QuickNews Stories:
CDC Publishes Open Letter to State and Local Health Officials on H1N1 (11/12/2009)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published an open letter to state and local health officials regarding how to allocate the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. It reviews the priority vaccination groups identified by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices: pregnant women, caretakers of infants less than 6 months of age, health care works, children and adults with certain health conditions, and people age 25 and younger. The letter also thanks health officials for the innovative approaches they have employed to reach those at higher risk with H1N1.
Updated Results: NIAID Reports "Interim" Results of H1N1 Vaccinations in Children (11/04/2009)
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) today announced interim results that show that children nine years of age and younger have a significantly improved immune response when given a second 15-microgram dose of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine. These findings support the current recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which sets U.S. recommendations for all immunizations: To achieve an immune response likely to protect from illness, children nine years of age and younger should receive two 15-microgram doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine. The trial data also continue to support the recommendation that children 10 years of age and older should receive only one 15-microgram dose of vaccine.
The interim results include data from all available samples from the 583 children enrolled into the trial, and build upon the preliminary results released September 21 from a subset of volunteers
CDC Publishes Report on Common Co-infections in H1N1 Fatalities (10/05/2009)
Many people who have died from 2009 H1N1 influenza in the United States had co-infections with a common bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus) which likely contributed to their death, according to a report published in this week’s edition of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention′s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CDC is reminding people of the importance of being vaccinated against this common bacterium.
NIAID Reports "Preliminary" Results of H1N1 Vaccinations in Children (09/21/2009)
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has released early results from a trial testing the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine in children. Preliminary analysis of blood samples from a small group of trial participants shows that a single 15-microgram dose of a non-adjuvanted 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine generates an immune in the majority of 10- to 17- year-olds eight to 10 days following vaccination. These results are similar to those recently reported in clinical trials of healthy adults. Younger children generally had a less robust early response to the vaccine.
CDC Publishes Report on H1N1 Pediatric Deaths (9/11/2009)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published the report “Surveillance for Pediatric Deaths Associated with 2009 Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection—United States, April—August 2009” describing trends in pediatric deaths associated with H1N1. As of August 8, 2009, 36 deaths among children younger than 18 years of age were reported. Of the 36 deaths, 19% were in children younger than 5 years of age and 67% had one or more high risk medical conditions. The duration of the patient’s illnesses lasted from 1 to 28 days, with the median infection lasting 6 days.
HRSA Provides H1N1 Guidance for Grantees (8/21/2009)
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has created the document “H1N1 Guidance for HRSA Grantees” in response to the upcoming flu season. It provides voluntary guidance and is intended primarily for HRSA funded, direct service grantees, sub grantees and contractors. HRSA is releasing this information to help HRSA–funded programs plan how to best protect their workforce and serve their communities.
CDC Issues Updated Guidance for School Response to H1N1 (8/21/2009)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidance relating to how schools should respond to H1N1 during the upcoming 2009-2010 school year. They recommended:
- staff and students stay home when sick to separate ill students and staff
- focus on hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
- routine cleaning
- early treatment for those at high risk
- consideration of selective school dismissal
About 55 million students and 7 million staff attend the more than 130,000 public and private schools in the United States each day. By implementing these recommendations, schools and health officials can help protect one-fifth of the country’s population from the flu.
NIAID to Begin H1N1 Vaccine Trials in Children (8/21/2009)
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, announced this week that an independent monitoring committee recommended that trials of the H1N1 vaccine begin in children. The committee reviewed data from 500 healthy adult and elderly volunteers enrolled in vaccine trials and concluded that there were no safety concerns that precluded trials from taking place in children. As a result two vaccine trials will begin shortly and will be conducted through NIAID’s nationwide network.
CDC Article Identifies Potential H1N1 Complications in Children (7/31/2009)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published the article, “Neurologic Complications Associated with Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection in Children” in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. This article highlights four cases of children experiencing neurological complications with the H1N1 virus in Dallas. It suggests that physicians caring for children hospitalized with influenza-like illnesses and unexplained seizures or mental status changes consider that the neurological symptoms may be related to influenza.
CDC Releases Interim Guidance for H1N1 in Children (5/15/2009)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released interim guidance on May 11, regarding the prevention and treatment of H1N1 (swine flu) in infants and young children. While little is known about the H1N1 virus, past influenza epidemics have provided key information. Young children, especially those younger than five years of age and who have high risk medical conditions, are at increased risk of influenza-related complications. Additionally, the risk for severe complications from seasonal influenza is the highest among children less than two years old.
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