Vaccine shortage has health officials asking residents for patience
Swine flu vaccinations
Rock County officials planned H1N1 vaccination clinics:
Today: 3 to 7 p.m. at the Rock County Job Center, 1900 Center Ave., Janesville.
Tentatively next week: If the health department gets enough vaccine, clinics next week will be 3 to 7 p.m.:
-- Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Converse Elementary School, 1602 Townline Ave., Beloit.
-- Wednesday, Nov. 4, at Aldrich Middle School, 1859 Northgate Drive, Beloit.
-- Thursday, Nov. 5, at Parkview Junior/Senior High, 106 W. Church St., Orfordville.
To learn more: Call the Rock County flu hotline at (608) 741-5200 or visit www.co.rock.wi.us and click on the health department link.
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Curtis Sweat, 4 1/2, winces on his guardian Tammie Sheridan’s lap as Rock County Health Department worker Jennifer Weadge injects intranasal H1N1 vaccine into his nostril during a swine flu clinic at the Rock County Job Center on Tuesday. Because of a shortage of the H1N1 vaccine, officials have been forced to develop a series of criteria to establish a priority list for those who need the vaccine first.
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A sign outside the room in the Rock County Job Center offers a warning about who is eligible for H1N1 vaccinations that were being administered by the Rock County Health Department on Tuesday.
JANESVILLE — Don't bother bringing a note from your doctor.
And don't bother begging.
Either you meet the Rock County Health Department's criteria for the swine flu vaccination or you don't get the vaccine.
It's not for lack of compassion, Nursing Director Janet Zoellner explained to Rosemarie and Scott Fry, Janesville. Their 15-year-old daughter has a medically confirmed case of H1N1.
The Frys' doctor suggested the rest of the family get vaccinated Tuesday at the first H1N1 mass vaccination clinic in Rock County.
"We want you to get the vaccine. We really do," Zoellner said. "But right now the supply is so low we can't give it to everybody."
Rock County will keep ordering vaccine to protect residents from H1N1, which is popping up in the community right now, Health Officer Karen Cain said. In the meantime, she is relying on residents who are not in the high-risk group to be patient and let families with babies get vaccinated first.
"We have to rely on people's integrity," Cain said.
Not everyone can get the nasal spray, and the doses are limited. The following groups qualify for free nasal mist vaccinations through the county:
-- Healthy children ages 2 to 4.
-- Healthy people ages 5 to 49 who live with or care for an infant under 6 months of age, such as parents, siblings and day care providers.
-- Healthy health care workers and emergency medical services personnel up to age 49, who have direct contact with patients or infectious material.
The health department so far has gotten about 1,100 doses of the H1N1 vaccine, Cain said. She's been ordering 3,500 doses every week this month.
The trickle of families through Tuesday's clinic was slow between 3 and 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The county has three more mass clinics scheduled for next week, but planning for them will be on a day-to-day basis while workers wait for vaccine.
The Frys were frustrated that their doctor sent them to the clinic when they didn't meet the criteria. They still want to get the H1N1 vaccination, they said.
In the meantime, Rosemarie Fry reminds other moms and dads not to skimp on the housework during flu season. Load yourself up with hand soap, and put facemasks on members of the family who are sick, Rosemarie said.
Wash dishes with soap and very hot water, she said. If you can't do that, use disposable dishes.
Try not to use glasses and sippy cups more than once without washing, Rosemarie said.
"If one member of the family is sick, it would reduce the risk of spreading it if you just make that extra effort," she said.
Rosemarie also advocates a little laughter as medicine.
On her way out of the job center Tuesday, she flipped through her cell phone to show off a picture of her 15-year-old daughter, Brittney, running cross-country for Craig High School.
The next day, Brittney was sick with the flu, Rosemarie said. She flipped to a picture of Brittney in a facemask holding a pile of stuffed, pink pigs.
Rosemarie insists Brittney was chuckling behind the mask.
Oct 30, 2009 at 5:55 p.m.
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3 out of 4 manufacturing companies who are making the H1N1 vaccine is made out of the U.S. I don't understand why it needs to be made in another country in the first place!!!! I think this is the reason why the vaccines are on back order. Why is the order taking so long when the CDC knew this strain will be making its debate this flu season last spring?
Oct 29, 2009 at 2:15 p.m.
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To all those blaming the vaccine shortage on President Obama's administration: Please tell me how the situation would be different if the government wasn't the distribution starting point. The problem is not distribution. The problem is that the vaccine is taking longer to produce than anticipated by the manufacturers and others.
Oct 29, 2009 at 1:58 p.m.
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dub190, please don't put words in my mouth. It's a very childish form of debate.
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It's unfortunate we have these temporary production problems, but vaccine is coming out at some 9-12 million doses a week. It won't be that long before it's available to the broader population. I'm in the same situation as some of you, as I'm diabetic. I can't get it until they slate my group, and I hope it's soon. At the same time I'm only concerned, not worried, and certainly not panicked. It's actually good that we have more demand now than supply, when a few weeks ago many were proclaiming they would not seek the vaccine.
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As the director of the 1979 smallpox vaccination program that succeeded in eradicating that disease has said, this is a no-win situation for the government. You do "enough" to prevent a crisis, and it looks like there was no crisis. You don't do enough, and you get a crisis. It's really not clear what other options the Obama administration had but they have put together a massive operation of public education and vaccine distribution in a matter of months.
Oct 29, 2009 at 1:14 p.m.
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SarahB1....thank you so much! I am just frustrated the Health Department here said they do have some injectibles but not very many so they need to save them because they are getting calls from parents with terminally ill children with cancer and need to save them for children like that! I work for the County, so I will continue to keep on them and push! I am not giving up!
Oct 29, 2009 at 1:04 p.m.
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"The Frys were frustrated that their doctor sent them to the clinic when they didn't meet the criteria. They still want to get the H1N1 vaccination, they said."
Just a snapshot of Obamacare folks, get used to the idea, after all, most of you out there voted for it.
Oct 29, 2009 at 12:16 p.m.
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The long version:
So these are the people you want to run Health Care?
My point is that the bureaucratic Health and Human Services assured us in July that there would be plenty of vaccine available by October 15th. There were not enough manufacturers on line and those that produced the vaccine warned of delays in producing the quantity required. Instead of taking appropriate and timely action, Health and Human Services hoped for the best.
This is the same bureaucratic nightmare we will face with government run health care.
Story Here:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,5400...
Oct 29, 2009 at 11:59 a.m.
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jvlmom: You are in a tough situation. I work for an agency in Madison and administer flu immunizations all over the state. We have also had very limited supplies of injectable H1N1 vaccine. In addition, we have depleted our supply of intranasal vaccine. We will be holding an H1N1 clinic late next week in Columbia County and, hopefully, more starting up again a week or so after that. I would direct you to one of our future clinics, but we only administer injections to children at least age 3. We can give the intranasal to age 2 to 49. (Unfortunately, as you said, your son cannot have the intranasal vaccine.) Please keep calling your local health department and push to obtain an injection for him. Hopefully, this shortage will end soon. I wish you and your son the best.
Oct 29, 2009 at 11:33 a.m.
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jvlmom, sorry to hear you are having trouble getting the vaccine for your son. Just keep calling around, he should be eligible if they have any of the shot around. Good luck!
Oct 29, 2009 at 11:24 a.m.
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if my son was a HEALTHY 2-4 year old then they are ALL OVER that giving vaccines! But because of his condition he cannot have the nasal vaccine!
Oct 29, 2009 at 11:23 a.m.
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what really makes me mad about this whole thing is that I have a son (age 2) at home who is a severe asthmatic. We had alot of trouble getting his asthma under control with daily doses of sterroids. I called the Health Department and they told me that they do have some injectible does (he cannot have the nasal because of his asthma) but the Health Department will not give him a shot because they only have a limited number of the shots. What in the hell is that????? His age and his medical condition does not make him qualify for the shot? Then what in the hell does? Can someone please explain that to me! His pedi and his asthma specialist both said it is very necessary that he have the vaccine! But NO ONE can seem to tell me how I can get it for him!
Oct 29, 2009 at 8:51 a.m.
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NVgrf - You have a small vocabulary.
Oct 29, 2009 at 8:12 a.m.
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Napalm: I agree!
Oct 29, 2009 at 8:06 a.m.
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It's all Obama's fault!
Oct 29, 2009 at 3:49 a.m.
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Third_Eye: (From Bloomberg.com) Nicole Lurie, Health and Human Services assistant secretary for preparedness and response, said the U.S. government has worked with the drugmakers to improve their output. The companies were instructed to switch from single-dose vials to multidose as a way to speed up the process, she said.
“If we hadn’t done that we would be in a much worse place than we are now,” Lurie said.
Also, most of the vaccine destined for use here in the United States is produced by overseas suppliers.
Oct 29, 2009 at 3:31 a.m.
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dub190: What countries don't have what you label "socialized health care"? I know I am tired right now, but I can only think of the United States. The reason there is such worry over the H1N1 virus is that it is very widespread and it is mostly affecting CHILDREN and YOUNG ADULTS. Kids and young adults don't normally die from the flu. Got it now?
Oct 28, 2009 at 11:15 p.m.
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MSNBC said we are short on vaccines because of George W. Bush. Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow said so and they never lie.
Oct 28, 2009 at 9:16 p.m.
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H1N1 is a pandemic and national emergency because it has spread very far and very wide very quickly. The hospitals and doctors offices are overcrowded and the national emergency declaration allows more flexibility for hospitals to deal with it.
BUT, although it spreads at lightning speed, it is not particularly dangerous for most people. Most will get it and most will get over it with no problems. IF you have an underlying medical condition, then you should consider vaccination, if not, you should just take your chances, and get your immunity the good old fashioned way. Just use common sense like any other illness and seek medical help if complications arise.
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The 24/7 news cycle of today has caused this to be over-hyped, much like SARS and any number of other issues that are the hot topic of the day for ratings.
Oct 28, 2009 at 8:07 p.m.
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dub and chainsaw - I am very glad there are people like you in the world. Without you it would take even longer to get vaccinated.
Oct 28, 2009 at 7:18 p.m.
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Yeah why?????? hmmmmm??????
Oct 28, 2009 at 5:29 p.m.
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Pesky facts don't matter to conspiracy theorists! Don't you know that the government wants to kill us...I heard it on Fox News!!!
Oct 28, 2009 at 4:56 p.m.
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How is the shortage the governments fault? Who makes the vaccine? The private sector not the government.
Oct 28, 2009 at 4:48 p.m.
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Third_Eye, the vaccine shortage is worldwide. There are limits on how fast it can be produced and since a pandemic is unpredictable there are some delays. Even if widespread availability isn't until late November or December, that will still protect people during the spring and fall waves of H1N1 that are expected.
Oct 28, 2009 at 4:35 p.m.
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Has this been a real emergency, the government would be telling us who lives, and who dies.
Oct 28, 2009 at 4:04 p.m.
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It was predicted last spring that H1N1 would become a problem in the fall. With a head start like that we get.... a shortage of vaccine.
So these are the people you want to run Health Care???
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