1. Swine Flu (H1N1) Vaccine Slideshow Pictures
2. Swine Flu (H1N1) FAQ Slideshow Pictures
3. Strep or Sore Throat Slideshow Pictures

In this Article

• What is the nasal spray swine flu vaccine?
• How is the 2009 H1N1 swine flu nasal spray vaccine different from the seasonal nasal spray vaccine?
• Who can be vaccinated with the 2009 H1N1 swine flu nasal-spray flu vaccine (LAIV)?
• Can health care providers get the live attenuated influenza vaccine?
• Who should not be vaccinated with the 2009 H1N1 nasal-spray flu vaccine LAIV?
• Should the nasal-spray flu vaccine be given to patients with chronic diseases other than those specifically listed above?
• Are there any contraindications to giving breastfeeding mothers the 2009 H1N1 swine flu vaccine?
• Can pregnant women be in contact with someone who has gotten the nasal spray swine flu vaccine (LAIV)?
• Can the nasal-spray swine flu vaccine be given to patients when they are ill?
• Can people receiving the nasal-spray swine flu vaccine LAIV pass the vaccine viruses to others?
• Can contacts of people with weakened immune systems get the nasal-spray swine flu vaccine?
• What side effects are associated with the nasal-spray swine flu vaccine?
• How effective is the nasal-spray seasonal flu vaccine?
• When should the 2009 H1N1 nasal-spray flu vaccine be given?
• How many doses of nasal spray vaccine are needed?
• Can people who got the flu shot last year get the nasal-spray flu vaccine LAIV this year?
• Can the nasal-spray swine flu vaccine be given at the same time as other vaccines?
• Can the 2009 H1N1 nasal spray vaccine and the seasonal nasal spray vaccine be given at the same time to the same person?
• Can the nasal-spray swine flu vaccine be used together with influenza antiviral medications?
• If a child under the age of 9 years is getting seasonal influenza vaccine for the first time and requires 2 doses, does the same type of vaccine have to be used for both doses?
• How is the nasal-spray flu vaccine stored?
• Can health care workers who cannot receive the nasal spray vaccine (e.g., pregnant women, older adults, persons with chronic medical conditions) administer this vaccine to others?
• What personal protective equipment is recommended for health care workers who are giving the 2009 H1N1 nasal spray vaccine?
• Does the nasal spray flu vaccine contain thimerosal?
• Can the nasal spray flu vaccine give you the flu?
• Who makes the nasal spray vaccine?

Can health care providers get the live attenuated influenza vaccine?

Yes. LAIV is a very good option for most health care providers who are healthy, younger than 50 years old, and not pregnant. However, health care providers should not get LAIV if they are providing medical care for patients who require special environments in the hospital because they are profoundly immunocompromised (e.g., those who work in bone marrow transplant units). Although no immunocompromised patient has been shown to be harmed by use of LAIV among health care workers, the recommendation against the use of LAIV in health care workers with this type of patient contact is intended as an extra precaution for fragile immunocompromised patients. Health care workers with this type of patient contact can get LAIV, but if they do, they should wait 7 days after being vaccinated before returning to duties that include care of severely immunocompromised patients in special environments.

Who should not be vaccinated with the 2009 H1N1 nasal-spray flu vaccine LAIV?

Certain people should not get a nasal spray flu vaccine, including the 2009 H1N1 nasal spray vaccine. This includes:

• People younger than 2 years of age;
  
  
• Pregnant women;
  
  
• People 50 years of age and older;
  
  
• People with a medical condition that places them at higher risk for complications from influenza, including those with chronic heart or lung disease, such as asthma or reactive airways disease; people with medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney failure; or people with illnesses that weaken the immune system, or who take medications that can weaken the immune system;
  
  
• Children younger than 5 years old with a history of recurrent wheezing;
  
  
• Children or adolescents receiving aspirin therapy;
  
  
• People who have had Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare disorder of the nervous system, within 6 weeks of getting a flu vaccine,
  
  
• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs or who are allergic to any of the nasal spray vaccine components.

SOURCE: CDC; "Questions & Answers: 2009 H1N1 Nasal Spray Vaccine."