H1N1 update & clinics: Are you vaccinating?
So, we’ve decided to vaccinate the girls (and us) against H1N1.
(See Are you and the kids getting a flu shot post here, with 23 comments)
With all the sick currently in our house, I shudder to think of a potentially-deadly flu entering, too. To me, the (small) risk of the vaccine — or any vaccine, for that matter — is far less than the risk of getting the H1N1. Which, you realize, could be death. With a wee 1-year-old in the house, let alone a 3.5-year-old in a daycare with 20+ other kids who pick their nose, rub their eyes and sneeze with no abandon, there really is no question.
Community flu sites in Bowmanville, Oshawa, Whitby, Pickering and north Durham open Wed. Oct. 28 — for more information, including addresses and times, visit the Region of Durham’s vaccine info page here.
If you are still on the fence, Kelly forwarded this interesting video from Sunnybrook Hospital regarding H1N1 and why the vaccine is so important. See it here.
What have all of you decided, now that the vaccine is available for our wee ones?
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There are currently 20 responses
Thanks, Carly, for posting this information.
We have decided to vaccinate Jaxson and us too. I feel the same way, the risk of vaccine is less than the risk of H1N1.
We’re getting everyone done. I have no idea when, between work and our busy social lives, but we’ll definitely make the time this week or next.
I’ve mentioned before that the three of us girls are getting shots and why (in your previously linked post) – The staff at the clinic that Alex goes to for his Dialysis treatments are having a meeting regarding their recommendation for CKD patients – they are extra sensitive to bugs because of their immune system. We don’t know yet if they are recommending the shot for those patients yet. It scares me to no end to think that he’s fought this far through his illness to have something like that take him down when we can possibly prevent it.
My Doctor’s office is giving shots – might be worth it for your readers to contact their doctors’ to see if they are providing shots – much more sane than lining up at the clinics if you don’t have to.
I was wondering if you were going to tackle this subject! Yes we are all getting the shot in our house. Normally we get the seasonal flu shot but I will admit this year with all the negativity surrounding the H1N1 vaccine it made me a bit leary. However, after reading extensively about it fromm reputable sources we are doing it. Especially when you see how rapidly and easily people are becoming sick. Here there are a lot of people sick – not necessarily H1N1 but flu like symptoms. Our house has already been hit by the stomach flu – all of us caught it and the boys and Joe already had colds. And I consider myself to be diligent about handwashing, sanitizing etc. Plus, both my kids fall into the high risk category, Alex especially. So if I can get some extra protection, I am going to take it.
We still haven’t decided. I’ve been looking for ANY credible information on the ‘opposite’ point of view of vaccination (just to be informed) and someone passed along this link which I wanted to post for anyone interested in reading.
http://www.vitalitymagazine.com/oct09_pg32feat
I’d been wavering back and forth for weeks – in short, yes, we’re vaccinated. But I’m looking into the unadjuvant option (if there is one) for Miss M.
Ugh – sorry – I meant “vaccinating”. We are not vaccinated yet. typo…
We are going to wait in line today. I’ll let you know how the line-ups are.
My family (including 9 month old Avery) went to the H1N1 vaccine clinic in Whitby yesterday. We all received the vaccine, but we had to wait 3 hours in the line – so my advice to anyone going to do this should arrive early (ie. before the clinic opens) to start lining up and bring extra clothes/blankets/etc. and food/water in case the wait is longer than expected.
There were lots of overly tired, hungry little ones waiting in the long line outside at the Whitby clinic.
NOTE: Just got an email from Laura saying that there’s a clinic in Pickering Mall that runs now until Nov. 28th in the afternoons. AND NO 3 hour wait.
Oh, what irony. At around the same time I posted on your previous H1N1 post that Ed and I are for sure getting the vaccine we were in the process of becoming sick with H1N1. What a thoroughly awful flu bug! Luckily the kids had a relatively mild dose. Mine was a bit rough–horrible cough and rattly lungs–but one round of antibiotics was enough to get me back in shape.
Ed got his really hard. He had awful cough, chill, aches, fever that lasted over a week. For several days he couldn’t sleep lying down because his lungs were so filled with fluid he’d cough uncontrollably if he lay down. He had to sleep sitting up. After going on two different rounds of antibiotics and puffers Ed’s finally better. He never had to be hospitalized, thank goodness, but it was the sickest I’ve ever seen him (and I’ve seen him deal with pneumonia several times).
We’re still planning to get ourselves vaccinated. It’ll boost the immunity that we’ve already built up.
Yes-we all got vaccinated this morning (except Avery who is only 4 months old). We waited in a 2.5 hour line though–not fun. I’m not sure if you’ve had the same problem in Canada but here in the US there have been some shortages in the availability of the vaccine. I’m just thankful we got it and hope that Avery doesn’t get sick–someone in her daycare class was actually confirmed with H1N1 yesterday.
We are all getting vaccinated as well… My Dr books app’ts for it, so we are going on the 9th…
Just wanted to let you know in wee once stomach symtoms Voimeting and Diarrhea are H1N1 symtoms and little once don’t have to present with a fever and to all the news and doctors offices out there H1N1 is at moment the main flu strain so you got a cold and your kids stomch prolbelms with our without fever you are likly to have the H1N1, so keep that in mind… Bottom line is your body is fighty it already. Talk to the stuff at clinic to make sure they know any symptoms going on. Good luck… keep a closed eye on your wee once and with any persistence sympotms for more then 2days bring them to a doctor….
We waited last night in Bowmanville for 4 and 1/2 hours. We were there for 1:20 pm and the clinic opened at 2pm. Cameron and I were vaccinated, my husband did not want to be, but did want Cameron done (he doesn’t do needles, flu shots, etc.). Since Cameron is under 9, (21 months) he has to go back in 21 days for another dose. I hope line times are reduced by then!
April, Cameron may not need the second dose – watch the papers for updates. There’s already some suggestion that a young child’s immune system will be strong enough that they can produce enough antibodies with only the one shot. I read that they’ll know by the time the children are due for the second …
and wow, that’s insane, you got there early and STILL had to wait 4.5 hours? Good for you for getting them though …
Thanks. I will watch for updates. It was a long wait, but I agree, totally worth it. I hope all of our children remain healthy this flu season, Cameron had a scary flu bout last season, and that’s enough for me!
We did it yesterday in Uxbridge. We got there at 1:30 and were home for 4:30.
I would have had my 4 year old and myself(in healthcare profession) done a long time ago but the hours are so inconvenient for us. There is no way to get there and deal with the 3 hour wait without risk of failing to pick up our 6 year old from the bus stop and/or me missing school. Why does it start at 2pm on weekdays? Maybe this is partially to blame for the long lines.
To update on my earlier comment, we took our now 10-month old daughter Avery to the pediatrician on Friday morning for her regular visit – and got her second dose of the H1N1 vaccine administered too. She had no ill effects from the first dose – no such luck this time. She was miserable, and of course it got worse at night. She woke up every 1 hour + screaming, and was running a fever even with Tempra. She wailed and was difficult to console, definitely uncomfortable, overly tired and feverish all weekend. Then today, I heard that a 5-year old in Toronto died from a reaction to the vaccine.
Our pediatrician had recommended having her vaccinated for the seasonal flu in December too. My husband and I are now on the fence about it (despite the fact that we’ve both received it already without problems, and I get the vaccine every year).