Monday, October 12, 2009 | Contact: Jerome Garner, Health Education Specialist 252-459-1547
http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/news/nash-county-receives-first-batch-of-h1n1-vaccine-893848.html
Nash County receives first batch of H1N1 vaccine
By Geoffrey Cooper | Rocky Mount Telegram | Monday, October 12, 2009
With the flu season officially under way, Nash County residents now have somewhat of a safety net to guard them against the H1N1 virus.
Nash County Health Department recently received its first shipment of the H1N1 flu vaccination in the form of a nasal spray. Five hundred doses of the medicine, FluMist arrived to county health offices last week, with more scheduled to come in.
Although it is a small quantity for now, health education specialist Jerome Garner said, the county expects to get weekly shipments, enabling unlimited treatment access to residents. He said the vaccination’s weekly dosage will vary each week.
This is the first form of H1N1 vaccinations for residents, with the next shipment scheduled to come in an injectable version from the N.C. Department of Public Health. When those doses arrive, Garner said, the health department will immediately create distribution plans.
State officials project the treatment will be enough to satisfy each county’s need.
“We do not expect there will be a shortage of 2009 H1N1 vaccine,” N.C. Health Director Jeffrey Engel said in an Oct. 1 press release.
Normally residents only need would shots to ward off the regular occurance of the winter flu. But for this season, Garner said, he encouraged residents to add the H1N1 vaccination to their schedule.
There are no costs for the FluMist or other forms of the H1N1 vaccine. Those costs are covered by the federal government. Regular flu shots for county residents are $32 from the health department, and free to residents with Medicare.
The H1N1 virus has caused nearly 270 hospitalizations and 12 deaths throughout state since march, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. In September, county health officials reported 13 cases of the virus.
Garner said the county will begin vaccinating its health care, emergency medical service and first responder workers this week. From there, county residents can receive vaccinations from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday and from 2 to 6 p.m. Oct. 19 at the health department office in Nashville. These are walk-in clinics and do not require an appointment.
The Health Department only is providing the FluMist to children and young adults ages 2 to 24 years old and healthy residents under 50 years old who live with or take care of children under the age of 6 months.
The nasal spray is not recommended for pregnant women or children under 2 years old. Once the injectable version arrives, those groups, along with residents who are 25-years-old and 64-years-old with high risk condition, may come for vaccination.
Residents seeking more information regarding the H1N1 vaccination can contact the health department at 459-9819.
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