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Take Action…Be Vaccinated for H1N1 & Seasonal Flu

Click here to go to the H1N1 & Seasonal Flu Site.

MeritCare's flu site has answers to flu-related questions in the following categories:

H1N1 and Pregnancy/Infants
Resources for Parents & Caregivers
Caring for Someone with the Flu
Who Should Be Vaccinated?
General Flu Information

H1N1 Vaccine Supply
H1N1 vaccine is now widely available in Cass and Clay counties.

The current Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo community plan is: patients who are pregnant will receive H1N1 vaccine from their provider, as will MeritCare patients with scheduled clinic appointments; health care workers will receive vaccine at work; and children K-12 and college-aged kids will receive vaccine at their schools. Most others will receive the vaccine through community events.

H1N1 Vaccine Opportunities
Events are for those 6 months of age and older and are free and open to residents from any county. (A reminder that children ages 6 months-9 years of age need two shots, 28 days apart.)

H1N1 Flu Shot & FluMist (by appointment only, no walk-ins)
Phone: (701) 241-1383
Location: Fargo Cass Public Health, 401 3rd Ave. N., Fargo

H1N1 Flu Shot & FluMist (by appointment only, no walk-ins)
Phone: (218) 299-7777
Location: Family Service Center 715 11th St. N., Moorhead

Seasonal Flu Vaccine Opportunities
Call your doctor's office to make an appointment. All children ages 6 months through 8 years who have received the seasonal flu vaccine before will need two doses, 28 days apart.

When to Seek Information
Most cases of H1N1 flu have been mild and have not needed medical care. If possible, care for yourself and your child at home; for detailed information, go to Caring for Someone with Flu. You can also call: North Dakota Department of Health (866) 207-2880; Minnesota Department of Health (866) 259-4655; or MeritCare's flu line (701) 234-1234.

When to call your doctor's office
Call your doctor's office within 48 hours of symptoms starting if your child has a chronic medical condition and develops flu-like symptoms, including a fever and/or cough. If you're questioning whether you or your child needs to be seen, call our flu line or your doctor's office.

If you're pregnant, and have flu-like symptoms, stay home, stay away from others, and call your doctor right away. If needed, he or she will prescribe an antiviral medicine that treats the flu. Have someone check in with you often if you are feeling ill.

When to come to the emergency center

If you or your child has emergency warning signs of the flu, go to the emergency center.

Emergency warning signs for children

Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish or gray skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Severe or persistent vomiting
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Emergency warning signs for adults

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Seasonal Vaccine Supply

MeritCare, along with health care providers across the nation, has had a temporary disruption in our seasonal influenza vaccine supply. We expect to receive more vaccine in November. The predominant circulating strain now is H1N1 flu, and not seasonal influenza.

To check to see if vaccine is available, MeritCare patients should keep coming back to meritcare.com, or call MeritCare's flu line at (701) 234-1234.