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San Diego among cities that received recalled H1N1 vaccines
Posted:<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> wnRenderDate('Tuesday, December 15, 2009 8:38 PM EST', '', true);</SCRIPT> Dec 15, 2009 7:38 PM CST
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (CBS 8) - The CDC is recalling hundreds of thousands of swine flu shots because they may not be strong enough to protect children from the virus. New tests show the potency of the shots has fallen since they first shipped.
Although a swine flu vaccine recall sounds alarming, county health officials want to tell parents they have nothing to worry about.
San Diego County received 3,100 of the doses in question. Nineteen hundred went to private providers and 1,200 went to county clinics and schools. Of that number, 920 of the doses were given to children; 280 does were not used and will be sent back.
"In this quality assurance process, they are testing for purity, potency and safety," Dr. Wilma Wooten said.
Nationwide, 800,000 doses have been recalled. The vaccine in question is made in France by Sanofi-Adventis. Testing showed over time those doses lost their potency. When the vaccine first shipped, it was fine, but weeks later the unused doses weakened below standards.
"As a result of this testing they chose to voluntarily recall these four lots of the vaccine," Dr. Wooten said.
The recalled doses are pre-filled syringes administered to children six to 35 months. Although there are no safety concerns, the Centers for Disease Control doesn't want the remaining shots used. Most importantly, if your child received one of the doses in question, health officials say they do not need to be re-vaccinated.
"The CDC and the FDA advise that there is no cause or reason to re-vaccinate their children," Dr. Wooten said.
Because the demand is so high for the shots, it's not likely they were gathering dust on the shelves. The CDC feels most of the shots were used immediately and were effective.
Posted:<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> wnRenderDate('Tuesday, December 15, 2009 8:38 PM EST', '', true);</SCRIPT> Dec 15, 2009 7:38 PM CST
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (CBS 8) - The CDC is recalling hundreds of thousands of swine flu shots because they may not be strong enough to protect children from the virus. New tests show the potency of the shots has fallen since they first shipped.
Although a swine flu vaccine recall sounds alarming, county health officials want to tell parents they have nothing to worry about.
San Diego County received 3,100 of the doses in question. Nineteen hundred went to private providers and 1,200 went to county clinics and schools. Of that number, 920 of the doses were given to children; 280 does were not used and will be sent back.
"In this quality assurance process, they are testing for purity, potency and safety," Dr. Wilma Wooten said.
Nationwide, 800,000 doses have been recalled. The vaccine in question is made in France by Sanofi-Adventis. Testing showed over time those doses lost their potency. When the vaccine first shipped, it was fine, but weeks later the unused doses weakened below standards.
"As a result of this testing they chose to voluntarily recall these four lots of the vaccine," Dr. Wooten said.
The recalled doses are pre-filled syringes administered to children six to 35 months. Although there are no safety concerns, the Centers for Disease Control doesn't want the remaining shots used. Most importantly, if your child received one of the doses in question, health officials say they do not need to be re-vaccinated.
"The CDC and the FDA advise that there is no cause or reason to re-vaccinate their children," Dr. Wooten said.
Because the demand is so high for the shots, it's not likely they were gathering dust on the shelves. The CDC feels most of the shots were used immediately and were effective.
