A: There are two main reasons for becoming vaccinated:
1. To prevent you catching influenza and to prevent serious complications arising in people who have a serious underlying condition or chronic illness (at-risk groups).
2. To prevent the flu virus from spreading to members of your own family or others with whom you are in close contact.
A: Yes. The pandemic vaccine used in Norway is called Pandemrix. The vaccine is being delivered in successive consignments to areas throughout the country. Distribution depends on how much vaccine is delivered by the manufacturer.
A: At the behest of the Ministry of Health and Care Services the Norwegian Institute of Public Health signed a contract with the producer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for the delivery of vaccines in the event of a pandemic outbreak of influenza. Norway has ordered a total of 9.4 million doses of the pandemic vaccine.
The vaccine is being distributed by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health to all the country’s local authorities and health trusts in the same way as the annual influenza vaccine to at-risk groups. The local authorities are responsible for further distribution and administration of the vaccine to permanent and temporary residents within their area of jurisdiction. The health trusts are responsible for vaccinating their own staff and inpatients.
A: People at risk of becoming seriously ill if they catch the flu are being vaccinated first, along with healthcare personnel. After that the general population will be offered the chance to be vaccinated. When vaccination of the general population starts, it is recommended that the youngest age groups be vaccinated first. This is the order of priority for vaccination:
* People with the following conditions are considered to be at risk of becoming seriously ill:
It is recommended that healthcare personnel be vaccinated because they have an increased risk of becoming infected at work. It is also important that healthcare personnel do not infect patients with whom they come into contact.
A: Those whose vaccination against seasonal flu coincides with their vaccination against A(H1N1) flu can have both vaccines administered at the same time, through an injection in each arm. Pandemrix should not be administered at the same time as any other vaccine than the vaccine against seasonal flu.
A: Local authorities have a duty to provide necessary health services to all permanent or temporary residents in their area of jurisdiction. This also applies to the recommended vaccination programme.
A: This will depend completely on the service being provided by the local authority concerned and the extent to which GPs are involved in the vaccination effort. Many GPs are vaccinating people in at-risk groups, while the rest of the population is being offered vaccination in their area of residence.
A: Vaccines and antiviral medication (such as Tamiflu) from Norwegian emergency supplies cannot be sent abroad. Norwegians abroad must comply with the recommendations of the national health authorities and contact the local health service, as indicated by their travel insurance provider, if appropriate. In addition, the Norwegian health authorities will provide information to Norwegians abroad by means of the internet.
A: Yes, anyone who is living or staying in Norway long enough to follow the correct vaccination programme will be offered vaccination.
A: If you have had the new A(H1N1) flu you may have built up an immunity, while other kinds of flu/flu-like illnesses will not provide immunity. Since the majority will not know for sure which flu virus they have had, or if their illness was caused by some other virus or infection, the safest course of action is to take the vaccine if they want to be protected. There is no risk attached to vaccination even if you have already had the new A(H1N1) flu.
A: All medicines that work can produce side effects. Compared with normal seasonal flu vaccines people vaccinated with the pandemic vaccine Pandemrix can expect a slightly stronger reaction at the site of the injection, and other normal side-effects which rapidly disappear. Pandemrix has been approved throughout Europe on the basis of an evaluation of the vaccine’s efficacy and safety, in accordance with the model vaccine concept. This means that the model vaccine has been tested on around 5,000 people in a clinical trial. The model vaccine uses a stem from another influenza virus, H5N1 bird flu. Experience from annual changes in virus stems in seasonal flu vaccines over several decades, and from the development of pandemic vaccines, shows that a change in the virus stem to the new A(H1N1) flu will not have any significant effect on the efficacy or safety of the vaccine. Any rare side-effects will only be discovered in the course of ordinary use of the vaccine in large population groups, and a comprehensive system to pick up on such side-effects has been established both nationally and internationally.
A: Just like any other vaccination, side effects can occur. An assessment of the model vaccine (see question: How is the pandemic vaccine produced?) shows that the normal side-effects are headache, fatigue, pain, redness and swelling at the site of the injection, a raised temperature, aching muscles and joints, influenza-like symptoms and swollen lymph nodes. These normally disappear over the course of 1-2 days. The data indicate that side-effects occur somewhat more frequently after inoculation with the pandemic vaccine than after the normal seasonal flu vaccine.
A: If you have previously experienced an allergic reaction to any of the components of the vaccine, or any serious reaction to earlier doses of the same vaccine, you should not be vaccinated. Even though there are medical grounds for not being vaccinated (contraindications), it may, under certain circumstances, be necessary to consider vaccination even for people in this category. If the pandemic becomes serious, and the danger of infection becomes considerable, vaccination could represent a smaller risk than remaining unvaccinated. If someone cannot be vaccinated it is important to protect them from infection by, for example, ensuring that people with whom they are in close contact are vaccinated. It is usual to postpone vaccination in the event of acute infectious illness with a temperature in excess of 38 °C.
A: This vaccine is cultured in eggs, so caution is advised with regard to those who are allergic to eggs. If you have suffered a serious and immediate allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock) as a result of eggs, you should refrain from vaccination. People with mild egg allergies may be given the vaccine under heightened emergency preparedness. If someone cannot be vaccinated it is important to protect them from infection by, for example, ensuring that people with whom they are in close contact are vaccinated.
A: Yes, just like the vaccine against normal seasonal flu, the pandemic vaccine does not contain live virus. It is not harmful to give it to people with reduced immune responses, but as with other vaccines the protective effect may not be as strong. They will therefore require two doses of this vaccine.
A: If you are suffering from a serious infection, with a high temperature (over 38 °C) vaccination will normally be postponed until you feel better. A slight infection, like a cold, should not be a problem, but you doctor will determine whether you can be given the Pandemrix vaccine or not.
A: No. The vaccine does not contain any live virus. It can therefore not give you the flu or any other infection.
A: Yes. The vaccine can be given to women who are breastfeeding.
A: Some studies show that infants who are breastfed can obtain a certain amount of protection if their mothers are vaccinated against influenza. The youngest children can be protected indirectly by family members and other people with whom they come into close contact being vaccinated. People who have been vaccinated will run a smaller risk of falling ill, and in this way reduce the risk of infecting the children. If children are not themselves vaccinated, they will gain a degree of protection if those with whom they are in close contact are vaccinated.
A: Women who are in the second and third trimester of pregnancy are recommended to have the vaccine against the new strain of flu. Women who are in the first trimester of pregnancy, who are at risk of becoming seriously ill, may be vaccinated after a careful assessment of the seriousness of their underlying condition. If the pregnant woman herself is not vaccinated it is important to protect them from infection by, for example, ensuring that people with whom they are in close contact are vaccinated.
A: Planning a pregnancy does not in itself mean you should not be vaccinated. Women who are trying to get pregnant and those who may be pregnant (but at such an early stage that it will not show up on a pregnancy test) can have the vaccine. There is no evidence that this can have a harmful impact on either fertility or foetal development.
A: The vaccine can be given to children over the age of 6 months.
A: Vaccination against the new A(H1N1) influenza will be organised by the local authorities. The local authorities decide who shall administer the vaccine and how this is to be carried out locally. If you have any questions about vaccination where you live, contact your local council.
A: The cost of vaccination will vary depending on the local authority. This also applies to children. The charge payable is not covered by the medical fee exemption card (blue prescription scheme and medical fees ceiling 1).
A: The health authorities recommend one dose for both children and adults (both in the risk groups and others). Persons with an impaired immune system should have two doses in order to secure a better and more lasting protection from the virus. The second dose should be given at least three weeks after the first one. Future investigations will determine whether a second dose will be needed for other groups than persons with an impaired immune system.
A: The vaccine is given by injection in the upper arm.
A: The vaccine begins to take effect gradually. Experience from other influenza vaccines shows that immunity is achieved after one to two weeks. Control measurements of this vaccine have shown such high levels of antibodies after three weeks that we can conclude that it has conferred immunity against the new influenza.
A: All vaccinations with the pandemic vaccine will be recorded in the national vaccination register. This will apply to vaccination of both adults and children. Registration is important to keep an overview of who has been vaccinated, how many doses the individual has been given and to follow up and look after those groups prioritised for vaccination. Registration is also important in order to follow up any side-effects of the vaccine.
www.pandemi.no er helsemyndighetenes nettsted om pandemisk influensa i
Norge.
Sidene oppdateres av Folkehelseinstituttet og Helsedirektoratet.