Dec. 17--The H1N1 vaccine is now available for anyone in the state who wants it.
Health care providers in Connecticut have received more than 900,000 doses of the vaccine, enough that it can now be administered to anyone, Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced Wednesday. The vaccine initially was available only to certain groups considered at high risk.
Swine flu activity has been declining in Connecticut since mid-November, but that doesn't mean the virus has gone away. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week that Connecticut was one of 14 states considered to have "widespread" flu activity, the highest level possible. The designation refers to the geographic spread of the virus, not its severity.
Dr. Joseph Klimek, vice president for medical affairs at Hartford Hospital and a specialist in infectious diseases, said it still is a good idea to get the H1N1 vaccine.
"This virus is going to be around probably for at least a couple more years," he said.
Some public health experts believe that there will be another wave of the H1N1 pandemic. One way to reduce the risk of a resurgence of the virus is for more people to be vaccinated, Klimek said.
"It's a very safe, very, very well-studied vaccine," he said. "It's just as safe as the other influenza vaccines we've been giving for the last number of years, and it's protective."
People can get the vaccine through their doctors or the local health department assigned to administer the vaccine in their area. A list of the agencies responsible for administering the vaccine in each town is available at www.ct.gov/dph/mda.
The vaccine comes in nasal spray and injectable forms. The nasal spray is approved only for healthy people 2 to 49 years old and is not approved for pregnant women.
Doctors interested in getting the H1N1 vaccine may register with the state Department of Public Health at www.ct.gov/ctfluwatch/providers.
More information is available at www.ct.gov/ctfluwatch or by calling the state H1N1 hot line, which is staffed from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 800-830-9426.
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