H1N1 vaccine is on its way, state health department says
By: Health Insurance
Submitted: 2009-10-08 09:06:19 | Word Count: 626
Twelve thousand doses of nasal H1N1 flu vaccine should arrive in the state this week and will be shipped to medical providers statewide, the New Mexico Department of Health announced Monday afternoon.
“This is good news for New Mexico, and I encourage people who are at higher risk for developing serious complications from the flu to get vaccinated,” Health Secretary Alfredo Vigil, MD, said in a release. “Getting the H1N1 vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect yourself and your family from the disease. I also encourage all New Mexicans to get a seasonal flu shot.”
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Seven New Mexicans have died this year from the H1N1 virus, more commonly known as the Swine flu.
Nasal flu vaccine can only be given to persons 2 to 49 years of age who are not pregnant and do not have chronic health conditions, the agency said.
A H1N1 vaccine in the shot form will arrive later. The first groups the Department of Health is advising to get vaccinated in the shot form are pregnant women, household members/caretakers of infants less than 6 months old, children 6 to 59 months of age, children 5 to18 years with certain chronic health conditions that increase their risk of complications from flu, and healthcare workers and emergency medical service personnel with direct patient care.
The Department of Health expects to receive additional allocations of vaccine each week and estimates New Mexico will receive 1.2 million doses by the end of January 2010. After the demand has been met in the first priority group, vaccinations will be provided to other people in the original priority groups.
The complete priority group the Department of Health is advising to get the H1N1 vaccination is:
Pregnant women
People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months old
Children and young adults age 6 months through 24 years
Health care workers and emergency medical services personnel
People age 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza
In addition to the H1N1 vaccine, the agency is encouraging New Mexicans to get seasonal flu vaccines. The agency already has started shipping seasonal flu vaccine to public health offices, the Department’s long-term care facilities and private providers statewide, according to the press release. New Mexicans should contact their health care providers to receive flu vaccine. The Department’s public health offices provide seasonal flu vaccine to people who are at high risk for serious illness and people who have no health insurance.
The Department is advising the following high risk groups get vaccinated against seasonal flu:
Residents of long-term care facilities
Persons ages 2-64 years with chronic health conditions, such as asthma or other breathing problems, kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, muscle or nerve disorders that can lead to breathing or swallowing problems, and children on long-term aspirin therapy.
Children age 6 months up to their 19th birthday
Persons ages 50 years and older
Pregnant women
Health care workers who provide direct patient care
Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children up to age 5, or anyone at increased risk of flu complications
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