Doctor Lana answers questions on H1N1

Buffalo school's Medical Director, Dr. Steven Lana answered questions on Thursday about H1N1 and the vaccine.

Question: Can the vaccine make you sick?

Answer: "No, that's an urban myth. The vaccine is a killed virus, so killed virus has no ability to cause infection."

Question: Is there any reason why parents should be concerned about getting their kids vaccinated?

Answer: "None. Zero."

Question: Does the seasonal vaccine protect a child against H1N1?

Answer: "No because the regular flu vaccine is strain specific for what was expected to be the dominant circulation strains. So each vaccine as far as the flu is manufactured to target specific strain, specific surface marker."

Question: If you have a healthy child, with no chronic illness, what are the dangers if you don't get them any flu shot?

Answer: "That they will get sick with H1N1 influenza and most will do quite well. But who wants to take the chance that your child is going to be the one that doesn't do well?"

Question: Can you still get H1N1 if vaccinated?

Answer" "Possible because no vaccine is 100% effective. Plus there's a lag period from the time you get immunized to the time you have optimal antibody levels. Let's say I got the vaccine today and get exposed tomorrow, the vaccine doesn't do any good."

Question: How long for the vaccine to take effect?

Answer: "Two to three weeks for the vaccine to begin protection. It takes about three weeks to get the optimal anti-body which is why so important not to wait."