Women Physicians OB/GYN Blog

WPMG just received a new shipment of the H1N1 vaccine. Our high risk patients have now all been vaccinated so we can make this available to anyone who would like to be protected from this flu.

The experience thus far with this vaccine has shown that it is as safe as the regular seasonal flu vaccine. It has also been shown to be effective in preventing what can be a serious flu epidemic in previously healthy people, at times resulting in hospitalizations and death. We hope that this epidemic has peaked and the outbreaks will be decreasing, but once an epidemic peaks, 50% of the hospitalizations and 50% of the deaths are still yet to occur.

Unless you have a contraindication, we at WPMG recommend that everyone have this vaccination. Even if you are at low risk of complications, you could unknowingly pass it on to someone else who is at high risk of complications since people can transmit the virus to others 2 days before the symptoms occur.

If you would like to have this vaccination at our office for a $25 injection fee, please call first at 650-988-7550 to confirm a time to come in.

Unfortunately, Women Physicians Ob-Gyn has not yet received the 250 doses of H1N1 vaccine that we ordered and we are uncertain of the exact date it will arrive. We will announce our receipt on this blog as soon as it arrives. In the meantime, we want to notify all of our high risk risk patients about the clinics provided by the county.

Where to Get the H1N1 Flu Vaccine

The following clinics are for people at higher risk for getting or having complications from the H1N1 flu. Over the next weeks and months, as regular shipments of vaccine continue to arrive, there should be enough vaccine for anyone who wants it.

Public vaccination clinics for the following groups will be held on November 15, and November 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Pregnant women;
Children and young adults between the ages of 6 months and 24 years;
People who live with or provide care for infants under six months;
Adults between the ages of 25 and 64 years who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for flu-related complications; and,
Healthcare and emergency medical services workers.
Because the vaccine supply is so limited at this time, it is important that persons not belonging to one of the groups above wait to be vaccinated so that those at highest risk of severe illness can get the vaccine.

Once the demand for vaccine for people at highest risk has been met, the Public Health Department and local providers will begin providing the vaccine to all others who want it. It is important to remember – this is the beginning of a long vaccination effort. We thank you for your patience and understanding.

Clinic locations, days, and hours may change based on the vaccine’s availability and public demand. Please check www.sccphd.org/h1n1flu for weekly updates to clinic schedules.

November 15th to November 21st

Times
Sunday, November 15
Saturday, November 21 9:30 a.m.
3:30 p.m.
Location
Santa Clara County Fairgrounds
EXPO HALL
334 Tully Road
San José, CA 95111

For more information about the H1N1 flu and vaccination clinics offered by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, visit www.sccphd.org.

Cases of H1N1 flu have already been widely reported throughout the Bay Area. We have been advised by the County Health Department to currently assume that any patient who has flu like symptoms before October has the H1N1 flu. In Santa Clara county 1/3 of the reported patients infected with H1N1 flu have been pregnant. In the US, 6% of deaths have been pregnant women whereas only 1% of the population is pregnant

Every flu season, some people who get infected with the flu will develop complications. The H1N1 flu is no different. Pregnant women (particularly those in the third trimester) are at very high risk of complications, such as severe pneumonia, respiratory distress or preterm labor.

Now that school is starting, the number of flu cases is expected to increase. Here’s what to do if you think you might have the flu/have been exposed to someone with the flu.

Symptoms of H1N1 flu (like symptoms of seasonal influenza) include the following:
Fever, Cough, Sore throat, Runny or Stuffy nose, Body aches, Headaches, Chills and Fatigue; sometimes Diarrhea and Vomiting
If you have symptoms of the flu, please call our office so we can discuss starting you on a prescription medication (Tamiflu®) to take twice a day for 5 days. To reduce your risk of complications from the flu, it is important that you start this medication within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. This medicine is considered safe to use at any time during pregnancy.
Treat fever right away. Use Tylenol® 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hours (maximum dose of 4000 mg/day) if your temperature is >99.5. Also drink plenty of fluids.
Emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Decreased or no movement of your baby
• A high fever that is not responding to Tylenol®

If you’ve been exposed to the flu, please call our office. If you are pregnant, we will likely start you on Tamiflu® — once a day for 10 days to decrease your chances of getting the flu.

How you can decrease your risk of getting the flu:
 Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based gel hand cleaner
 Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth. Germs spread this way.
 Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
 Have a plan in place to care for a family member who develops flu-like symptoms. If possible, arrange for someone else to care for that person.
 Instruct friends, family members, and acquaintances who are sick to stay home and away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick. (“Staying at home” means that you should not leave your home except to seek medical care. This means avoiding normal activities, including work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings.)

H1N1 Flu Vaccine
We anticipate that a vaccine for the H1N1 flu will be available in October. We recommend that all pregnant patients get vaccinated as soon as it’s available. It is safe to get immunized at any time during pregnancy.

Seasonal Flu Vaccine
As we do every flu season, we recommend that all pregnant patients get the regular seasonal flu vaccine. It is now available and we encourage you to get immunized at your next prenatal visit. It is safe to get immunized at any time during pregnancy.

For additional information, we recommend you visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website which is regularly updated: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/general_info.htm