A stepped-up effort
Officials scramble to meet growing H1N1 vaccine demand

By Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
LarryM@argusobserver.com
Saturday, October 24, 2009 11:01 PM PDT

Kathleen Quintero, R.N., gives an H1N1 flu shot to Bryson Sap, 19, Ontario, Friday afternoon at the Malheur County Health Department office in Ontario.

ONTARIO — Public health departments in Oregon and Idaho are ramping up efforts to get the public vaccinated against the spreading H1N1 flu after receiving additional supplies of the vaccine.

A big part of the effort centers around special clinics and special office hours to make it more convenient for people who are eligible to receive the H1N1 vaccine.

In Malheur County, the health department has furnished H1N1 vaccinations since Thursday, Tammie Dockter, R.N., said.

“We’ve been getting a big crowd, with kids, health care workers and pregnant women,” she reported.

Starting Monday, the health department will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to accommodate those who cannot get in during regular office hours.

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However, these vaccinations are still only for those in the priority categories: pregnant women, those who care for infants under 6 months, health care or emergency medical service personnel, people ages 6 months to 24 years old, people 24 to 64 years old who have medical conditions which put them at higher risk for flu-related complications and specific to Oregon, National Guard, front-line law enforcement and corrections officers.

State and local law enforcement officials with reoccurring contact with the public are also eligible. Vaccinations will be delivered as long as supplies last.

In Idaho, Southwest District Health was holding an H1N1 vaccination clinic in Canyon County Saturday and a Flumist clinic only in Gem County. These clinics are also for those only in the priority groups, Laurie Boston, Southwest District Health spokesperson said.

“We are asking people to yield to the priority people, but we aren’t checking IDs,” Boston said. Boston said it could be at least three months before the H1N1 flu is open to everyone. Other flu vaccine supplies are short, Dockter said.

“We don’t have any seasonal flu vaccine,” Dockter said. The health department immunization coordinator ordered 1,000 doses of seasonal vaccine.

“We got it all,” Dockter said. An attempt was made to order more, but the immunization coordinator was told there would not be any available.

Over at Southwest District Health, Boston said that department is also out of seasonal flu vaccine but would be getting more sometime in November. She said her office ordered less than last year because of the number of other providers of seasonal flu vaccine available.

“You walk the line,” she said, when ordering vaccine.

“It’s a best guess,” she said.

Boston also noted the manufacturers have been concentrating on making H1N1 vaccine.

“It’s produced the same way as seasonal flu,” Boston said.

However, other seasonal vaccine providers, such as private doctors offices or medical clinics, may still have supplies.