Swine Flu Update: Some New Vaccines Available for Children

The swine flu vaccine has finally arrived. The catch? It’s currently only available in a nasal-mist form, which is not recommended for children under the age of two, due to possible dangers. Moms with children under two are advised to wait until the vaccine shot is cleared. The good news: The wait might only take another week — at least 40 million doses of the H1N1 flu shot are rolling out in mid-October.

Once the H1N1 flu shot is available, you could still find yourself standing in a long line to be vaccinated. According to reports, doctors, hospitals, and schools will only find out how many batches they can expect to receive as the shipments start to arrive — which will likely send most clinics and vaccination programs into a tailspin with the influx of patients. What’s more, if you do choose to vaccinate baby with a shot, once might not be enough. Doctors are saying that young children might need to be vaccinated twice before being considered fully immune to the illness.

Think you’ll be vaccinating baby once the shot becomes available in your area? Call your pediatrician’s office now to find out how to set up an appointment.

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