DEAR DR. GOTT: We had the H1N1 flu shot at our doctor’s office earlier this year. Now we see H1N1 is in the flu shot for this coming season. Is it safe to take it again? Or should we try and get the single flu shot if possible?
DEAR READER: To my knowledge, there is no single flu shot, so I believe it is appropriate for you to receive a seasonal-flu injection. My reasoning is that seasonal flu covers different strains that you wouldn’t be immunized against if you didn’t have the 2010 injection. What you received earlier this year was specifically for H1N1. To be on the safe side and because I don’t know your age, allergies or health history, you should clear this with your primary-care physician before being immunized.
The swine-flu pandemic began in April 2009 and took more than 18,000 lives worldwide, according to Fox News, which also reported the governments of North America and Europe dumped their vaccines after finding their shelves were full of unused serum and supplies that were about to expire. Conservative skeptics held back and simply didn’t get immunized. France also felt the threat of a pandemic was an overestimation. Germany ended up with 34 million doses of vaccine from manufacturers, with very little used. That said, the World Health Organization believes the 2009 H1N1 viruses will continue to spread in many parts of the world for years to come.
The 2010 to 2011 seasonal-influenza vaccine will protect against the H3N2 virus, influenza B virus and the 2009 H1N1 virus. Those who had H1N1 or the vaccine last year can safely receive the seasonal-flu vaccine this year.
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