H1N1 vaccine - has your child gotten it yet?

[teacups]

This news is also pretty disturbing...

Keep up updated on the kids on your team.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

Southwest part of the state. We're supposed to have a game at Kentwood tomorrow, but it'll depend on if we can muster enough healthy players.

Thats pretty close to home for us. I'm guessing it will be in our area soon. I hope the kids on your team get better soon.

 

[LisaR]

This news is also pretty disturbing...

Friday, October 16, 2009

The new pandemic H1N1 flu may cause blood clots and other unusual damage in the lungs and doctors need to be on the lookout, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

This has been my fear all along. There is a reason that the vast majority of people are recovering just fine but some are not only dying, but dying rapidly.

My husband has a rare blood disease that makes him 3 to 16 times more likely to develop blood clots or have a pulmonary embolism. He also travels frequently (he is currently on a germ filled flight headed home as I type). I would get him the vaccine in a heartbeat but he isn't eligible at the moment. Since my kids won't be getting the vaccine, maybe he can have their dose!

 

[Geoff_M]

Keep up updated on the kids on your team.

Just checked the e-mails... Everyone's fever is gone, but most report some lingering coughing. One tested positive for strep and is on antibiotics. Kids want to play, but a couple parents aren't too sure how their kids will respond to skating after a couple of days on their backs. Game decision is pending momentarily.

Update: Got a report that Player #9 just walked in the door from school sporting a 101 fever!

Update to the Update: They've pulled the plug on the games this weekend and have rescheduled.

 

[ReneeA]

This has been my fear all along. There is a reason that the vast majority of people are recovering just fine but some are not only dying, but dying rapidly.

My husband has a rare blood disease that makes him 3 to 16 times more likely to develop blood clots or have a pulmonary embolism. He also travels frequently (he is currently on a germ filled flight headed home as I type). I would get him the vaccine in a heartbeat but he isn't eligible at the moment. Since my kids won't be getting the vaccine, maybe he can have their dose!

If you go to your local health department with your DH's health info, then most states will allow him to get the H1N1 shot right now. My DH has a heart problem and will be eligible in the 1st round, even though he's not in the age group targeted now. Preexisting conditions count.

 

[LisaR]

If you go to your local health department with your DH's health info, then most states will allow him to get the H1N1 shot right now. My DH has a heart problem and will be eligible in the 1st round, even though he's not in the age group targeted now. Preexisting conditions count.

Thanks so much for this information! Our local health departments site was last updated on Monday. It says something along the lines of the first vaccines will be given to those most at risk. I assumed that meant kids and pregnant women. With this knowledge of blood clots, I hope my DH will qualify. I will definitely be checking with them. It also states that the first vaccines won't be available until the middle of November at the earliest.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

This has been my fear all along. There is a reason that the vast majority of people are recovering just fine but some are not only dying, but dying rapidly.

My husband has a rare blood disease that makes him 3 to 16 times more likely to develop blood clots or have a pulmonary embolism. He also travels frequently (he is currently on a germ filled flight headed home as I type). I would get him the vaccine in a heartbeat but he isn't eligible at the moment. Since my kids won't be getting the vaccine, maybe he can have their dose!

We have possibly already had h1n1, not confirmed, but I share your fears. My DH had a double pulmonary embolism in Jan, and has some permanent lung damage because of it. No known cause and he is only 36...and will be on Coumadin the rest of his life. The chance of him getting worse lung damage is very scary. If what we had wasn't h1n1, and it was very hard on him...he had trouble breathing, and had to have another chest CT scan...I'd hate to think what h1n1 would be like.

 

[AndyLL]

I hope you kept them away from the immuno-suppressed, sick, and elderly afterwards. The mist has live virus in it.

Wow

And people have been criticized here when they say that people don't do their research before posting 'facts'?

 

[C.Ann]

Wow

And people have been criticized here when they say that people don't do their research before posting 'facts'?

Huh? To the best of my knowledge, this is a fact.. Or were you referring to the way the post was worded?

 

[a1tinkfans]

Our family did not get it and will not be getting it.

 

[mickeyboat]

The clinic my kids were to go to next week was cancelled because of supply issues. Bummer!

 

[AndyLL]

Huh? To the best of my knowledge, this is a fact.. Or were you referring to the way the post was worded?

You can't get the disease from the vaccine even if it contains the live (weakened) virus.

 

[C.Ann]

You can't get the disease from the vaccine even if it contains the live (weakened) virus.

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/QuestionsaboutVaccines/ucm080754.htm

Data supporting the safety and effectiveness of FluMist in this population are limited. In addition, FluMist is a live virus vaccine, and has the potential for transmission to household contacts that have a weakened immune system. FluMist recipients should avoid close contact after receiving the vaccine.

 

[Pennykay]

You can't get the disease from the vaccine even if it contains the live (weakened) virus.

Directly from the CDC. As you can see, you can get it from the flu mist:

Can people receiving the nasal-spray flu vaccine LAIV (FluMist®) pass the vaccine viruses to others?

In clinical studies, transmission of vaccine viruses to close contacts has occurred only rarely. The current estimated risk of getting infected with vaccine virus after close contact with a person vaccinated with the nasal-spray flu vaccine is low (0.6%-2.4%). Because the viruses are weakened, infection is unlikely to result in influenza illness symptoms since the vaccine viruses have not been shown to mutate into typical or naturally occurring influenza viruses.

 

[AndyLL]

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/QuestionsaboutVaccines/ucm080754.htm

Data supporting the safety and effectiveness of FluMist in this population are limited. In addition, FluMist is a live virus vaccine, and has the potential for transmission to household contacts that have a weakened immune system. FluMist recipients should avoid close contact after receiving the vaccine.

I stand corrected.

Although I believe that statement is more of a CYA statement since the mist is not approved for that group.

 

[C.Ann]

I stand corrected.

Although I believe that statement is more of a CYA statement since the mist is not approved for that group.

Well if you or your child were the one with the compromised immune system (think receiving chemo; severe lung disease; etc.), would you chance it?

 

[keetmommy]

I talked to our pediatricians office today and we are at the top of the list for the shot when it comes in because of my dd being in chemo. I am scared to death of her getting it before we can get immunized, we will all get it at the same time.
Our school district will be offering the shot and the mist to all kids, I am wondering if I am going to have to keep her out of school if a bunch of her class gets the mist. (She actually has been home for a few days because a confirmed case in her school and kids in her class with flu like symptoms...)

This Scares me so much with all the kids dying (and I think 11 in a week are alot)

 

[Pennykay]

I have been doing some research on the mist. And according to the package insert, anyone who receives the FluMist vaccine can spread the flu for up to 21 days. From the FluMist’s own package insert: "FluMist® recipients should avoid close contact with immunocompromised individuals for at least 21 days."

 

[keetmommy]

I have been doing some research on the mist. And according to the package insert, anyone who receives the FluMist vaccine can spread the flu for up to 21 days. From the FluMist’s own package insert: "FluMist® recipients should avoid close contact with immunocompromised individuals for at least 21 days."

Luckily she isn't seriously immunocpromised but enough that we cant do it in our house...but I can't keep her from school that long...because we know how close 2nd graders can gey

 

[laurie31]

from the CDC website (bolding THIERS)

Can contacts of people with weakened immune systems get the nasal-spray flu vaccine LAIV (FluMist®)?
People who are in contact with others with severely weakened immune systems when they are being cared for in a protective environment (for example, people with hematopoietic stem cell transplants), should not get LAIV (FluMist®). People who have contact with others with lesser degrees of immunosuppression (for example, people with diabetes, people with asthma taking corticosteroids, or people infected with HIV) can get LAIV (FluMist®).

The previous quote from the CDC is the paragraph right above this one on the website. Transmission of the vaccine virus (the attenuated virus) happens in only 0.6%-2.4% of cases and of those, the chance of someone developing actual disease is unlikely because "vaccine viruses have not been shown to mutate into typical or naturally occurring influenza viruses."


I think the confusion is in the definition of "immunocompromised." I would normally consider someone with HIV to be immunocompormised, but they specifically mention that it is safe for contacts of people with HIV to get FluMist.

If in doubt, discuss it with your doctor, but I think of someone is able to go to school, then they are already being exposed to lots of sickness (strep, flu, colds, etc.) which are much more contagious than the potential attenuated virus from a FluMist recipient.