Flu Vaccine

Dr. Richard Zane discusses the H1N1 vaccine.

H1N1 Flu Vaccine

BWH continues to receive limited supplies of the H1N1 vaccine, and we now have enough for a central H1N1 flu clinic this Saturday, Nov. 21 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. (or until supply lasts) at 45 Francis St. Lower Lobby.

Due to our limited supply of the H1N1 vaccine, this clinic on Saturday is available only to those BWH patients and BWH employees who meet the following criteria:

• Health care workers providing direct care to patients;
• Pregnant and post-partum women;
• Patients (age 15 or older) who are household contacts of pregnant women in their 3rd trimester;
• Patients (age 15 or older) who live with or provide care for infants less than 6 months old;
• Patients age 15 – 24 years;
• Patients age 25 – 64 with any of the following risk factor(s):
  • Asthma and other chronic pulmonary diseases
  • Cardiovascular disease (except hypertension)
  • Renal disease
  • Liver disease
  • Aspiration risk due to cognitive, neurologic, or neuromuscular disease
  • Metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus)
  • Immunosupression (including chemotherapy, HIV, hematologic disease)

*BWH is not licensed to administer this vaccine to anyone younger than 15 at this clinic.

Parking for the Central Flu Clinic is available in the Service Center garage, which is located on the corner of Binney and Francis streets, across from the Main Entrance to the hospital. For more information on getting to the hospital, check our directions or watch a video showing hospital entrances and parking options. BWH patients that fall within these guidelines can also contact their BWH health care provider for additional information on how to receive the H1N1 vaccine.  Additional shipments of doses are expected to continue through the fall and early winter.  

More information about the H1N1 vaccine is available on the CDC website.

Dispel H1N1 flu shot myths with information from the Boston Public Health Commission.

Seasonal Flu Vaccine National distribution of seasonal flu vaccine continues to be limited because manufacturers have had to produce two types of vaccine this year.  To inquire about the availability of the seasonal flu vaccine, contact your primary care provider. If we receive enough additional supply, we will make the seasonal vaccine more widely available to the BWH community. The seasonal flu vaccine will not protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu - a separate vaccine will be needed for H1N1. The situation remains fluid, given the unpredictability of both H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccine production and distribution this year. Call the BWH Flu Hotliine at -800-906-4048 for updates.

Dr. Lisa Owens answers commonly asked questions about the seasonal flu vaccine.