FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Connecticut Department of Public Health
September 1, 2009 Contact: William Gerrish
(860) 509-7270
“When it comes to protecting people from influenza, vaccines are an important tool,” stated DPH Commissioner Dr. J. Robert Galvin. “It is important that we have providers throughout the state who will vaccinate Connecticut residents with H1N1 vaccine, particularly those who are at greatest risk.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) anticipates that an H1N1 vaccine will be licensed and ready for distribution by mid-fall of 2009. The vaccine will be provided to Connecticut at no cost. Providers may charge a fee for administering the vaccine. The vaccine is administered in two doses at least four weeks apart. Those at increased risk for serious illness include: pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, health care and emergency services personnel with direct patient contact, children 6 months through 4 years of age, and children 5 through 18 years of age with chronic medical conditions.
The pre-registration process for H1N1 flu vaccine is available for all licensed healthcare providers who are authorized to administer vaccine (e.g. physicians, registered nurses, pharmacists) and interested in distributing H1N1 vaccine. Vaccine is expected to be available in a combination of settings including public health organized vaccination clinics and in private sector settings such as provider offices (e.g. pediatricians, family physicians, obstetricians, internists), and through community vaccinators. The vaccine will not be administered in hospital emergency departments.
There is no cost to pre-register and registered providers are not committed to provide vaccine. The pre-registration will give providers the opportunity to order vaccine as it becomes available. Pre-registration is necessary to collect the shipping and contact information to allow the state to have vaccine sent directly to each individual provider’s office.
Providers interested in participating in the state’s H1N1 vaccination campaign can access registration forms by visiting www.ct.gov/ctfluwatch/providers or by calling the Department of Public Health Immunization Program at (860) 509-7929.
For more information on what you can do to protect yourself from the flu, please go to www.ct.gov/ctfluwatch.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the state’s leader in public health policy and advocacy with a mission to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of our state. To contact the department, please visit its website at www.ct.gov/dph or call (860) 509-7270.
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