Seasonal and H1N1 Flu
Vaccine Updates
Last Update: December 28, 2009
We are now happy to announce that we can now accept
online requests for the H1N1 vaccine for all patients, including
second/booster doses for patients under 10 years of age. Please send us
an online request via email, and our staff will be contacting you for an
appointment.
We have also received
additional doses for the seasonal influenza vaccine for all patients,
including asthmatics and those with underlying risk factors. If your child has
not yet received the seasonal influenza shot or mist, or needs a booster dose,
please contact our office for an appointment.
We currently do not have the
preservative-free H1N1 shot for children under 3 years of age, but we do have
the approval to give the thimerosal-containing vaccine, which is felt to be
safe, to children less than 3 years. For more information regarding this,
please proceed to the following link: Seasonal and H1N1 News.
We are asking families not to
call our office to schedule an H1N1 vaccine appointment as only a few
specialized staff members are authorized to screen on-line requests and book
these appointments. In order to keep our phone lines available for sick patient
care and to allow us to respond more quickly to urgent matters, please send us
an online request via email, and our staff will be contacting you for an
appointment. Additional information is also available through H1N1 information
line (510-728-9705). Check our
website frequently for updates regarding this matter.
We understand the frustration
families have had in obtaining the H1N1 and the seasonal influenza vaccine in
this time of crisis. Rest assured that we are doing everything we can in order
to vaccinate as many children as possible.
Please remember that our staff
continues working very hard to process an enormous number of requests in the
order received, on top of their usual workload, which is already considerable
during an influenza outbreak.
Thank you very much for your patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
the Physicians at South East Bay Pediatrics
Get comprehensive flu information at
www.flu.gov, a federal government website managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Please review our comprehensive information on
both types of flu vaccines
This page covers the following topics:
- Which vaccine types are available
- Which vaccine type(s) will be right for your child
- Downloadable Vaccine Information Sheets
- Links to additional information from the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC)
- Information about scheduling vaccine appointments
**Due to the recall of the preservative free H1N1 shot on
December 15, 2009 we no longer have the specifically formulated vaccine
available for our patients who are between the ages of 6 to 36 months.
We do have H1N1 shots that DO contain the preservative thimerosal.
This thimerosal-containing vaccine can now be given to children 6 to 36
months of age. Specifically, the Secretary of the California Health and Human
Services Agency has granted an exemption to this restriction for Influenza A
(H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine in children younger than 3 years of age and
pregnant women from October 12, 2009 until September 30, 2010.
Because of the ongoing shortage of preservative-free vaccines, South East
Bay Pediatrics is in full agreement with this decision and recommends that
children under 3 years of age be vaccinated with the H1N1 Shot which does
contain thimerasol. At the present time, we do not know IF or WHEN our office
will be getting additional doses of the preservative-free vaccine.
Information for new parents
Washington Hospital offers a variety of
Childbirth and Parenting classes, covering topics such as:
- Becoming new parents
- Helping siblings prepare for the arrival of a new baby
- Breastfeeding support services
- Infant/Child CPR
- Infant massage
- Childbirth preparation
- Prenatal exercise
- And more!
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