Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Recalled flu vaccine given in county; shots slightly less potent
By Kim Lamb Gregory
Posted December 15, 2009 at 6:43 p.m.
Ventura County?s public health clinics were among the healthcare facilities to have doses of swine flu vaccine recalled Tuesday by U.S. health officials over concerns about potency.
About 800,000 doses of injectable swine flu vaccine made by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur were recalled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after tests indicated they might not be potent enough to protect against the H1N1 virus.
According to a news release Tuesday, the Ventura County Health Care Agency did receive and administer some of the recalled flu shots, but officials were not yet certain how many. The pre-filled syringes recalled were designed for children 6 months to 35 months old.
The CDC said the only problem with the recalled doses is that they might contain slightly less vaccine. They passed potency tests when first shipped, but additional tests indicated the potency waned afterward. Officials said there is no need to re-vaccinate those who received the doses.
Health officials recommend children between 6 months and 10 years old get two doses of the vaccine, spaced about a month apart.
California received about 47,800 of the doses under recall. About 159 healthcare providers were affected. The California Department of Public Health will contact providers who received the recalled doses.
For more local information, call 677-5252. For questions about the nationwide recall, including lot numbers, click on http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/syringes_qa.htm.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2009/dec/15/recalled-flu-vaccine-given-in-county-shots-less/
By Kim Lamb Gregory
Posted December 15, 2009 at 6:43 p.m.
Ventura County?s public health clinics were among the healthcare facilities to have doses of swine flu vaccine recalled Tuesday by U.S. health officials over concerns about potency.
About 800,000 doses of injectable swine flu vaccine made by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur were recalled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after tests indicated they might not be potent enough to protect against the H1N1 virus.
According to a news release Tuesday, the Ventura County Health Care Agency did receive and administer some of the recalled flu shots, but officials were not yet certain how many. The pre-filled syringes recalled were designed for children 6 months to 35 months old.
The CDC said the only problem with the recalled doses is that they might contain slightly less vaccine. They passed potency tests when first shipped, but additional tests indicated the potency waned afterward. Officials said there is no need to re-vaccinate those who received the doses.
Health officials recommend children between 6 months and 10 years old get two doses of the vaccine, spaced about a month apart.
California received about 47,800 of the doses under recall. About 159 healthcare providers were affected. The California Department of Public Health will contact providers who received the recalled doses.
For more local information, call 677-5252. For questions about the nationwide recall, including lot numbers, click on http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/syringes_qa.htm.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2009/dec/15/recalled-flu-vaccine-given-in-county-shots-less/