Updated December 15, 2009.
Vaccine Update: Four lots of preservative-free H1N1 vaccine have been voluntarily recalled. The recall is not due to safety concerns. The potency of the recalled vaccines was found to be slightly lower than when originally manufactured. The CDC does not feel that the decrease in potency was enough to make a difference in immunity, so revaccination is not being recommended. Our office does not currently have any lots of the recalled vaccine, and we have not yet determined if we ever received any of the affected lots. See the CDC web site for more information about the recall.
We have been able to open up more flu clinics in December and January. Please call to schedule an appointment, and let the receptionist know if your child is high risk and needs the shot instead of the FluMist (for example, if your child has asthma, cerebral palsy or other chronic medical condition) . Since we have no control over what type of vaccine or how much vaccine we receive from week to week, we will call you the day before your appointment if we do not have the appropriate vaccine available. You may also schedule an appointment for seasonal flu vaccine.
Interest in the vaccine has been very high, and flu clinics have been filling up as fast as we can open them. We continue to add more as time and staffing allows.
However, supplies are still limited and we expect to have temporary shortages. Because of this we will be giving priority to those who have not yet had the vaccine, and asking those who need a second dose to wait. We understand your frustration, but distribution of vaccine is not in our control. Please be patient as we try to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as we can.
*******
Where can parents get the vaccine? If you need the H1N1 vaccine (see box to the right), call your doctor. Not all physician offices will be distributors of the vaccine, so check the following sites for community flu clinics:
*******
Please bear with us as we are handling larger volumes of sick children and phone calls. You may also notice that we have made some changes in the office to help protect our patients. These include removing toys and books from waiting rooms and exam rooms, asking you to come to the contagious entrance and put on a mask if you or your child has fever and cough, and we've added more facial tissues and hand sanitizers for your use. More changes may come, so thank you for your patience.
*******
We are following the progression of H1N1 and keeping up to date on the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). Below are links to useful information to help answer questions.