Immunizations (Vaccines) - FAQs:

• Where can I find a seasonal flu shot?
• What information did the FDA use to support the approval of the H1N1 2009 Monovalent flu vaccines?
• What is the flu vaccine made of?
• Is the flu vaccine ok for babies?
• Will the seasonal flu vaccine also protect against the novel H1N1 flu?
• Will the new H1N1 vaccine be safe, even for children? Are you testing it?
• Will health insurance plans reimburse medical personnel for administering the H1N1 vaccine?
• Does the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine contain thimerosal?
• What is known about the safety of influenza vaccines in pregnant women?
• Will the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines be safe?
• How will the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines be monitored for safety?
• I am allergic to eggs. Can I receive a flu shot even though I am allergic to eggs?
• What are preservatives and why are they used in vaccines?
• Who is at risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)?
• Will there be a possibility of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) cases following the 2009 H1N1 vaccine?
• Why did some people develop Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) after they received the 1976 swine flu vaccine?
• Will the benefits of the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines outweigh the risks? Is this something I should talk to my healthcare provider about?
• What happened in 1976 with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and the swine flu vaccine?
• What chronic health conditions would be considered priority for the 2009 H1N1 vaccination? Heart Murmur? Hypothyroidism?
• What generally makes up the H1N1 2009 Monovalent vaccines?
• What are the specific ingredients in each of the 2009 H1N1 vaccines?
• How do public health authorities investigate cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)?
• If I was vaccinated for swine flu in the 1970's, do I need to get a 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) shot?
• How many shots of the new vaccine would someone need? Will it be one or two doses, or something else?
• Will there be enough flu vaccine for all those in our country who want to have the shot?
• Can I get both flu vaccines and the pneumonia vaccine at the same time?
• Will the 2009 H1N1 vaccine be recommended for patients who had flu-like illness since spring 2009?
• Will there be a separate allocation of the flu vaccines for active duty DoD personnel?
• Can Vaccine Projects request less than their full allocation?  
• What ancillary supplies will be provided  to vaccine providers by the federal government? 
• Where can I find information about the dosage, contraindications, warnings, reactions, and drug interactions for the different available flu vaccines?
• I am allergic to thimerosal, which will be in the H1N1 vaccine. What can I take to prevent the swine flu and the seasonal flu?
• Can the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 2009 vaccine be taken at the same time?
• Can the nasal-spray flu vaccine be given to patients when they are ill?
• Should doctors give the H1N1 vaccine to persons who have an allergy to eggs?
• What is invasive pneumococcal disease?
• If the increase in invasive pneumococcal disease is related to 2009 H1N1 flu, is this expected?
• How is vaccine shipped to vaccine receiving sites?  
• How do vaccine providers know how much vaccine is available for them to order?
• What is the minimum dose order for shipments of 2009 H1N1 vaccine?
• Where can my office or facility order the H1N1 vaccine to give to patients?
• Who should get the seasonal flu shot?
• What are the types of seasonal flu vaccines?
• What if there is a severe reaction from the seasonal live, attenuated nasal spray flu vaccine?
• What are the risks of the seasonal flu shot?
• Who can get the seasonal flu vaccine in a spray?
• Can I get the seasonal flu even if I got a flu vaccine this year?
• Can the 2009 H1N1 vaccine be administered at the same visit as other vaccines?
• What are the side effects of the seasonal live, attenuated nasal spray flu vaccine?
• Who should talk with a doctor before getting a seasonal flu shot?
• Does the flu vaccine work right away? How long before the vaccine takes effect after  it is given?
• Is the vaccine distributed equitably across medical providers?
• Are people over 64 who have chronic ailments eligible for the H1N1 flu vaccine? Someone said there might not be enough vaccine for the elderly.
• Is thimerosal safe when used as a preservative in vaccines?
• Are there some people who should not receive the H1N1 vaccine?
• What is the 2009 H1N1 nasal spray flu vaccine?
• Can health care providers get the live attenuated influenza vaccine?
• Who should get two doses of the H1N1 vaccine?
• What is thimerosal?
• Is there a possibility that countries with flu vaccine manufacturing plants might break US contracts and keep the vaccines for themselves and their people?
• Will the U.S. give some of its novel H1N1 flu vaccine to the WHO or developing nations? If so, how much? Under what conditions?
• What is the difference between a vaccine and an antiviral?
• I have concerns about the use of thimerosal. Is thimerosal still being used?
• My daughter will be breast feeding this fall. Should she take the HINI flu vaccine?
• When should I get my seasonal flu shot?
• What is Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)?
• How common is Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), and how common is it after people are vaccinated for seasonal flu?
• I have a serious lung disease. Will the pneumonia vaccine protect me from the flu?
• What percentage of people hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 flu have developed invasive pneumococcal disease?
• Are there any side effects to the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine?
• Do you expect that the 2009 H1N1 vaccine will be associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)?
• How many manufacturers are producing the H1N1 vaccine?
• Will the 2009 H1N1 vaccines that are currently recommended contain adjuvants?
• Should the 2009 H1N1 flu shot be given to a pregnant woman who has had flu between April 2009 and now? Do I need a test to know if I need the shot or not?
• Why are some of the doses of H1N1 vaccine manufactured in pre-filled syringes being recalled from the market?
• What are the current and new expiration date of the Sanofi Pasteur pre-filled H1N1 vaccine syringes?
• What are the lot numbers affected by the Sanofi Pasteur Pre-filled Syringes recall in February 2010?
• Why is Sanofi Pasteur changing the expiration dates of 2009 H1N1 vaccine in pre-filled syringes?
• Should some people not get the live, attenuated nasal spray vaccine?
• Can people receiving the nasal-spray flu vaccine made with the live weakened virus pass the virus to others?
• How many doses of nasal spray vaccine are needed?
• Can the nasal-spray flu vaccine be used together with flu antiviral medications?
• Are there any concerns about the safety of 2009 H1N1 vaccines being recalled?
• What is being done to notify health care providers of changing the expiration dates of 2009 H1N1 vaccine in Sanofi Pasteur pre-filled syringes?
• The Flu season seems to be dying down—Why do people still need a vaccination against 2009 H1N1?
• If a pregnant woman delivers her baby before receiving her seasonal flu shot or her 2009 H1N1 flu shot, should she still receive them?
• Will people age 65 years and older be able to get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine this season?
• What personal protective equipment is recommended for health care workers who are giving the 2009 H1N1 nasal spray vaccine?
• Who makes the nasal spray vaccine?
• How are the viruses selected to make flu vaccine?
• When and where will the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centers for Reference and Research on Influenza meet to determine the vaccine composition for the 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccine?
• How many flu viruses will be included in the seasonal vaccine for 2010-2011?
• Now that we are seeing a slowdown in Flu infections, is there anyone who should take priority over others in receiving the H1N1 vaccine?
• What lots are affected by the change in expiration dates of 2009 H1N1 vaccine in pre-filled syringes?
• How many provider sites can a State or other agency designate to receive vaccine?
• What is the frequency of vaccine shipments that Vaccine Projects should expect?
• Is the H1N1 vaccine  manufactured differently than the seasonal flu vaccine?
• How is pneumococcal disease spread?
• Who is at most serious risk for pneumococcal infection?
• Does the FDA support the CDC flu vaccination recommendations for pregnant women?
•  Where can I find a seasonal and 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine clinic near where I live? Do you have maps to the clinics?
• When should the 2009 H1N1 nasal-spray flu vaccine be given?
• When will the vaccine viruses selected for the 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccine be announced?
• Does the 2009 H1N1 flu shot have mercury in it?
• Can a pregnant health care provider give the live nasal spray flu vaccine?
• How is pneumococcal disease treated in adults during flu season?
• What can be done to protect children from flu complications and death?
• Are the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccinations mandatory?
• Why aren't people 65 and older recommended to get early doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine?
• Who will be recommended as target groups to receive the H1N1 flu shot (vaccine)?
• Who is included in the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centers that will make the vaccine virus selections?
• What will be the recommended time between the first and second vaccine dose for children 9 years of age and under?  
• Why is prevention of pneumococcal disease important during flu season?
• What kind of providers can be designated as vaccine provider project sites?
• When and how much of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine will be available?
• Will there be a separate vaccines allocation for DoD dependents, retirees, and civilian employees?
• How can I find the H1N1 Swine flu vaccine?
• How does invasive pneumococcal disease affect people who get 2009 H1N1 or seasonal influenza?
• What vaccines are available to help prevent invasive pneumococcal disease and flu infections?
• How do you measure potency of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine?
• Should we set aside doses of the 2009 H1N1 monovalent vaccine to administer as second doses to children 6 months through 9 years of age?
• What is Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs)?
• Is 2009 H1N1 flu associated with an increase in invasive pneumococcal disease?
• Is there a shortage of oral suspension (liquid) Tamiflu®, and, if so, what is being done?
• How is invasive pneumococcal disease diagnosed in adults?
• Do home and community-based service providers in day and residential programs for people with disabilities have priority for receiving the 2009 H1N1 flu vaccines?
• Why does the CDC advise pregnant women to get the 2009 H1N1 and the seasonal flu shots?
• What studies have been done on the 2009 H1N1 flu shots and have any been done in pregnant women?
• Can the 2009 H1N1 flu shot be given at any time during pregnancy?
• How will the Federal government determine whether people who receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine have an increased risk for Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)?
• Can family members of a pregnant woman receive the nasal spray vaccine?
• Can a breastfeeding mother receive a flu shot?
• Should people age 65 and older get the regular flu vaccine this year?
• Where can I find a 2009 H1N1 vaccine clinic?
• How is the 2009 H1N1 nasal spray vaccine different from the seasonal nasal spray vaccine?
• How effective is the nasal-spray seasonal flu vaccine?
• Where are the H1N1 vaccines made?
• What causes Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)?
• Do vaccines cause Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)?
• What are the types of symptoms of pneumococcal disease?
• Is the pneumococcal vaccine safe?
• Are there other vaccinations that will help those who are at high risk for flu complications?
• How can high-risk individuals protect themselves from pneumococcal disease?
• How serious is pneumococcal disease in children?
• Which children are most likely to get pneumococcal disease?
• What is the best protection against the flu?
• Does Medicare pay for seniors to get the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccine?
• Will the new Swine Flu Vaccine contain adjuvants such as Squalene?
• We have a patient who was diagnosed earlier this year with the H1N1 Flu. What would the protocol be for giving him the vaccine?
• What does the H1N1 vaccine cost?
• Should the nasal-spray flu vaccine be given to patients with chronic disease?
• Should contacts of people with weakened immune systems get the nasal-spray flu vaccine?
• Can the nasal-spray flu vaccine be given at the same time as other vaccines?
• If a child under the age of 9 years is getting seasonal influenza vaccine for the first time and requires 2 doses, does the same type of vaccine have to be used for both doses?
• Does the nasal spray flu vaccine contain thimerosal?
• What have been the results of the clinical trials of the 2009 H1N1 vaccines?
• Where can I find more technical information about the different flu vaccines that are available this year?
• Are there flu vaccines that pregnant women should not get?
• How many 2009 H1N1 flu shots will a pregnant woman need to get?
• Has the H1N1 vaccines shipping begun?
• Can the 2009 H1N1 nasal spray vaccine and the seasonal nasal spray vaccine be given at the same time to the same person?
• How is the nasal-spray flu vaccine stored?
• Can the nasal spray flu vaccine give you the flu?