Question: Does the second dose of hep A vaccine have to be delivered exactly six months after the first?
Answer: No. Six months is the minimum interval between the first and second doses of hepatitis A vaccine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The recommended interval is six to 18 months. Even after 18 months it’s not necessary to repeat a dose; just get the second dose as usual, according to the agency, which is commonly referred to as the CDC.
That’s calendar months, by the way; 24 weeks does not equal six months in vaccination schedules.
The CDC spells out this information and more in its “Pink Book,” the Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. Hepatitis A, a viral liver disease, is covered in Chapter 9, which you can read at 808ne.ws/HepAchap.
The state Department of Health advised people initially vaccinated against hep A during a serious outbreak last summer to wait at least six months for their second shot. Now that six months has elapsed since people began getting vaccinated, the department issued a broad, public reminder for folks to get their second dose once it’s due. But there’s no need to rush to the doctor or pharmacy all at once.
“The main thing is that people wait at least six months for the second dose. After six months it’s up to the convenience of the patient and the availability of their health care provider. We want them to remember to get it done, but they do have time,” Ronald Balajadia, DOH’s immunization branch chief, told Kokua Line on Monday.
The Health Department said 90,259 hepatitis A vaccinations were given in Hawaii between July and November, citing data from the Hawaii Immunization Registry. Although one dose provides good protection, two doses are necessary for lasting immunity against hep A infection, which causes jaundice and flu-like symptoms, sometimes prolonged.
The Health Department recommends that Hawaii residents due for their second shot make an appointment with the same health care provider that administered the first one, for ease of record-keeping, which includes confirming that the first dose was at least six months ago.
Q: Are they replacing the toilets at Manoa Falls?
A: No, and we’ll clarify that the composting toilets were at the trailhead, not the falls themselves.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources said in a news release that an aging structure donated by the Hawaii Tourism Authority was being removed and would not be replaced; it had two toilet stalls.
The DLNR advised hikers to use the restrooms at a public park in Manoa or, if they pay to park at Paradise Park, to ask to use the facilities there.
Mahalo
Hearty mahalo to Ala Moana Center security officer Arthur Lyman, who came to my rescue in finding my home and car keys that I lost at the mall. Being a kupuna, he made sure I was OK and took the information from me as to where I was that day. Being in my 90s, his calm manner made me feel much better and 100 percent at ease. He was diligent in searching for my keys and wouldn’t listen to anyone who said the keys could not be found. He is such a gentleman, which made me trust him and have faith that the keys would be found. He knew these keys meant a lot to me. To my surprise, the following day I received a call from him saying my keys were found. I immediately returned to the security office, and sure enough it was the right set of keys. Much great aloha and mahalo nui loa to this wonderful security officer. He cared for the kupuna and has so much aloha! — Kupuna Lehua
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-210, Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
