Seasonal Flu viruses have been circulating in human populations
for several years, allowing people to build up immunities to
them. Most people do not yet have immunity to the new strain of
H1N1 flu. A vaccine is available to prevent seasonal flu. A
vaccine for novel H1N1 flu is being developed and is expected to
be available in mid-October. If I get a flu shot now, will it
vaccinate me from both H1N1 and the seasonal flu? No. Only
seasonal flu vaccines are available right now at local
pharmacies and through clinics and private physician practices.
The H1N1 vaccine is not yet available until mid-October and will
be made available to those at high risk first. In order to help
prevent both strains of the flu, one would need to get both
shots. What is novel about the H1N1 and how is it transmitted?
The respiratory virus that is currently circulating in the
United States is passed from person to person and has nothing to
do with exposure to pig or pork products. The name now being
used is novel H1N1 flu. Novel H1N