Saturday, September 19, 2009

Government Of Canada Issues Guidance On H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Sequencing

Canada released new guidelines on who should be first in line for H1N1 pandemic flu vaccines.

As taken from the Public Health Agency of Canada website ...

The guidance identifies groups and individuals that will benefit most from immunization, and those who care for them. These include:
  • people with chronic medical conditions under the age of 65;
  • pregnant women;
  • children six months to under five years of age;
  • people living in remote and isolated settings or communities;
  • health care workers involved in pandemic response or who deliver essential health services;
  • household contacts and caregivers of individuals who are at high risk, and who cannot be immunized (such as infants under six months of age or people with weakened immune systems); and
  • populations otherwise identified as high risk.
Personally, I’ve never had a flu shot of any kind, so now comes the decision … to immunize or not?

4 comments:

Peggy said...

Daria;

I have had one flu shot in my life and find myself in the same position as you. My question to myself, should I get both flu shots this year? Tisk, guess I'll be calling the Dr on Monday.

whidbeywoman said...

Since I am in a high risk group (asthma, and a health care worker; now caregiver) I will be getting every flu shot I can get my hands on. I have had the flu shots for many years... when you hear people say, "it makes me sick" it is usually because they are sensitive to eggs or they were coming down with a virus in the first place.
The flu shots are completely safe. But, I don't know about Chemo patients taking them. Better ask the Doc!

Karen said...

I always get a flu shot because I have asthma. My medical oncologist told me weeks ago that I should get the flu shots this year too.

I already got the regular flu shot, and I'll be getting the H1N1 shot when I can.

The nurse at Walgreen's who gave me the regular flu shot said that they would not have been able to give me the shot if the shot had contained live virus, but it contained dead virus so it was okay for me and my chemo.

Anonymous said...

thanks for sharing this, before immunizing yourself ensure that the vaccines are really for H1n1