There seems to be some who believe that the  2009 H1N1 vaccine will protect you against seasonal flu virus.    

THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT TRUE 

The flu vaccine is absolutely the best way to protect you against the flu. There are two types of vaccines for the 2009 -2010 flu season. One is the seasonal flu and the other is the vaccine to protect against the H1N1 (Swine) flu virus. 

It takes about 2 weeks for the antibodies, that the vaccine gets your body to produce, to provide you full protection against both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu. You can “get” the flu during that 2 week period but it does NOT mean you got the flu from the flu shot.

There are two kinds of H1N1 vaccines: 

• One is the H1N1 flu “shot” – this vaccine contains the dead virus and is given with a needle in the arm.
  • This flu shot is approved for people 6 months of age and older, including healthy people, people with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women.
  • The same manufacturers who produce seasonal flu shots are producing 2009 H1N1 flu shots for use in the United States this season.
  • The 2009 H1N1 flu shot is being made in the same way that the seasonal flu shot is made.
• The other is a nasal spray – this vaccine is made with live, weakened viruses that do not cause the flu.
  • The same group is approved for the nasal spray vaccine as for the flu shot.
  • The flu vaccine is approved for use in healthy* people 2 years to 49 years of age who are NOT pregnant.
  • The nasal spray vaccine is being made by the same company that makes the seasonal nasal spray vaccine.
  • The 2009 H1N1 nasal spray vaccine is being made in the same way as the seasonal nasal spray vaccine.