2010 - 2011 Flu Vaccine Availability

September 3, 2010

Dear Parents,

Hirsch Pediatrics will begin its 2010 - 2011 annual flu vaccine campaign with walk-in hours beginning on Monday, September 13th (see below for details).

For the 2010 – 2011 flu season, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have recommended that everybody over the age of 6 months be vaccinated against the flu. This is especially important for the highest risk groups including all children as well as caretakers of young children. I strongly support this recommendation. Please do not delay in getting you and your child vaccinated. 

Unlike last flu season when separate seasonal and H1N1 (swine) flu vaccines were administered, this year there is only one single combined vaccine that protects against both the seasonal and H1N1 flu virus.

As always, Hirsch Pediatrics is committed to providing the highest quality of care to your family by ensuring that the flu vaccine is administered to you and your child as expeditiously, safely, and conveniently as possible. 

Please see below for answers to commonly asked questions regarding the flu vaccine and its availability at Hirsch Pediatrics.  Also, please remember to check our website regularly for any updates or notifications about the 2010 – 2011 flu season.

I look forward to working with you to help ensure that you and your family have a "flu-free" flu season. 

Sincerely,

Steven F. Hirsch, MD, FAAP

When can my child and I receive the flu vaccine?

•  Walk-in any weekday from 9:00 - 12:00 or 2:30 - 4:30 beginning Monday, September 13th.

•  No appointment is necessary and there is usually a minimal wait time.

•  Current patients and their caregivers may also receive the flu vaccine at any well-child exam. 

•  Please note that all children will be given thimerosal free flu vaccine while supplies last.

 
Can parents and caregivers receive the flu vaccine from Hirsch Pediatrics?
  • Yes – while supplies last, we are happy to vaccinate and encourage all parents and caregivers to receive the flu vaccine.  Not only will this protect those individuals from the flu, it will significantly protect their children from flu exposure as well.
 
My child is not a patient of Hirsch Pediatrics.  Can I, as an adult, still receive the flu vaccine?
  • Yes - all adults may receive the seasonal flu vaccine at the office.  However, children (under age 21) who are not established patients of Hirsch Pediatrics will not be able to receive the flu vaccine at the office.
 

Last year there were two separate vaccines for seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu virus.  Are there two separate vaccines this year?

•  No.  This year there is only one single vaccine that protects against both the seasonal and H1N1 flu virus.
 

Some children will need two doses of flu vaccine separated by 1 month. How many doses will my child need?

•  All children who are at least 9 years old will only need 1 dose regardless of previous vaccination history.

•  All children ages 6 months through 8 years who did not receive H1N1 vaccine last year will need 2 doses separated by 1 month, regardless of the number of prior seasonal flu vaccines received.

 
How much does the flu vaccine cost?
  • For current patients of Hirsch Pediatrics whose insurance coverage includes the flu vaccine, there is no additional charge for the flu vaccine other than your normal visit copay. Please note that all children will automatically be given thimerosal free flu vaccine while supplies last.
  • The cost for adults receiving the flu vaccine at Hirsch Pediatrics, flu vaccines given at off-site clinics, and flu vaccines for patients whose insurance coverage does not include the flu vaccine will be $30.  (Flumist and preservative free flu vaccine will be available at all locations for $45.)
 
Who should get the flu vaccine?
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend that everybody be vaccinated against the flu.  Note: Only children over 6 months of age are eligible for the flu shot.
  • In addition to all children, the following groups are considered high-risk and should be vaccinated against the flu:  
    • Any parent or caregiver of young children. 
    • Adults 50 years of age or older.
    • People with history of wheezing, asthma, or other chronic medical conditions.
    • Most women who are or will be pregnant during the flu season. Note: Though the flu vaccine is felt to be safe for pregnant women throughout the pregnancy, some OB offices prefer to wait until after the first trimester.  
 
Can a flu shot actually give you the flu?
  • No.  It is impossible for any flu shot to give you the flu.
 
So why did I get sick last year after getting the flu shot?
  • The goal of a flu shot (or any vaccine) is to expose your immune system to a component of the actual organism you are trying to protect yourself against.  It is a relatively short lived immune system response to this component that makes you feel sick, not the actual virus.  Thus, the illness that you may feel from the shot is typically much milder and shorter in duration than actually becoming sick with the flu virus.  Also, the illness you may feel from the flu vaccine is not contagious.
 
What is Flumist?
  • Flumist is a thimerosal free seasonal nasal spray flu vaccine that contains the live flu virus in an attenuated (weakened) form. 
  • Flumist is only approved for ages 2 - 49, and there are more restrictions about who may receive Flumist. Visit www.flumist.com for a complete listing of who is eligible for Flumist. The Flumist costs $45.
 
Is it safe for my child to receive a flu vaccine with thimerosal?

As stated by the CDC and supported by the vast majority of medical organizations:

There is no convincing evidence of harm caused by the small amount of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor effects like swelling and redness at the injection site due to sensitivity to thimerosal.

Based on guidelines established by the FDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), no child will receive excessive mercury from childhood vaccines regardless of whether or not their flu shot contains thimerosal as a preservative.

Nevertheless, to simplify administration and alleviate any lingering concerns, while supplies last, Hirsch Pediatrics will administer thimerosal free seasonal flu vaccine to all established patients. 

2010 - 2011

Hirsch Pediatrics

Flu Vaccine

Walk-in Hours

(beginning Monday, September 13th)

Any weekday from

9:00 - 12:00

and

2:30 - 4:30