healthy people ages 2 to 49; and an injection, which is made with a version of the dead virus. The initial doses will consist only of the nasal-spray version.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that the following high risk groups receive the swine flu vaccine when it first becomes available:

Pregnant women are top priority because they have a six-times greater risk of complications from the flu. Vaccination also could protect their babies, who cannot be vaccinated until they are 6 months old. (However, it is recommended that pregnant women wait for the injection version.)

Young children aged 6 months through 18 years old are also a high priority because they are exposed at higher rates in school and day care settings. Check out Toddler Buzz for important information about how the H1N1 vaccine will be administered to kids under 9.

Health care and emergency medical personnel with direct patient contact are a priority group as well because they not only are exposed at higher rates but could also potentially infect vulnerable patients.

Parents and caregivers of babies under 6 months old should be among the first groups to receive the vaccination in order to protect babies from the flu.

Young adults ages 19 to 24 are a priority group as well because they are more vulnerable to the swine flu virus than other populations.

People 25 to 64 years old who have health conditions (such as diabetes, asthma, obesity, and heart disease) that put them at a higher risk of flu complications are also a priority group.

Check your state health department's Web site to find out when the vaccine will become available in your community.

Will you get the swine flu vaccine?

Related Posts:

Swine Flu Symptoms and Facts

Officials Urge Drugs for Swine Flu in Pregnancy

What Does Swine Flu Feel Like? Ask This CafeMom

About the author Kim Conte

has shoes that make people stop her on the street and ask "Where did you get those?" but it doesn't work for taxi cabs as she was hit by one ... and lived to tell the tale. She has more freckles than Lohan but way less attitude. And she's a fierce cook with tons of recipes to share -- and wishes she could share some with Bourdain.

Filed Under: cold & flu, illness, swine flu

Comments (11)

aurorabunny

on Oct 5, 2009 at 8:40 AM

<--Won't be in line at all. No toxic sludge for us!

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DreaKevAiyana

on Oct 5, 2009 at 10:04 AM

I'm with aurora on this one - I'm healthy so I won't be putting any of that crap (live virus or not) in my body, or my little girl's!

LokisMama

on Oct 5, 2009 at 10:57 AM

I'm with the two previous posters. No thanks.

WyattsMomma7

on Oct 5, 2009 at 12:25 PM

I'm pregnant and very high risk. 1 in 25 h1n1 infected pregnant women will die. I am not going to be that 1.

toriandgrace

on Oct 5, 2009 at 1:37 PM

My daughter will probably get it, I probably won't, but who knows.

ShadesofGrey

on Oct 5, 2009 at 2:57 PM

I am trying to decide if I should get it for myself. I have rheumatoid arthritis, and the flu can be very devastating for me, and difficult to recover from. I have no desire to be in a wheel chair just because my body cannot keep the arthritis in control and fight the flu at the same time. My son won't be getting it, though. It's too new for me to feel comfortable with that idea.

navyma23

on Oct 5, 2009 at 3:36 PM

I have decided against vaccines this year.

tlmason

on Oct 6, 2009 at 12:43 AM

My children, husband and me absolutely will not be getting the Swine Flu vaccination and I have recommended to friends and family that they opt out too.

Great article on the subject:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/19/The-Truth-about-the-Flu-Shot.aspx

suchi787

on Jun 21, 2010 at 9:24 AM

Swine flu has created a lot ofpanic among the people these days. this is due to the increasing no.of deaths due to it all over the world. now the vaccine has been launched. But the most needy ones should be given first. this should be decided by the medical practitioner. Peopl eshould obey what they are saying.

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spsdel01

on Jul 1, 2010 at 8:56 AM

Despite the fact that this announcement is quite old - I want to say few words about it. Of course our government working together with the best scientists have made a great job on providing this vaccine to the society as soon as possible. However now almost every American knows that these swine flu vaccinations contain mercury. It is highly dangerous for us and it can have many bad consequences in the nearest future.

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