H1N1 Flu Vaccination Update

I live in Kane County, Illinois.  I waited in line for just under two hours Monday evening at the St Charles North High School for a flu shot to protect against Swine flu (the H1N1 virus).  They ran out of shots and gave me an appointment today at the Kane County Fair Grounds to have the injection.  I arrived early and was out the door by five minutes after my appointment time.

The Kane County Health Department, Emergency Workers, police departments, and volunteers all did a wonderful job processing the crowds and demonstrating caring and respect for everyone.  One of the health care workers told everyone today that more doses are expected to arrive in late November or early December.  When this greater number of doses arrive, they can be available from doctors' offices.  Several insurance programs have already agreed to underwrite the full cost of the vaccine--including any normal "copays."

My mother (age 94) will have to wait awhile.  One way to look at this protection is that the same people who are encouraged to get a seasonal flu shot probably need to get the H1N1 shot as well.  Children and people under 24 seem not to have much immunity to the virus and it has a strong effect on pregnant women.

In the lines I saw parents and teachers among the crowd.  Lots of people are exposed to the virus and health care workers and all the other people I see certainly need the protection the shots (or injections of live virus for people who can deal with that) provide.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now have two web pages.  One for the H1N1 (Swine) Flu and one for the Seasonal Flu.

In  an earlier post to this blog, I made some suggestions for teachers to get vaccinated against both types of flu this year.  I'd like to extend that to everyone else who reads this blog unless an allergy or something else makes you not a good candidate to take the vaccinations.  I still believe it is also part of basic preventative medicine.

Walking the Talk--Preventive Medicine and Vaccinations

I believe that it is important to "walk my talk" (to put into practice what I advocate).  (See my blog post about "What if everything were perfect, just the way it is?").

My health care plan would only pay for the normal seasonal flu shot for 2009-2010 if my doctor administered the shot.  My doctor's office is not planning to get the vaccine until late in September, 2009.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have released the seasonal flu vaccine and pharmacies are already stocked.  Guidelines from the CDC advise administering the flu shots as soon as the supplies become available.

I went to my local Dominick's (Safeway) pharmacy and the pharmacist administered the flu shot.  Because insurance wouldn't cover the flu shot administered by a pharmacist, I paid $28 for the shot--well worth it to get it while I'm well and before flu season starts.  The vaccine should "stay in my system" for one year--through this year's flu season.

In October or November, if all goes well, the H1N1 (Swine Flu) vaccine will be available and distributed.  I plan to be in line for that vaccination as soon as I can qualify for it.

I had a Shingles vaccination last year.  I had chicken pox as a child and my cousin--at the age of 60--contracted shingles.  The one-time vaccination is supposed to protect me from shingles for the rest of my life.

My 10-year pneumonia vaccination expires this year and I'll be getting another one of those as well.  When I had an annual physical with my doctor earlier this month, he advised me that I'm nearing the end of protection of my tetanus vaccination.  I'll be OK for another two or three years as long as I don't have a "dirty" wound.  If I have one they'll give a booster shot.

Preventive medicine--which, for me, includes vaccinations--is important.  As with an automobile, it's better to catch or prevent problems rather than trying to fix them.  Part of my preventive medicine routine is to have an annual physical and to have an annual eye exam--both of which I had in August.  I also go to specialists as needed.

In 2008 I almost waited too long to have my appendix out--it hurt in my back rather than in my right side.  I was fooled by the placement and, when the emergency room took a CT-Scan, it showed that my appendix had "flipped over" somehow and was at my back rather than at my side.  I had felt pain a month before I went to the emergency room and then it passed.  It turns out that my appendix was already dead and was about to burst.  (It didn't.)  The surgeon saw me about 7:00AM (I had come to the emergency room at 5:00AM) and said that he was going to "warm up" by removing a gall bladder, then I was second on his "dance" (surgery) card.  He did a laparoscopic appendectomy and I was out of the hospital within 36 hours of going to the emergency room.

I do water aerobics almost daily and the day before I had my appendix removed I had done 400 sit-ups in the water (thank heaven they were in the water).  I usually am in the water between 5:00 and 7:00AM and the next day, rather than going to the wellness center on the hospital grounds, I drove myself to the emergency room.

I'm pretty healthy and plan to stay that way.  How about you?

What if—everything were perfect—just the way it is?-- Unemployed teachers vs. a National Reserve of Qualified (and Vaccinated) SubstituteTeachers

Many teachers find themselves without teaching positions at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year. School districts released teachers at the end of the 2008-2009 school year and have fewer positions to offer in this school year.

While frustrating to many, this situation may lead to a greater quantity of qualified substitute teachers available this year—a time when the nation is gearing up to confront the H1N1 (Swine flu) virus. The Centers for Disease Control want schools to stay open and infected students and staff to stay home. There may be a greater need for qualified substitute teachers than in many previous years.

Of course, those substitute teachers need to get their flu vaccines (starting today), to register as substitutes, and to stay healthy. Imagine, rather than being an unemployed teacher, these unemployed teachers may be part of a national reserve of healthy, certified, substitute teachers available to help meet a potential crisis in our nations’ schools.

Thanks, teachers, for being part of this national reserve. Now make sure you are registered as substitute teachers and get your vaccinations as soon as you can.