Winter Olympians Get H1N1 Vaccine

Olympic athletes may be the cream of the crop when it comes to sporting events, but they aren't immune to the H1N1 virus.

As part of National Influenza Vaccination Week, which starts Jan. 10, the U.S. Surgeon General and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) teamed up with the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) to combat the spread of H1N1 among athletes, coaches and staff.

The goal is to keep athletes flu-free as they head to Vancouver and the2010 Olympic (Feb. 12) and Paraolympic (March 12) Winter Games.

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The CDC, USOC and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services held H1N1 vaccination events on Tuesday at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., and at the 2010 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Anchorage, Alaska.

According to USOC Chief Medical Officer Dr. James Moeller (a volunteer USOC physician since 2002), there were 100 H1N1 vaccines prepared on Tuesday in Colorado Springs. Although Moeller wasn't able to get a final count of how many were administered, he said "they were very well-received."

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Despite recent reports of a slight decline of flu activity, (the number of states reporting widespread flu activity decreased from seven to four) precautions still need to be taken, especially among the young, in case the 2009 H1N1 pandemic worsens.

Since April 2009, CDC has received reports of 289 laboratory-confirmed pediatric deaths from the H1N1 virus.

Moeller added that the problem with the recent reports that the incidence is slowing is that people often interpret the data incorrectly and think that H1N1 is no longer a problem, when in reality the virus can have "ups and downs."

"It doesn't mean that it won't pop up again," Moeller said. "We (USOC) are in a small community setting, like that of a college or a university, where passing germs is pretty commonplace. We try to educate illness prevention in general and do what we can to contain the spread of H1N1."

Moeller also pointed out that getting a regular flu shot doesn't mean you will be protected from H1N1.


Who Should Get the Vaccination?

While everyone is now encourged to get the H1N1 vaccine, there are five main target groups, according to the CDC:

•Pregnant women
•People who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months (e.g., parents, siblings, and day care providers)
•Health care and emergency medical services personnel
•People 6 months through 24 years of age (especially those with higher risk for influenza-related complications like children younger than 5 years and those who have high risk medical conditions)
•People 25 years through 64 years of age who have certain medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications.


Recent Flu Activity Facts from the CDC:

•Overall flu activity decreased slightly in the United States during the week of December 20-26, 2009, as reported in FluView.

•The number of states reporting widespread flu activity decreased from 7 to 4.

•Visits to doctors for influenza-like illness increased, although the proportion of tests for influenza that were positive continued to decline and the overall hospitalization rates for this season were unchanged from the previous week.

•Flu-associated deaths among all ages increased from the previous week, but fewer deaths in children were reported compared to the prior week (4 versus 9).

Despite these positive findings, the CDC acknowledges that the flu is unpredictable and that the number of those affected could fluctuate throughout the season. The vaccine is increasingly easy to get, with more than 118 million doses now available.

Click here for more information and to find a 2009 H1N1 vaccine clinic near you.