Holiday gatherings can be an ideal place to catch an infection. Folks may have flown or driven in from diverse areas, bringing who knows what germs with them. Then there's the kissing, hugging, food sharing--all part of having a good time, of course, but also great ways for germs to spread. So now's not the time to be complacent about the H1N1, even though government stats show it may be on the wane.
Here are three good reasons to get an H1N1 and seasonal flu shot (or nose spray) right now.
1. Had trouble finding the vaccine? It’s easier now...
Despite yesterday's voluntary recall of some batches due to potential potency issues, H1N1 vaccine supplies continue to grow—85 million doses have now been made available since October. That means it’s getting easier than ever to get the protection you may need. In fact in some states and localities, the supply has become so ample, there are no longer restrictions on who may get the vaccine. In Maryland, for example, the H1N1 vaccine is now available to “everyone who wants it” and can even be obtained at local pharmacies, grocery stores and even “big box” stores. Find out if vaccines are available in your area.
Government-collected data to date shows that 94 percent of adverse effects have been minor, such as soreness at the injection site. As for the reports of serious effects, so far there’s little difference between the H1N1 vaccine and the regular flu vaccines. And even looking at the worst-case numbers, there have been far fewer serious reactions from the vaccine than from the flu itself, according to John Santa, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center.
3. We’re still in the middle of flu season
The numbers show that odds are good you may still get the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there have been nearly 50 million H1N1 cases, accounting for about 15 percent of the country. Do the math and that means one in six people have gotten the flu—or, more importantly, that five out of six people still may get it. Traditionally seasonal flu just gets going in December and peaks in the winter months.
As CDC’s director Thomas Frieden, M.D. said last week: “Flu season generally lasts until May. What will happen in the future, only time will tell… There might be a lot more cases. There might be a few.”
While experts are evenly split on their predictions, Frieden says, “vaccination remains the most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your family from H1N1 influenza....
“The more people who are vaccinated, the more people who will be protected from influenza, the fewer cases we'll have in the future, the less likely we will be to have a third wave or more cases in the weeks and months to come.”
—Caroline Mayer, guest blogger
If you haven’t had the vaccination yet, what’s your excuse? Here are some common excuses and their realities. Keep up to date with all our swine flu coverage and latest news.
Photo courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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