Do I have the flu?

Genesee County Health Department officials say only one local provider received a shipment of the recalled H1N1 flu vaccine for children ages six months to 3 years. “We’re very fortunate in only having one provider who’d ordered 100 doses and only given three, and everybody’s been contacted,” said Genesee County Health Officer Mark Valacak. About 800,000 doses nationwide have been voluntarily recalled by the French manufacturer, after routine quality testing determined the lots had lost some of their potency after being shipped. About 17,200 doses were reportedly shipped to Michigan, including Saginaw and Bay counties as well as Genesee. Exact numbers in those counties weren’t available at this time but were believed to be fairly small numbers too. “This is not a safety concern. This was a potency issue,” said Valacak. “What’s an effective dose is determined by average  studies of average individuals, so a slight variation is probably not going to have an impact and that’s all this appears to be. ”The problem was caused by a stability issue, in which the vaccine’s potency weakened over time after the pre-filled pediatric syringes had been distributed. The recall only affects specific lots  shipped from one manufacturer, according to a Centers for Disease Control  report. “This should  demonstrate to people we’re constantly monitoring all vaccines. We have a very good tracking system in terms of quality assurance, effective and side effects, and if problems develop, recalls are done,” said Valacak. Even those who received the weakened vaccine should be adequately protected, Valacak said, especially since all children in this age group must receive two doses spaced about a month apart. Too, manufacturers’ studies have indicated the vaccine creates the necessary immune response in children even at half the specified potency. To date, about 60,000 doses of the vaccine have been distributed to Genesee County providers, with more than 16,000 residents vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus. About 300 were vaccinated at a clinic this week in Lake  Fenton, with similar numbers expected for another clinic on Thursday in Davison. The vaccine is also now available to the general public on a daily walk-in basis at the health department’s Burton branch. A number of local pharmacies and about 100 doctors and clinics are also offering the vaccine. The vaccine is free but some providers may charge a small adminstration fee. Those with insurance should bring their insurance information to receive the vaccine free from the health department. The latest updates on clinics and other H1N1 facts are available online at www. gchd. us. “People need to understand vaccine is still the best protection against this illness. We encourage everyone to get the vaccine now that the state has opened up access,” said Valacak.

Images provided by ()