Specific criteria have to be met in order to take this vaccine, according to Robert Roe of the Maplewood Health Department. It is for healthy young people from the age of 2 to 24, and healthy adults between the ages of 25 to 49 who are caregivers of children less than six months of age, spouses of pregnant women, and health care workers. Pregnant women and sick people should not take this form the vaccine, Roe says.

The H1N1 virus is an influenza type A virus, which causes symptoms that are similar to the regular flu.  They include sore throat, coughing, fever, body aches, and headaches.  However, the virus strain is different. The seasonal flu vaccine is made up of more than a few strains of influenza. The H1N1 flu contains genes from a North American bird virus, seasonal human flu influenza, and a virus that has been in pigs for quite some time before crossing over to humans.

It is believed that the H1N1 flu first appeared in humans sometime in 2008.  Researchers say the virus has probably been traveling through Mexico for some months, but was considered a typical flu.  That is until the inflammation of outbreaks and its final recognition as the new H1N1 in April 2009. Children aged six months to 19 years are most at risk for contacting the virus. In addition, other high-risk groups include pregnant women, people over 50, and people of any age with particular medical conditions such as lung disease, heart disease, asthma, emphysema, COPD, Diabetes, or those with enfeebled immune systems.

The last Vaccination Clinic in Maplewood took place Sunday, November 22. Nearly 250 people were vaccinated with the injection form of the vaccine. Jonah Price, Maplewood resident and junior at the Morristown-Beard School, received his injection at that clinic. According to Price, it was painless.

We had originally planned for this clinic to be for second dose booster vaccinations for children age nine and under who had received a vaccination at least three weeks prior to this date. However, due to continuing H1N1 vaccine shortages, the Health Department will prioritize children in need of a first H1N1 vaccination. This is as per guidance from the Federal Centers for Disease Control and the NJ State Department of Health and Senior Services. But, the Health Department will provide second booster doses if all the spaces for the December 6 clinic are not filled. (See below for clinic plans.)

Information from the State Health Department indicates that children nine and under who have received one dose of the H1N1 vaccine do indeed have an immune response that will help protect them from the H1N1 flu. But, second booster doses are still recommended as the vaccine becomes available.