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It's not time for the seasonal flu, yet 48 states including Pennsylvania are reporting widespread influenza activity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is blaming novel H1N1 flu - formerly known as swine flu.

"Almost all of the influenza viruses identified so far are 2009 H1N1 influenza A viruses," according to CDC.

It's no different in Warren County.

The flu is going around.

Warren General Hospital has some H1N1 vaccine and is taking the steps recommended by CDC to make sure its personnel are healthy.

The hospital put in a request for 10,000 doses of vaccine, according to Spokesperson Karen Coombs.

"Warren General Hospital has received their first shipment of vaccine," Coombs said. "The hospital has begun the vaccination process, following the CDC priority protocol list, by vaccinating hospital employees this week."

"Our goal is to get that accomplished before the end of the week," Coombs said.

The initial shipment was of Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) nasal spray.

"LAIV is recommended for use in healthy people 2 years to 49 years of age who are not pregnant," according to CDC. The live virus is weakened and "cannot grow at normal body temperature."

When the hospital has its personnel vaccinated, any remaining vaccine will be available to the public on a priority basis.

"The hospital will be following priority protocols for the dissemination of the initial shipment of vaccine," Coombs said.

The priority groups according to CDC are: pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

There is some overlap of the priority groups for vaccination and the groups that should not receive the LAIV.

According to Betsy Williams, infection control nurse at WGH, "because this is a live vaccine, there are certain criteria that must be met in order to qualify for vaccination. You should not receive LAIV if you have a severe (life threatening) allergy to eggs, gelatin, gentamicin, arginine, neomycin, or polymyxin."

Williams said the following groups should not receive the 2009 H1N1 LAIV: children younger than 2 and adults older than 50; pregnant women; anyone with a weakened immune system; anyone with long-term health problem such as heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, diabetes, asthma, anemia and other blood disorders; children younger than 5 years with asthma or one or more episodes of wheezing during the last year; anyone with certain muscle or nerve disorders (such as cerebral palsy) that can lead to breathing or swallowing problems; anyone in close contact with a severely weakened immune system (requiring special care in a protected environment such as bone marrow transplant unit).

Seasonal flu vaccines and H1N1 vaccines are specific to their diseases.

"The seasonal flu vaccine is not expected to protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu," according to CDC.