By Marc Davis
As the H1N1 swine flu epidemic continues to spread through the nation, many people are anxiously awaiting the H1N1 vaccine to protect them against the infection. Others are questioning the vaccine's safety and efficacy and debating having themselves or loved ones inoculated. We spoke with Jorge Parada, M.D., an infectious disease expert from Chicago's Loyola University Medical Center and Medical Director of the Infection Control Program at Loyola to answer some of the most pressing questions people have about the vaccine.
Q. Who should be vaccinated?
A. If there were enough supplies, everyone should be vaccinated. Right now there are five categories of high-risk people who should get vaccinated: pregnant women, and women who are up to two weeks post partum; anyone caring for children six months old or younger; any child six months to four years old; children five to 18 if they have high risk factors such as asthma or respiratory conditions; and healthcare workers.
Q. Who shouldn't be vaccinated?
A. People ages 65 and older may not need to be vaccinated. They may have an immunity to the infection acquired over a lifetime, and if they are infected, they usually have mild symptoms. There are others as well who should not be vaccinated, including people with weakened immune systems from organ transplants or chemotherapy.
Q. How many inoculations are necessary?
A. For children under nine, two shots or two nasal sprays, one month apart. For everyone else one shot should be adequate.
Q. What are the risks and side effects of vaccination?
A. All the data we have so far covering some 10 million doses indicates that inoculations are safe. The side effects are the same you'd get after a seasonal flu shot -- swelling and pain the arm, and in rare cases, you may feel under the weather for a day or two.
Q. Will a vaccination give me a case of swine flu?
A. It is physically impossible to catch the flu from flu shots. If you contracted the flu just before getting vaccinated, you may get sick because it takes three weeks for the vaccination to kick in.
Q. What are the methods of vaccination?
A. There are two methods: a shot in the arm and a nasal spray. They are equally effective. The nasal spray works better for children.
Q. What are the chances of dying from a flu shot?
A. That's very unlikely.
Q. If I've had swine flu already, should I get vaccinated?
A. If you've had a laboratory confirmed case of swine flu you probably don't need to be vaccinated. But if you've been sick but have not had a lab-confirmed case of H1N1, you should be vaccinated.
Q. What should I do if I'm a caregiver for someone at risk for swine flu and can't get the vaccine?
A. Practice all the preventive measures. Avoid crowds, wash your hands regularly, stay away from people who are coughing and sneezing.
