SALINAS, Calif. - Next week, H1N1 vaccines will arrive on the Central Coast. They've been approved and are now being shipped across the country.
The Monterey County Health Department says, the county will be receiving its first shipment of vaccines next week. It will be a very limited supply of 4,000 doses and it will come in the form of a nasal spray or flu mist. Likewise, Santa Cruz County Health Department, says they will be receiving 3,000 doses.
Monterey County Health Immunization Coordinator Molly Hubbard says, it will look very similar to the seasonal flu vaccines and be administered the same way, just in different packaging.
For this first shipment, only a dozen providers will get the H1N1 vaccines. It will given to healthy individuals ages two to 49.
"Flu mist is a specific product," says Hubbard. "It's a different type of vaccine than the flu shot. The flu shot is an inactivated vaccine so that means it's little parts of a dead virus, where the flu mist is a live whole virus that's been weakened so it can't cause disease in the person. That means it can only be given to healthy 2 to 49-year-olds who aren't pregnant."
Getting an H1N1 vaccine isn't required, it's recommended, especially for those who at most at risk, including pregnant women, health care workers and children.
They will be getting more vaccines in the coming weeks, including flu shots. In the meantime, Hubbard says, people should hold tight until they get more.
"People shouldn't start looking for H1N1 vaccines," says Hubbard. "At this point, very few providers will have some in our county. They will be able to get it to people in their practice, who are at high risk for H1N1 who can have this type of H1N1 vaccines. For the rest of us, we should wait until the rest is available in mid to late October."
When more vaccines do arrive and if you're wondering if you should get it, Hubbard recommends it because even if you get a mild case and aren't showing much symptoms, you could pass it on to other people and it could be serious for them.
People have been hospitalized and have died from H1N1. In Monterey County, they have had a least one reported death related to H1N1.
