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Home > News & Press Releases > Columbia St. Mary's & the H1N1 Vaccine
Columbia St. Mary's & the H1N1 Vaccine
- How much of the H1N1 vaccine is currently available to Columbia St. Mary’s?
The vaccine is being distributed throughout the state, by the state, in batches each week and, as of October 12, 2009 Columbia St. Mary’s had received 100 doses of the vaccine. We expect to have more doses in the coming weeks.
Why is Columbia St. Mary’s “front-line” staff being vaccinated first, before the public?
It is critical that Columbia St. Mary’s "front-line" staff be healthy in order to care for patients. Columbia St. Mary’s is following the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control in administering our limited doses of the H1N1 vaccine. These guidelines state:
CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that certain groups of the population receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it first becomes available. These target groups include pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.
When will Columbia St. Mary’s have the H1N1 vaccine available to the public?
While Columbia St. Mary’s does not have a specific timetable for availability of the H1N1 vaccine, health experts have said they expect there to be enough vaccines in Wisconsin for all who want them by mid-November. The CDC said this regarding H1N1 vaccine availability:
We do not expect that there will be a shortage of 2009 H1N1 vaccine, but availability and demand can be unpredictable. There is some possibility that initially the vaccine will be available in limited quantities. In this setting, the committee recommended that the following groups receive the vaccine before others: pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, health care and emergency medical services personnel with direct patient contact, children 6 months through 4 years of age, and children 5 through 18 years of age who have chronic medical conditions.
Who do I call to schedule a vaccination or check on the availability of the vaccine at Columbia St. Mary’s?
Call your primary care physician. If you don’t have one, call (414) 963-WELL (9355) and one of our Call Center representatives will be happy to help you find one.
What is the cost of the H1N1 vaccine?
The vaccine itself is free; there will be a nominal processing fee if you receive the vaccine at a Columbia St. Mary’s clinic.
What are the symptoms of the H1N1 or “Swine Flu” virus?
The symptoms include:
- Fever (usually high) — Everyone with the H1N1 virus will have a fever.
- Headache
- Extreme fatigue
- Dry cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle aches
- Stomach symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea (most common in children)
What should I do if I think I have H1N1?
If you get sick with flu-like symptoms this flu season, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care. Most people with 2009 H1N1 have had mild illness and have not needed medical care or antiviral drugs and the same is true of seasonal flu.
However, some people are more likely to get flu complications and they should talk to a health care provider about whether they need to be examined if they get flu symptoms this season. They are: - Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
- People 65 and older
- Pregnant women
- People who have:
- Cancer
- Blood disorders (including sickle cell disease)
- Chronic lung disease [including asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)]
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Kidney disorders
- Liver disorders
- Neurological disorders (including nervous system, brain or spinal cord)
- Neuromuscular disorders (including muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis)
- Weakened immune systems (including people with AIDS)
Also, it’s possible for healthy people to develop severe illness from the flu so anyone concerned about their illness should consult a health care provider.
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