Vaccines have contributed to a significant reduction in many childhood diseases, such as diphtheria, measles, and whooping cough. Other diseases, such as polio and smallpox, have been eliminated in the United States due to effective vaccines.

Ministry Medical Group Pediatrics Department located at 2251 North Shore Drive in Rhinelander is pleased to announce the following Pediatric Seasonal Flu Vaccine Clinic dates:

*Appointments are preferred but are not necessary to receive an influenza vaccine for your child on the above dates and times. Cost for the Inactivated Vaccine is $25 and for the Live, Intranasal (flu mist) Vaccine is $40.  To make an appointment for the Pediatric Flu Clinic, call the Pediatrics Department at 715.361.4765.  For more information call the Flu Hot Line at 715.361.4300 or visit www.ministryhealth.org/fluseason for ongoing updates.

The seasonal flu vaccine does NOT protect your child against the 2009 H1N1 Influenza virus.  A separate H1N1 vaccine is anticipated to be available sometime in October.  The two Seasonal Influenza “Flu” vaccines available for children now, are the Inactivated and Live Intranasal.  Following is a description of both:

Influenza Virus Vaccine, Inactivated

What it's for: Protects (immunizes) children as young as six months (depending on the specific age indications of the vaccine) and adults against the three influenza virus strains contained in the vaccine. Influenza is a contagious respiratory virus that can cause mild to severe illness. More than 200,000 individuals are hospitalized each year from flu-related complications, and approximately 36,000 deaths each year in the United States are from flu-related causes. The elderly, young children and people with certain health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease) are at high risk for serious flu complications. Complications from influenza include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, asthma or diabetes. The strains of influenza virus that cause disease in people frequently change, so yearly vaccination is needed to provide protection against the influenza viruses likely to be in circulation each winter. This is a killed (inactivated) virus vaccine, so you can't get influenza from this vaccine.

Common side effects: Pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, low grade fever, and muscle aches, headache, fatigue and general feeling of being unwell.

Tell your health care provider beforehand if: The individual is moderately or severely ill, has a bleeding disorder or is on anticoagulant therapy, or has ever had an allergic reaction to eggs, latex, or to a previous dose or another component of the flu vaccine, or had Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) within six weeks of receipt of a prior influenza vaccine.

Influenza Vaccine Live, Intranasal

What it's for: Protects (immunizes) against influenza in children and adults ages 2 to 49 years of age. Should not be used in children less than 24 months of age.

Common side effects: Runny nose, nasal congestion, fever greater than 100 degrees F in children ages 2 to 6 and sore throat in adults.

Tell your health care provider beforehand if: The individual is moderately or severely ill, has a weakened immune system, has asthma or recurrent wheezing, has a history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of any prior influenza vaccination, has ever had an allergic reaction to eggs, egg proteins, gentamicin, gelatin or arginine, or to a previous dose of the flu vaccine. Also inform them if your children or adolescents are currently receiving aspirin or aspirin-containing therapy because of the association of Reye's syndrome with aspirin and wild-type influenza infection.  In addition, if child has received MMR, Varicella or yellow fever vaccine within the last 28 days.

It is now rare for children in the United States to experience the devastating and often deadly effects of these illnesses that were once common. Infant deaths due to vaccine preventable childhood diseases have nearly disappeared in the United States and other countries with high vaccination coverage.

Because immunization programs of the 20th century were so successful, many of today’s parents have never seen many of the diseases and do not understand the potential for them to re-emerge. If too many individuals choose not to vaccinate themselves or their children, the diseases that are now rare or non-existent in this country may resurface.

The viruses and bacteria that cause vaccine-preventable diseases can be passed on to people who are not protected by vaccines, and cause severe disease and death. For example, from 1989-1991 a measles outbreak occurred in the United States resulting in more than 55,000 cases of measles and 123 measles-associated deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that the "most important cause of the measles resurgence of 1989-1991 was low vaccination coverage."

Ensuring the safety and effectiveness of vaccines is one of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) top priorities. The Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) is the center within FDA that regulates vaccines in the United States. Vaccines are developed in accordance with the highest safety standards. These high standards of safety are necessary as vaccines are administered to millions of individuals in the United States each year, including infants and children.