|
|
|
|
|
H1N1 vaccine supply meets demand here
by Jule Hubbard
Due to limited supplies of the H1N1 vaccine, the Wilkes Health Department is focusing vaccination efforts on certain population groups identified by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The target groups are pregnant women, people between 6 months and 24 years old, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months, people 25 to 64 with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza complications and health care and emergency medical services personnel.
"We have been trying to administer it by appointment to people in these target groups, so we haven't had the long lines of people that have been reported elsewhere," said Wilkes Health Department Director Beth Lovette.
By asking people in the target groups to make appointments for free H1N1 vaccinations from the health department, said Mrs. Lovette, Wilkes is among places with more successful swine flu vaccination efforts.
While some private physicians and pharmacies charge around $15 or more per H1N1 dose to cover their costs of administering the vaccine and reporting their volume to a statewide immunization system, the health department provides it for free through grant funding. Pharmacies and private physicians with the vaccine are also targeting certain segments of the population.
Mrs. Lovette said the amount of H1N1 vaccine sent to Wilkes-at no charge to the health department, pharmacies or private physicians-has so far been enough to meet demand.
"We were told that in December, supplies (of the H1N1) vaccine should ramp up and we should have enough for everyone," she said. Health department officials expect to continue receiving weekly shipments of the H1N1 vaccine through January.
The health department alone has administered 1,830 doses of the H1N1 vaccine since the first shipment arrived about a month ago.
Mrs. Lovette said the attention drug manufacturers gave to producing the H1N1 vaccine apparently helped create a shortage of seasonal flu vaccine, leaving the health department with only enough of the vaccine now for Wilkes students in all grades by appointment and through visits of the health department's Mobile Expanded School Health (MESH) unit.
The health department has administered 2,490 doses of seasonal flu in Wilkes so far this flu season, including 1,843 doses through the school flu initiative for students in grades six through 12 . Of these, 1,556 doses were the nasal spray (flu mist). The 3,490 doses include vaccinations given later through the MESH unit.
Mrs. Lovette said Wilkes has received enough H1N1 vaccine for around 400 people each week, with supplies fairly evenly split between types of the vaccine for three age groups. It has been available as a shot and a nasal spray.
She said people in the targeted population groups are asked to call ahead for H1N1 vaccination appointments for clinics on Saturdays and as late as 6:15 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and some Thursdays at the health department, which is on College Street in Wilkesboro. The number is 651-7450.
Enough H1N1 vaccine for 300 people arrived this week for a clinic from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, the third consecutive Saturday clinic at the health department.
"As we began to know when we would get it (supplies of the H1N1 vaccine), we worked with the state and contacted all of the local health care providers to see if they were interested in getting it," said Mrs. Lovette, adding that at least 100 doses must be shipped to a location for it to receive any. About 13 private physicians and Wilkes Regional Medical Center signed up to receive the vaccine.
Donna Shumate, the Wilkes Health Department's emergency preparedness coordinator, said a parental permission form for students to receive the H1N1 vaccine by appointment is on the school website. The Internet address for the forms is www.wilkes.k12.nc.us/studntser/wchDept.html |
|
|
|
|
