H1N1 shots go to wide circulation

[Commonground]

December 12, 2009 - 12:00 am

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</td> <td align="center"><!--/* OpenX Javascript Tag v2.6.4 */--> <!--/* * The backup image section of this tag has been generated for use on a * non-SSL page. If this tag is to be placed on an SSL page, change the * 'http://cmas.concordmonitor.com/www/delivery/...' * to * 'https://cmas.concordmonitor.com/www/delivery/...' * * This noscript section of this tag only shows image banners. There * is no width or height in these banners, so if you want these tags to * allocate space for the ad before it shows, you will need to add this * information to the tag. * * If you do not want to deal with the intricities of the noscript * section, delete the tag (from <noscript>... to </noscript>). On * average, the noscript tag is called from less than 1% of internet * users. */--> <script type="text/javascript"><!--//<![CDATA[ var m3_u = (location.protocol=='https:'?'https://cmas.concordmonitor.com/www/delivery/ajs.php':'http://cmas.concordmonitor.com/www/delivery/ajs.php'); var m3_r = Math.floor(Math.random()*99999999999); if (!document.MAX_used) document.MAX_used = ','; document.write ("<scr"+"ipt type='text/javascript' src='"+m3_u); document.write ("?zoneid=4"); document.write ('&cb=' + m3_r); if (document.MAX_used != ',') document.write ("&exclude=" + document.MAX_used); document.write (document.charset ? '&charset='+document.charset : (document.characterSet ? '&charset='+document.characterSet : '')); document.write ("&loc=" + escape(window.location)); if (document.referrer) document.write ("&referer=" + escape(document.referrer)); if (document.context) document.write ("&context=" + escape(document.context)); if (document.mmm_fo) document.write ("&mmm_fo=1"); document.write ("'><\/scr"+"ipt>"); //]]>--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://cmas.concordmonitor.com/www/delivery/ajs.php?zoneid=4&cb=80274772684&charset=ISO-8859-1&loc=http%3A//www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20091212/NEWS01/912120323/1001"></script><noscript></noscript> <!--/* * CONTROL TAG - RECTANGLE ZONE * */--> <script type="text/javascript"><!--//<![CDATA[ var m3_u = (location.protocol=='https:'?'https://cmas.concordmonitor.com/www/delivery/ajs.php':'http://cmas.concordmonitor.com/www/delivery/ajs.php'); var m3_r = Math.floor(Math.random()*99999999999); if (!document.MAX_used) document.MAX_used = ','; document.write ("<scr"+"ipt type='text/javascript' src='"+m3_u); document.write ("?zoneid=24"); document.write ('&cb=' + m3_r); if (document.MAX_used != ',') document.write ("&exclude=" + document.MAX_used); document.write (document.charset ? '&charset='+document.charset : (document.characterSet ? '&charset='+document.characterSet : '')); document.write ("&loc=" + escape(window.location)); if (document.referrer) document.write ("&referer=" + escape(document.referrer)); if (document.context) document.write ("&context=" + escape(document.context)); if (document.mmm_fo) document.write ("&mmm_fo=1"); document.write ("'><\/scr"+"ipt>"); //]]>--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://cmas.concordmonitor.com/www/delivery/ajs.php?zoneid=24&cb=78369232002&charset=ISO-8859-1&loc=http%3A//www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20091212/NEWS01/912120323/1001"></script><noscript></noscript> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> The state may begin offering swine flu shots to the general public this month if attendance is good at upcoming clinics for high risk groups, public health officials said yesterday.



State medical providers have received more than 330,000 doses of vaccine so far, and have handed out just over half, said public health director Dr. Jose Montero in a conference call with reporters. That means that after one last push to get vaccine to groups at highest risk of complications and death, there should be enough shots left over for healthy adults who would like protection against the new flu strain.



"We are encouraging the public and those groups at risk to use this week to get your kids, your adults at high risk, to get vaccinated,"
Montero said. "And then, we will open it up to other groups."


Montero also announced the state's ninth death from swine flu. Montero said that the adult from Rockingham County had underlying health conditions.
The case "highlights the fact that we need to really get this population to protect themselves by getting the vaccine and following all the other recommendations," Montero said.
Groups currently eligible for the vaccine are anyone between 6 months and 24 years of age, adults under 65 with chronic health conditions, pregnant women, health care workers and the caretakers of infants.
Flu cases are on the decline both nationally and in New Hampshire, Montero said, but infections are still widespread throughout the state, and historical data suggests that the swine flu could surge again before the season is over.
Nationally, many flu patients who died or required hospitalization were also infected with pneumonia. Montero recommended that those over 65 to get a pneumonia vaccine and said that younger patients with respiratory or cardiovascular disease may also want to discuss that vaccine with their doctor.
Nearly 60 school-based clinics are scheduled for next week. Montero urged parents to sign consent forms so their children could be vaccinated, citing recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that suggests the H1N1 vaccine is as safe as the seasonal flu shot.
But in Concord, schools will not be holding clinics. The district will be encouraging children to visit a free public vaccine clinic at NHTI next weekend instead, according to assistant superintendent Rob Prohl, who said the schools would be notifying parents about the details on Monday.
The conventional flu has yet to appear in the state, Montero said. So far, health officials have only found one adult who tested positive for a seasonal flu strain, and that was several weeks ago. But the seasonal flu often doesn't take hold until later in the winter.

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[Commonground]

Re: H1N1 shots go to wide circulation

With 9th death, questions arise

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State mulls whether to dole out H1N1 vaccine to the general public

By Anika Clark
Sentinel Staff

Published: Saturday, December 12, 2009
With New Hampshire?s H1N1-related death toll now at nine, a state health official is predicting a third wave of the outbreak.

Meanwhile, the official ? Dr. Jose T. Montero, director of public health for the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services ? said he doesn?t know when the vaccine will open to the state?s general public.

With the vaccine now being distributed to schools and regional public clinics, ?Based on the uptake in (high-risk) groups, we will be looking by the end of next week to review our recommendations to see when can we open the vaccination to other groups,? he said.

State health officials recently expanded vaccine eligibility criteria to include people aged 6 months to 24 years ? regardless of their medical history ? and adults 25 through 64 with underlying medical conditions.

Also eligible are health care workers who have direct contact with patients, emergency responders, pregnant women and their partners and people living with or caring for children under 6 months old.

As of Friday, 332,044 doses of vaccine had been distributed to health care providers, 54 percent of which had been administered, according to Montero.

In addition to recommending people be immunized against H1N1, Montero urged certain groups to receive a vaccine against pneumococcal pneumonia ? pneumonia caused by a certain type of bacteria.

?The people who get infected with the flu develop bacterial infections,? with pneumococcal pneumonia being among the most frequent.

Adults over 65 should get this vaccine, according to Montero. People in higher-risk groups, particularly adults 50 or older with chronic cardiovascular or pulmonary problems, should also discuss the vaccine with their doctor, he said.

In the meantime, he said, ?It is clear that the amount of illness is decreasing, so we can say that we are in the downswing of this second wave of H1N1.?

Montero said he based his predictions about a third resurgence based on historical flu pandemic patterns.

Still, he said, ?We just don?t know when the third one will start.?

Other forms of seasonal flu have yet to circulate in the Granite State, according to Montero.

?We don?t know what?s going to happen in the next couple of weeks. We may have a resurgence of H1N1 or we may have other flu viruses kicking in,? he said. ?So we want everybody to be prepared and protected.?

The latest H1N1 death was of a adult from Rockingham County with underlying health issues, according to Montero.

http://sentinelsource.com/articles/2009/12/12/news/local/free/id_382559.txt