H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine for children--dates, instructions and frequently asked questions

The University of Chicago Medical Center is making H1N1 vaccine available by appointment to children (older than 6 months) of University students, emeriti faculty, benefits-eligible faculty, other academic personnel and staff. See dates and instructions below.

To make an immunization appointment for your child, call 773-702-6169. The clinic is located in the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine, located at 5758 S. Maryland Ave, third floor, Section 3A.

When arriving for your child’s appointment, parents should bring your insurance card showing your child’s proof of coverage, as well as a copy of this message to identify your child as a member of the University community. 

Although the vaccine itself is free of charge, please note your insurance will be billed a nominal fee of $22 for administration of the vaccine. (Please contact your insurance provider to inquire whether H1N1 vaccine administration fees are covered by your insurance). You also will be responsible for any copayments to your insurance.

As a reminder, please follow Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines when your children have influenza-like symptoms: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/exclusion.htm

Pediatric Vaccine Clinic Dates
University of Chicago Medical Center

To schedule an immunization appointment for your child, please call 773-702-6169. Please ask to be scheduled under Jennifer Burns’ flu immunization clinic.

When you come to the clinic with your child, please bring:

• A copy of this message
• Proof of your child’s health insurance coverage
• Clinic co-pay as required by your child’s insurance policy, or $22 if your insurance does not cover vaccine administrative costs.

At the flu clinic visit, you will be asked to:

• Register for a vaccine-only clinic visit
• Provide your child’s health insurance information and pay whatever co-payment is required by your child’s insurance carrier
• Complete your child’s pre-immunization screen
• Provide immunization consent for your child
• You will be provided with a Vaccine Information Sheet (VIS)

Pediatric Influenza Immunization Frequently Asked Questions

Which children should be immunized?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all children over age 6 months should be immunized with both seasonal and pandemic (H1N1) flu vaccines. The CDC has placed children in the highest immunization priority group.

What flu vaccines will be available at the employee child flu immunization clinic?
Flu vaccines will be administered according to their availability. Unless otherwise specified, the following vaccines will be available:

• Inactivated seasonal flu vaccine (administered as a shot). All children should receive the inactivated seasonal flu vaccine if they have not already done so.
• Inactivated pandemic (H1N1) flu vaccine (administered as a shot). Inactivated pandemic (H1N1) flu vaccine will be reserved for children ineligible to receive pandemic (H1N1) LAIV intranasal vaccine.
• Live attenuated pandemic (H1N1) flu vaccine (administered as a nasal spray).

Which vaccine type should my child receive?
Most children can receive the live attenuated pandemic (H1N1) flu vaccine (the H1N1 flu spray).  This vaccine is administered as a painless nasal spray of approximately three drops into each nostril (not as a shot). Live attenuated pandemic (H1N1) flu vaccine (the H1N1 flu spray) is recommended for use in most children age 2 years and older. Because of the shortage of inactivated pandemic (H1N1) flu vaccine (the H1N1 shot), only children ineligible to receive the live attenuated pandemic (H1N1) flu vaccine (the H1N1 flu spray) will be offered inactivated pandemic (H1N1) flu vaccine.

The live attenuated pandemic (H1N1) flu vaccine (the H1N1 flu spray) may be given to healthy children age 2 years or older.

The live attenuated vaccine should not be given to:

• Children age less than two years of age
• People 50 years of age and over
• Children who live with, or have frequent, close contact with people with severe immune deficiency (e.g. recent bone marrow transplant or recent organ transplant recipients, people with AIDS). Children who have contact with others with lesser degrees of immunosuppression (for example, people with diabetes, people with asthma taking corticosteroids, or people infected with HIV who do not have AIDS) may receive LAIV.
• People with a medical condition that places them at high risk for complications from influenza, including those with chronic heart or lung disease, such as asthma or reactive airways disease; people with medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney failure; or people with illnesses that weaken the immune system, or who take medications that can weaken the immune system.
• Children younger than 5 years old with a history of recurrent wheezing
• Children or adolescents receiving aspirin
• People with a history of Guillain–Barré Syndrome that occurred after receiving influenza vaccine
• Pregnant women
• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs or who are allergic to any of the nasal spray vaccine components.

People who cannot receive the live attenuated H1N1 vaccine will be offered the inactivated H1N1 vaccine (the H1N1 flu shot).

Who should not receive inactivated flu vaccine?
Anyone who is allergic to eggs, gelatin or gentamicin.

How many doses of vaccine should my child receive?
Children under age 10 who have not received flu vaccines before should receive two doses of each vaccine. The doses of vaccine should be separated by at least three weeks. Children 10 years and older, and children of any age who have received flu vaccines previously, need only one dose of each vaccine. At this time, second-dose visits are not being scheduled. Second-dose visits will be announced as vaccine supplies become available.

Is the clinic free?
While the vaccine is free of charge, the clinic will bill your insurance for the administration of the vaccine ($22). You will be responsible for any co-payments required by your insurance.

Has the pandemic (H1N1) vaccine been adequately tested in children?
The pandemic (H1N1) vaccine has been tested extensively in children and in adults. No “shortcuts” in the H1N1 vaccine testing and approval process were taken. As with previous flu vaccines, the pandemic H1N1 vaccines are effective and proven safe.

Will other flu immunization opportunities be available?
Additional pediatric flu immunization clinics will be scheduled according to vaccine availability and clinic demand.

Where can I go for additional information?
Contact your child’s healthcare provider. Additional information may be found on the UCMC Web site, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.