Important Information About Human Swine Flu (HSI) Vaccine / Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccine

 
 
 
  1. Why is human swine influenza vaccination important?
    Human swine influenza vaccination is one of the effective means to prevent human
    swine influenza and its complications.
  2. What HSI Vaccine is using in Hong Kong?
    The HSI vaccine is named Panenza, from French manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur S.A. It is a monovalent inactivated influenza virus vaccine indicated for active immunization of persons 6 months of age and older against influenza disease caused by HSI virus (H1N1).
  3. What is the recommended human swine influenza vaccine composition?
    The human swine influenza vaccine contains a A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)v-like
    antigen, as recommended by the World Health Organization.
  4. How do human swine influenza vaccines work?
    The human swine influenza vaccine induces development of antibodies against
    influenza virus infection in the body.
  5. What is the Human Swine Influenza (HSI) programme?
    The University Health Service has enrolled the Human Swine Influenza Vaccination Subsidy Scheme HSIVSS of the government. The Government will provide human swine influenza vaccines for five target groups. HKU eligible users who belong to the following target groups may get free vaccination at University Health Service from 30 Dec, 2009. Details of the scheme, please click here.

    The five target groups for human swine influenza vaccination include:
    (a) healthcare workers
    (b) persons with chronic illnesses* and pregnant women
    (c) children between the age of 6 months and less than 6 years
    (d) elderly persons aged 65 years or above
    (e) pig farmers and slaughterhouse workers
    *Persons with chronic illnesses mainly refer to those who have
    • Chronic cardiovascular (except hypertension without complication) and chronic lung disease
    • Obesity (BMI ≧30), metabolic disease or kidney disease
    • Immunodeficiency
    • Chronic neurological condition that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions resulting risk of aspiration, or those who lack the ability to care for themselves
    • Children and adolescents (aged 6 months to 18 years) on long-term aspirin therapy
  6. What about the rest of the population?
    The target group has priority to receive the HSI vaccine. HSI vaccination is now available to ALL eligible users of the University Health Service at the University Health Service from 8:45 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays and from 8:45 am to 12: 15 pm on Saturdays at $130 per dose. No Booking is required.
  7. Is there a risk of catching illness from the vaccine itself?
    Inactivated vaccines contain killed viruses or parts of viruses, which cannot cause disease. Live influenza vaccine contains weakened influenza virus that multiplies poorly but is unable to cause disease. Both vaccines can cause some flu-like side effects (e.g. muscle ache, fever) but the symptoms, sometimes associated with vaccination, are generally less pronounced and of much shorter duration.
  8. How many doses of the H1N1 2009 vaccine do I need?
    • Children aged 6 months to below 3 years:
      • 0.25ml intramuscular injection (IMI) for 2 doses at least 3 weeks apart
    • Children aged 3 to below 9:
      • 0.5 ml intramuscular injection (IMI) for 2 doses at least 3 weeks apart
    • Persons aged 9 or above:
      • 0.5 ml intramuscular injection (IMI) for 1 dose
  9. Who should not have HSI vaccination?
    As a general rule, the vaccines should not be administered to:
    • People who have a severe (life-threatening) allergy to chicken eggs, or other life-threatening allergic reactions to any of the constituents or trace residues of the vaccine;
    • People with history of a severe reaction to previous influenza vaccination;
    • People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine;
    • Children less than 6 months of age (inactivated influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group);
    • People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover).
  10. Who should not have PANENZA (HSI vaccine use in HK)
    People who have known hypersensitivity to:
    • Any of the constituents of the vaccine, including thiomersal, to ovalbumin and any other egg proteins, to chicken proteins
    • Neomycin
    • Octoxinol-9
    • Formaldehyde
  11. Do I need to sign consent before having the HSI vaccine?
    Yes. You should download and sign consent for vaccination as specified by the Centre of Health Protection. (ENG/中文)
  12. Are the HSI vaccines safe?
    The HSI vaccines have been licensed for use. Vaccines would not be licensed if they are considered unsafe. Outcomes of studies completed to date suggest that pandemic vaccines are as safe as seasonal influenza vaccines. Side effects seen so far are similar to those observed with seasonal influenza vaccines.
  13. What is the best source of information for 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine safety?
    Check the following web sites for the most up-to-date news and information from:
  14. Are there any side effects to the HSI vaccine?
    The HSI vaccine is made the same way as seasonal flu vaccines. Millions of seasonal flu vaccines have been given safely. It is expected that any side effects following vaccination with the HSI vaccine would be rare. Any side effects that have occurred since people started receiving the HSI vaccine have been similar to those experienced following seasonal influenza vaccine.
    Mild problems that may be experienced include soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given, fainting (mainly adolescents), headache, muscle aches, fever, and nausea. If these problems occur, they usually begin soon after the shot and last 1-2 days. Life-threatening allergic reactions to vaccines are very rare. If they do occur, it is usually within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot is given.
  15. Will there be a possibility of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) cases following the HSI vaccine?
    Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare disease in which the body damages its own nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. It is not fully understood why some people develop GBS, but it is believed that stimulation of the body’s immune system may play a role in its development. Infection with the bacterium Campylobacter jejuni, which can cause diarrhea, is one of the most common risk factors for GBS. People can also develop GBS after having the flu or other infections (such as cytomegalovirus and Epstein Barr virus). On very rare occasions, they may develop GBS in the days or weeks following receiving a vaccination.
  16. Can the HSI vaccine be administered simultaneously with other vaccines? What about with the seasonal influenza vaccine?
    Inactivated influenza vaccine can be given at the same time as other injectable, non-influenza vaccines, but the vaccines should be administered at different injection sites. Seasonal influenza and HSI vaccines can be administered together.
  17. When should I receive the HSI vaccination?
    It usually takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against human swine influenza virus. To ensure earlier protection against the virus, you are advised to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
  18. Will the vaccine give me swine flu?
    No. The vaccine does not carry a 'live' virus, so it cannot give you swine flu. Some people may experience mild fever up to 48 hours after immunization as their immune system responds to the vaccine, but this is not flu.
  19. What is the effectiveness of HSI vaccine?
    • The effectiveness of Human Swine Influenza Vaccine among health adult is at least 70-90%.
    • Protection develops about 2 weeks after vaccination.
  20. Why do some people who have been vaccinated still get influenza?
    No vaccines, including pandemic influenza vaccines, provide 100% protection against disease. But they do greatly reduce the risk of disease. Also, influenza vaccines only become effective about 14 days after vaccination. Those infected shortly before (1 to 3 days) or shortly after immunization can still get the disease.
    Vaccinated individuals can also get influenza caused by a different strain of influenza virus, for which the vaccine does not provide protection.
    Finally, people who have received influenza vaccine can later have an illness, caused by other common viruses that are not influenza, but be mistaken for the flu.
  21. Can I be protected against Human Swine Influenza (H1N1) by having the ordinary seasonal influenza vaccination?
    Evidence suggests that current seasonal influenza vaccines will not be protective against pandemic influenza. Since H1N1 swine flu viruses are very different from human H1N1 viruses, vaccines for human seasonal flu will not provide protection against H1N1 swine flu viruses.
  22. For more information about Human Swine Influenza vaccine, Please go to: