Have you been vaccinated?

Greta got her shot - have you or your little ones?


What is H1N1 swine flu?
The swine flu is a strain of virus that shares genes with flu viruses that affect pigs. As of June 2009, it was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. In October 2009, President Barack Obama declared an H1N1 swine flu national emergency in the United States. The state of emergency declaration was a reaction to the fact that more than 1,000 Americans (including almost 100 children) had died as a result of H1N1 swine flu.


Why is this flu different from other flus?
Swine flu is a new, different strain of virus.

How is the swine flu transmitted?
The swine flu is transmitted just the way any viral disease is transmitted through person-to-person contact. One person touches something someone with a virus has already touched, or droplets in the air which came from a sneeze or a cough of a person who has the swine flu spread to another person.

What are the symptoms of swine flu?
Symptoms of swine flu are the same as typical flu symptoms. Fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue are the most prevalent symptoms. Some patients report diarrhea and vomiting, too.

Do people die from swine flu?
People can die, but most do not.

Who Is Most at Risk for Catching Swine Flu?
Like any contagious disease, babies or anyone with a compromised immune system are vulnerable.

Is the 2009 H1N1 swine flu vaccine safe?
No vaccine is 100% safe for everyone. People with allergies to eggs, for example, can't take flu vaccines because eggs are involved in the manufacturing process.
And flu vaccines cause mild but common reactions. About one in three people get a sore arm from the shot, some with a little redness or even swelling. Some 10% to 15% of people feel tired; some may even run a low fever.

So if vaccines aren't 100% safe, why risk them?
Approved vaccines -- including the 2009 H1N1 swine flu vaccine -- are calculated to be much, much less risky than the diseases they prevent. For example, out of every million people who get a flu shot, one or two will have a serious neurological reaction.