Video Transcript

• There seems to be a decrease in Flu activity in New Jersey. Should people still get an H1N1  vaccine?
  H1N1 is still in the state of New Jersey and it’ll probably be here for quite a bit longer. We’re expecting a third wave because this is a novel Flu. So now is a perfect time while activity seems to have gone down a bit, for everyone to get their vaccine.
  
  
• Flu season usually runs through March. Is that when this pandemic will end?
  Remember Seasonal Flu season often runs with high numbers on January/February and into March. This is pandemic Flu, which means that it acts a little bit differently, and it seems to have a wave of activity every 6-12 weeks. So we should not be expecting H1N1 to be over when March is over.
  
  
• Who should get an H1N1 Flu shot?
  Right now, everyone should get an H1N1 Flu shot, if they don’t have contraindications to vaccine, such as an egg allergy. We especially want to remind people who are in the targeted populations, is that we’re still really pushing them to get the vaccine as soon as possible.  And just to repeat, that’s pregnant women; that’s people taking care of infants under 6 months since they cannot get the vaccine; that’s our health care workers and our emergency medical people.  It’s also all children and young adults under the age of 24, and also older adults under the age of 65 with underlying health conditions.
  
  
• Senior citizens are now included in the people that can get H1N1 shots, and there’s been an emphasis on this, this week. Are they more vulnerable now to H1N1? 
  Well, one of the reasons why we were emphasizing that the seniors should not get that, that although they weren’t a targeted population, which means that they were at lower risk for getting the disease than other people, if they should get H1N1 it acts like any Flu does.  And that means that they could have more serious complications from getting the Flu. So now that we’ve expanded the vaccine to everyone who wants a vaccine, we’re very much urging our senior citizens to get the shot.
  
  
• Is Nasal Mist vaccine just like an Injectable Flu shot?
  It’s the exact same thing as far as safety, efficacy and protection goes. We do know that we only use it in people between the ages of 2 years and 49 years of age who are healthy. So it has a little bit different indication. But, if you are able to get the Nasal Flu vaccine, it ‘s just as effective as getting the shot.
  
  
• Is one preferred over the other?
  One is not preferred over the other- it’s just that not everyone can get the Nasal vaccine. Again, you have to be between the ages of 2 years and 49 years, and you must be healthy.
  
  
• If someone already had the Flu this year, should they still get vaccinated?
  That’s an excellent question, and one we answer often. YES. What feels like to be Flu to a person may very well have been Flu, but it might have been Seasonal Flu or it might have been H1N1 Flu or it could have been a host of other viral illnesses that could present much the same way. So that because we cannot guarantee that you got H1N1 Flu disease which would protect you, it’s very important that even if you’ve had Flu, you get both the Seasonal Flu vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine.
  
  
• Is it too late to get a Seasonal Flu shot?
  It’s not too late. We’re actually right in the heightened part of Seasonal Flu vaccine activity. We do not know how much of the Flu that’s going to come is going to be Seasonal Flu and how much is going to be H1N1. So if Seasonal Flu vaccine is available and you haven’t gotten it yet, then we urge you to get it.
  
  A lot of people might not think they need to get a Flu shot. That nobody’s getting sick, very few people are dying, and that might be a reason for them not to get a Flu shot.
  
  We want to remind everyone that Flu is a very serious disease. Yes, many people get Flu, get pretty sick, get better and go back to work or school.  That’s not true for everyone.  Some people who get Flu get serious complications, including hospitalizations and deaths. There’s no reason if there’s a safe and effective preventive tool, that we shouldn’t all get it. So again, Flu can be a very serious disease: the vaccine will prevent you from getting the disease.
  
  
• Is there anything else people can do to prevent the spread of disease?
  In addition to getting the vaccine, we’re urging people to remember all the public health measures we’ve been talking for the last few months. That is to wash your hands often, to cover your coughs and your sneezes, and to please stay home, when you’re sick, from work and from school.
  
  
• How can people find out where to get a Flu shot?
  Well, fortunately we have many resources they can use. They can go on to our website at www.nj.gov/health. They’ll find what’s called a Flu shot locator, and that will actually find them a FREE Flu clinic in their counties. Of course, they can always ask their health care provider or their local Health Department. They can also call our Call Center which is open 9-5 Monday through Friday. That number is 1-866-321-9571. And now we have 2 additional sources. One is FACEBOOK. They may become a fan of ours by going on FACEBOOK and searching New Jersey H1N1 Resources, and they can become one of our followers on TWITTER, at www.twitter.com/Flunj.
  
  Thank you.