940 SE Cary Parkway,Suite 200
Cary, North Carolina 27518
Phone: (919) 859-9991
Fax: -(919) 859-6595

Flu & H1N1 Updates

Update as of 02/08/10 regarding Seasonal Influenza vaccines for children ages 6mo – 35mo:

Western Wake Pediatrics has received additional doses of the 0.25ml seasonal influenza vaccine.  Please call our office at 919 859-9991 option 2 to schedule your initial or booster dose.

Update as of 02/08/10 regarding Non-Safety-Related Voluntary Recall of Certain Lots of H1N1 Vaccine:

Sanofi Pasteur notified the CDC and FDA that the potency in five lots of pediatric pre-filled syringes and one lot of adult pre-filled syringes that had been distributed to providers was later found to have dropped below a pre-specified limit required for potency.

Of the lot numbers reported, Western Wake Pediatrics had 200 doses of one lot number which was given between November 16, 2009 and December 28, 2009.  This lot number was for the 0.25 mL pre-filled syringes for children under 3 years of age.

The CDC and the FDA are in agreement that revaccination is not needed for those who received vaccine from these lots.  However, as is recommended for all 2009 H1N1vacines, all children less than 10 years old should receive the two doses of H1N1 vaccine approximately a month apart for the optimal immune response.

Update as of 01/20/10 regarding Seasonal Influenza vaccines for children ages 6mo – 35mo:

Western Wake Pediatrics’ supply of the 0.25ml seasonal influenza vaccine has been depleted without the ability to re-supply through the State - Vaccines For Children program or through privately purchased inventory from the different manufacturers. At this time, we are directing parents to go to Wake County's website as they continue to offer seasonal flu vaccine clinics throughout Wake County.

Update 12/18/2009 – H1N1 flu vaccine

The H1N1 flu vaccine clinics that have been opened for the month of January (see dates below) as nurse visit appointments are at capacity. However, if you are already scheduled to see the physician or nurse practitioner for a physical exam or a sick visit, you may still receive your H1N1 vaccine or booster vaccine dose at that time. The appointments that are unavailable at the moment are solely the H1N1 nurse visit appointments (clinic appointments). If you have any questions or concerns as it relates to these appointments, please call our main line at (919) 859-9991 and select option #2 and either Joan or Betsy will help answer your questions.

Western Wake Pediatrics will make another announcement after the holidays on future H1N1 clinics. Please continue to visit our website after January 4, 2010. Thank you.

CDC announcement December 15, 2009, 9:00 AM ET: Non-Safety-Related Voluntary Recall of Certain Lots of the Sanofi Pasteur H1N1 Pediatric (0.25mL, for 6-35 month olds) Vaccine in Pre-Filled Syringes

Western Wake Pediatrics did not have nor currently has any of the Sanofi lot numbers that are
affected by this recall. We anticipate that this announcement will create concern amongst our parents, so we’ve included the above CDC announcement to help answer your concerns. We are also aware that there were some patients that had received their initial dose at other facilities (health departments, etc.) and we felt that we should broadcast this information as it still might be applicable to our patients, although Western Wake Pediatrics was not affected by this recall.

We will keep you abreast of any additional information as we become aware. Thank you.

Update 12/09/2009 – H1N1 flu vaccine

The H1N1 clinics for both December 10^th and December 15^th are at capacity.  In an effort to continue to vaccinate as many children  as we can, Western Wake Pediatrics will offer appointments (during the day, no evening appointments) for established patients of the practice.  These appointments can be for either the initial H1N1 vaccine or the booster dose of the H1N1 vaccine (booster doses are recommended for all children ages 6 months to < 10 years of age after ~ 30 days from the initial dose).  Please call our main line at (919) 859-9991 and select option #2 and either Joan or Betsy will help schedule your appointment.  The appointment dates are as follows:

Update 12/07/2009 – H1N1 flu vaccine

Western Wake Pediatrics is offering two additional H1N1 flu clinics in the month of December.  These clinics will be held at our office, by appointment, for established patients of Western Wake Pediatrics.  Please call (919) 858-4925 to schedule an appointment.  We ask that you refrain from calling our main number as these appointments are scheduled separately in order to ensure vaccine availability upon your arrival.  The clinic dates/times are as follows:

Thursday            12/10/2009            5:30pm – 7:00pm

Tuesday             12/15/2009            9:30am – 12:30pm
                                                             1:30pm – 5:00pm
                                                             5:30pm – 7:00pm

We will offer the H1N1 vaccine for the first time vaccine dose as well as the recommended booster dose (for children 6 months to < 10 years of age) at these clinics.  Please read below for more information and clarification on this, as well as links to helpful websites concerning this vaccine.  Thank you.

Update 11/18/2009 – H1N1 flu vaccine

As of 4pm Wednesday, November 18, 2009, all available appointments for Saturday’s H1N1 clinic have been given. At this time we will be changing our messages on our phone system to reflect the same. We do apologize if you were unable to obtain an appointment for this H1N1 flu clinic. We will continue to press forward in our efforts to efficiently vaccinate as many children as our inventory allows. Please continue to visit our website for future updates on other flu clinics for first time and/or booster doses. Thank you.

Update 11/16/2009 – H1N1 flu vaccine

We have received a limited supply of the H1N1 flu vaccine.  We will have an H1N1 vaccination clinic on Saturday 11/21/2009, at our office, between the hours of 8:30am and 12:30pm and then again at 1:30 pm until 4:00pm by appointment only for established patients of Western Wake Pediatrics.  Please call (919) 858-4925 to schedule an appointment.  We ask that you refrain from calling our main number as these appointments are scheduled separately in order to ensure vaccine availability upon your arrival. 

In order to immunize as may children as possible and minimize any errors, for this clinic:

1. We will only be administering the H1N1 flu vaccine.  Seasonal flu vaccinations and other “catch up” vaccinations can be scheduled through our main office number at (919) 859-9991 option 2.
2. We will only be administering the injectable form (shot), because at present we do not have any of the nasal spray vaccine in stock.
3. We ask that families only schedule an appointment for their child if it is their first dose of the vaccine.  As more vaccine becomes available we will schedule appointments for those who require a second dose.

Our practice supports the CDC and AAP guidelines that recommend that all children older than 6 months receive the H1N1 flu vaccine.   It is recommended even for those children who have had a flu-like illness in the last 6 months.  A second dose of the vaccine is recommended about 1 month after the first dose for children under 10 years of age.  If possible both doses of vaccine should be of the same type (shot or nasal spray) but either is acceptable if there are problems with availability.  Children who should not get the flu vaccine are those with severe (life threatening) allergy to eggs or life threatening reactions to a seasonal flu vaccine.  We would also recommend that children who have fevers > 100.5 or are moderately ill wait until they recover before getting the vaccine.

This site and our phone message will be updated when we receive additional doses of vaccine. 

The following link can be used to search other sites that might have vaccines available.    http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/gcdc/fluhome.htm

More information about the seasonal and H1N1 flu and vaccines can be found at: www.flu.gov or www.cdc.gov.

Link to the Vaccine Information Sheets which you will be provided at your appointment is:  http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-inact-h1n1.pdf

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Many people are concerned about the novel H1N1 flu virus. CDC has determined that this new H1N1 virus is contagious and is spreading from person-to-person, probably like seasonal flu. The symptoms of this new H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. A significant number of people also have reported diarrhea and vomiting.

Most people who have been sick with this virus in the U.S. have recovered at home without treatment. If your child has flu-like symptoms, please keep him or her at home for seven days or 24 hours after symptoms resolve, unless given other instructions by your pediatrician or their staff.

Like seasonal flu, complications can occur with novel H1N1 flu. Seek emergency medical care if your child becomes ill and experiences any of the following warnings:

• Fast breathing
  
  
• Trouble breathing
  
  
• Bluish or gray skin color
  
  
• Not drinking enough fluids
  
  
• Not urinating as much as usual
  
  
• Severe or persistent vomiting
  
  
• Not waking up or interacting as usual
  
  
• Being so irritable that your child does not even want to be held
  
  
• Fever returns after being absent for a day, or a significant change in fever pattern occurs. For example, it was 101 degrees Fahrenheit for several days and now it is 103 degrees.

Again, seek emergency medical care if your child becomes ill and experiences any of those warning signs.

It's important that your child not be exposed to other children who are sick, and that if your child has a flu-like illness that he or she does not expose other people, in order to keep from spreading illness.

There are some things you can do to keep you and your child healthy:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. Put your used tissue in the waste basket.
  
  
• Wash hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. If soap and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
  
  
• Avoid close contact with sick people.
  
  
• One of the best ways to lessen your chances of getting H1N1 is to get the vaccine once it is made available. We will update our phone message system as soon as we receive our allotment of the H1N1 vaccine, should it be received at our office.
  

In closing, if you or your child gets sick with a flu-like illness, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth as germs spread this way.

If you'd like more information on novel H1N1 flu, please visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu.
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