St. Joseph County health officials: Shots, nasal spray equally effective in fighting H1N1

By KEVIN ALLEN, Tribune Staff Writer

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By Jason Overholt

Story Created: Nov 4, 2009 at 6:44 PM EST

Story Updated: Nov 4, 2009 at 6:44 PM EST

Many people lining up for H1N1 vaccinations during this flu season will have two ways to receive the vaccine: a shot or a nasal spray.

Health officials say both methods are equally effective in fighting the virus, but some people still prefer one over the other.

Every parent and grandparent waiting in line Wednesday at the St. Joseph County Health Department’s vaccination clinic in Mishawaka seemed to have an opinion about the H1N1 shot versus the FluMist nasal spray.

Many people said they wanted their children to receive the spray, so they could avoid the stress of getting an injection.

South Bend resident Patricia Collins, who was waiting in line at the County Services Building with her granddaughters Rachel, 7, and Hailey, 3, was hoping the nasal spray would be available for them.

"They both had the shot for the regular (seasonal) flu, and they didn’t like that very much," Collins said wryly.

Some parents had concerns about FluMist containing a live, albeit weak, form of the H1N1 virus. The shot vaccine contains an inactive form of the virus.

Gina Pletcher, of Mishawaka, said her daughter, Audrie, 4, and son Ty, 2, "are definitely both getting the shot, just because it’s not the live virus."

Several other parents were not sure their small children would be able to keep the FluMist from running out of their noses.

"I feel like they don’t know how to sniff, so I wonder if it will stay in," said Lori Huntzinger, of South Bend, who was at the clinic with her daughter, Ally, 5, and son, Jacob, 2.

Most of those at the County Services Building on Wednesday ended up not having to make a decision. The clinic was only administering shots after it ran out of FluMist early in the morning.

Kelly Jolliff, an epidemiologist at the Health Department, said the live virus in FluMist will not cause the flu.

"It’s such a weak form of the live virus that it’s not going to make you sick," Jolliff said.

"Live vaccines aren’t a new thing," she added, saying vaccines for chicken pox and measles, mumps and rubella also contain live viruses.

Still, FluMist is not for everyone, Jolliff said.

It should only be administered to healthy people who are between the ages of 2 and 49 and not pregnant.

People with chronic heart or lung disease, diabetes, kidney failure or conditions that weaken the immune system should also opt for the shot over the nasal spray, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

And people who received FluMist within the past month for the seasonal flu should not take the nasal spray for H1N1, Jolliff said.

"You don’t want to give two live vaccines at the same time," she said. "That’s why the screening form for the mist has a lot more questions than the general consent form."

Jolliff said people at the county’s flu clinics will be given a choice between a shot or nasal spray as long as both are available.

"But we are trying to target the mist more to the children that can receive it, because it’s less invasive," she said.

Staff writer Kevin Allen:
kallen@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6244

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