swine influenza reported in the village

Question

My son, 3 years old, suffers from CF in a mild form.
Now the swine influenza has been reported at a school near us (already three cases). My question: Has it any effect to vaccinate my son against the flu resp. has this to be a special vaccine?
Many thanks in advance!

Answer

Hello,
at the moment it is not clear, if the vaccination agaist the flu from the last year does have an effect against the swine flu at all. Therefore there are different opinions if one should now still vaccinate or not. Independent of this, actually all CF patients should be vaccinated against influenza. Actually there is no reason, why children should be excepted from this. They are on the one hand not as ill as adults, but they can transmit the flu however, which leads to the spreding of the influenza. With the swine flue the situation has relaxed in the mean time insofar, as the course of the illness is not as severe as expected in the beginning.
Furhtermore again adults are effected more seriously (not implicilty the older people) compared to children. It can probably be expected, that the vaccination against the swine flu is available in the autumn. Then it could be part of the new flu vaccination for this year. On this clear information will be provided in time.

Yours sincerely,
Dr. O. Sommerburg

07.07.2009

19.10.09 To update the available information on the novel influenza H1N1, here is some information given on that topic from Porf. Anne Malfroot:
"Now it is clear that the vaccination against the flu from the last year does not have any protective effect on the novel flu at all. Specific vaccines against swine flu are studied and will probably become available in Oct-Nov 2009. Up to now it is unclear if it will be decided to start vaccinations of specific risk groups such as people with CF. Up tp now, there are different opinions if one shóuld now still vaccinate or not, which of the new vaccines will be best and how many doses are needed."
D. d'Alquen