Your child's well-being is very important to us.  Like you, we at Coastal Pediatric Associates (CPA) are watching the Novel H1N1/Swine Flu updates very closely and are ready to implement appropriate prevention, prophylaxis and treatment strategies as CDC recommendations become available.

Perhaps the greatest available weapon in our fight against Influenza can be found in the area of prevention.  Thorough hand washing and/or sanitizing goes a long way in decreasing virus transmission.  Furthermore, local government officials are reminding parents to remain vigilant:  Children with fever – especially associated with cough, achiness, or chills – should stay home from school and should not return until 24 hours after temperature normalization.   This year, more than ever, your child should be immunized against Influenza.

The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) now states that all eligible individuals between the ages of 6 months and 18 years receive the seasonal Influenza vaccine annually.  Starting this month we are pleased to be able to provide two vaccine options to help protect your family from serious seasonal Influenza infection.

1. FluMist:  FluMist is a "live-virus" Influenza vaccine that is available to medically qualifying individuals between the ages of 2 and 49 years old.  Because it is delivered as a gentle nose spray rather than an injection, FluMist has become quite popular among our pediatric patients!  Your pediatricians prefer it because it confers significantly longer immunity than does the injectable vaccine.  Furthermore, FluMist demonstrates significant "cross-protection" against circulating influenza strains during mismatched seasons.   As there are both age limitations and health requirements for eligibility, this vaccine is not the best option for everybody.   For more information on FluMist, or to see if you qualify for vaccination, please ask your physician or visit the FluMist website.
2. Traditional Influenza Shot:  We continue to have the traditional "flu-shot" available for people who do not qualify for FluMist.  This is the vaccine of choice for children between the ages of 6 months and 2 years, and for those with active asthma. 

In addition to seasonal Influenza vaccine, we intend to administer novel H1N1/Swine Flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available.  You and your child will need both the seasonal Influenza vaccine and the novel H1N1/Swine Flu vaccine for maximum protection against Influenza disease.  The ACIP anticipates starting novel H1N1/Swine Flu immunization in late October.  At this time, there are few details on novel H1N1/Swine Flu vaccine.  It is our hope that, like seasonal Influenza vaccine, we will be able to offer the novel H1N1/Swine Flu vaccine in both the nasal spray and the traditional formats.

Vaccination is the most effective way to protect our children from Influenza.  However, children under 6 months of age are not eligible for Influenza vaccination.  Influenza is spread through close contact.  So, we are calling for all siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers and babysitters to become immunized this year.  Because we cannot bill insurance for individuals with whom we do not have an established medical relationship, we are offering FluMist ($40) and the flu-shot ($35) to eligible individuals in a "fee-for-service" fashion.  Pricing on novel H1N1/Swine Flu vaccine will be determined once it becomes available.

Finally, we will be offering Influenza vaccination throughout the season during any scheduled encounter, or, by appointment, during our convenient "Influenza Vaccination Clinic" days listed below.  We look forward to seeing you.  Stay healthy and wash your hands (a lot)!

West Ashley Influenza Vaccination Clinic Days:

• Friday, October 9th, 2009 -- 9:00AM to 12:00PM; 2:00PM to 4:00PM

East Cooper Influenza Vaccination Clinic Days:

• Thursday, October 29th, 2009 -- 9:00AM to 4:30PM