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Oct 7, 2009 8:12 pm US/Eastern
Website Helps Determine H1N1 Flu Symptoms
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
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Doses of H1N1 influenza vaccine sit in a basket at Rush University Medical Center on Oct. 6, 2009, in Chicago, Ill.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
People have been calling for weeks and now the H1N1 flu vaccine is finally here.
The Allegheny County Health Department has its first shipment – 1,000 doses.
"We're glad to finally get some H1N1 vaccine. We did receive a limited supply. It arrived late yesterday," Allegheny County Health Department Spokesman Guillermo Cole said.
The vaccine is a nasal spray made from a live, but weakened virus. It is for five to nine year olds who can't get the vaccine from their doctors or schools.
"Many of the major pediatric groups in the county are gearing up for what they anticipate will be a pretty brisk season of giving vaccine in the next few weeks," says Dr. Andrew Nowalk, an infectious diseases specialist at Children's Hospital.
While the vaccine is here, it may not be all that useful for people suffering from swine flu right now.
"I've never seen this much flu this time of year. We've had H1N1 all through the summer and early fall," says Dr. Mark Diamond of Children's Community Pediatrics.
To figure out if you have regular flu or swine flu, there's an interactive web site,
H1N1Response.com, that can help you sort out the difference.
It will ask you about fever, cough, chest pain, dizziness and other symptoms.
"I think they do an excellent job," Dr. Nowalk praises. "They are looking for the things that are really worrisome, very high fever, difficulty breathing, or the return of a high fever after you're getting well, and they want you to go to the emergency room or your doctor very quickly, and I think that's appropriate."
The tool might even help you figure out if you've had the H1N1 flu and this could influence your immunization decisions.
"If you read through the online tool, and it sounds like something you had three weeks ago but now you're fine, I think could consider not having to get the vaccine," Dr. Nowalk says.
The health department still has to decide how the vaccines will be given -- by appointment, on a walk-in basis, and what types of hours they will need to keep to meet demand.
They have to consider their limited supply, designated for a priority group who can't get the vaccines elsewhere.
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