UPDATE December 10, 2009
from the Lake County Health DepartmentEarlier today, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced that all Illinoisans will be eligible to receive the H1N1 flu vaccination beginning December 15. This announcement increases access to the H1N1 vaccine for Lake County residents, but local providers will have flexibility to determine if it is necessary to continue prioritizing the vaccine for the at-risk populations, based on their needs. The announcement also mentions that pharmacies that have ordered vaccine should be able to provide H1N1 flu vaccinations in the coming weeks.
In light of these changes, the Health Department will expand vaccine availability at its Gurnee clinic beginning December 15.
Appointments for H1N1 vaccinations will be available to all people, six months of age and older, at this location. Please note that many of these appointments have already been filled, but appointments will continue to be accepted and vaccine will continue to be provided at least through the end of January. The vaccinations are offered at no charge.
Gurnee Advocate Condell Medical Building
1425 Hunt Club Road, Suite 103
Dates: Opening Friday, December 11, and continuing at least through the month of January
Hours: Monday – Friday: 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday – Sunday: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The patience of all those who have been waiting has been appreciated. It is still very important that people in high priority groups continuing to make appointments either with the Health Department or with their providers to get the vaccine. The vaccine should be available at many more local health care provider facilities, such as retail pharmacies, very soon.
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Also,
please watch our latest video on the H1N1 flu that was produced by LCTV, the County’s cable television station.
The high priority target population groups for the H1N1 vaccine include:
• Individuals 6 months to 24 years of age
• Caretakers and household contacts of children under 6 months of age
• All pregnant women
• Healthcare and emergency medical services employees
• People 25 to 64 years of age with underlying medical conditions, such as asthma or
diabetes, which put them at high risk for flu-related complications.
H1N1 vaccinations have been produced in several forms such as nasal spray and shots. Health Department vaccination clinic staff will work with residents to determine the best form of vaccine for each individual, based on health needs and vaccine availability. It is also very important that anyone who received a seasonal flu shot this year to bring a record of that vaccination to the H1N1 clinic so staff can determine the best form of vaccine to provide.
Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your family against this illness. The H1N1 vaccine is being produced the same way as the seasonal flu vaccine.
We expect the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine to have a similar safety profile as seasonal flu vaccines, which have a very good safety track record. Over the years, hundreds of millions of Americans have received seasonal flu vaccines. The most common side effects following flu vaccinations are mild, such as soreness, redness, tenderness or swelling where the shot was given. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be closely monitoring for any signs that the vaccine is causing unexpected adverse events and we will work with state and local health officials to investigate any unusual events.
The CDC has created a series of Frequently Asked Questions about the 2009 H1N1 Influenza A Vaccine Safety, including information on Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and Thimerosal.
General Questions and Answers on 2009 H1N1 Influenza A Vaccine Safety Will the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines be safe? Are there any side effects to the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine? Are there some people who should not receive this vaccine? How will the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines be monitored for safety? Will the 2009 H1N1 vaccines that are currently recommended contain adjuvants?
More… General Questions and Answers on Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) What is GBS? What causes GBS? Who is at risk for developing GBS? Do vaccines cause GBS? How common is GBS, and how common is it after people are vaccinated for seasonal influenza? What happened in 1976 with GBS and the swine flu vaccine? Why did some people develop GBS after they received the 1976 swine flu vaccine?
More… General Questions and Answers on Thimerosal What is thimerosal? What are preservatives and why are they used in vaccines? Will the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine contain thimerosal? I have concerns about the use of thimerosal. Is thimerosal still being used? Is thimerosal safe when used as a preservative in vaccines?
More…What You Can Do Practice Healthy Habits In addition to getting your seasonal flu shot, help prevent the spread of flu in the workplace, schools and throughout the community by:
• Washing your hands frequently
• Staying home if you are sick
• Covering your cough and sneeze
People with flu-like symptoms should stay home from school, work and social gatherings until 24 hours after resolution of their fever. People are more contagious when they have a fever, so staying home during this time is especially important to not spread the flu to coworkers, friends or fellow students.
Volunteer The Health Department is also recruiting volunteers for its Lake County Medical Reserve Corps to help with H1N1 flu prevention. For more information, call: (847) 377-8358.
Access Reliable Information
http://www.lakecountyil.gov/Health/H1N1.htm
http://www.flu.gov/
http://ready.illinois.gov
The Health Department’s H1N1 hotline number is: 847-377-8350.
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