DPH: 750 get H1N1 vaccines

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Saturday, January 02, 2010
Local
Tuesday, December 29, 2009

ON THE FIRST DAY OF OPEN VACCINATIONS
DPH: 750 get H1N1 vaccines


By Moneth Deposa
Reporter

The Department of Public Health administered about 750 doses of the H1N1 vaccines on the first day it opened the campaign to the public last week, according to hospital epidemiologist Edward Diaz.

More community members are expected to avail of the free doses as the agency continues to provide the service, in collaboration with private health clinics.

?The first Saturday vaccination drive for the community was pretty successful. Close to 750 people were provided the doses and more are coming in to the clinic here and in the private [sector],? Diaz told Saipan Tribune yesterday.

DPH opened the vaccination to the public on Dec. 19.

Tinian and Rota were scheduled to begin the same vaccination drive yesterday.

Latest DPH numbers show that 62 percent of students in the Commonwealth have already been provided the H1N1 vaccines, ranging from kindergarten to high school, including all Head Start students.

An estimated 5,400-plus students in both private and public schools on three islands have already availed of the vaccines, either via shots or flu mists. This translates to 62 percent of the entire student population, which exceeds the target and expectation of the health department.

Compared to elementary schools, which recorded over 3,500 participants two weeks ago, health representatives noted some minor challenges in high schools due to the inoculation period falling on finals week.

The CNMI has been allocated 56,000 H1N1 vaccines for the three islands. The first shipment of the vaccines was provided to priority groups that included infants, pregnant women, and health care providers.

Some 19,000 additional doses are expected to arrive in the CNMI this month.

Health officials said during last week's news briefing that it is their goal to complete the vaccination program by the end of the year and to make sure the bulk of the community is inoculated before the seasonal flue outbreak occurs.

The CNMI remains clean in terms of H1N1-related deaths, compared to other states and territories like Guam, which has two fatalities.

Though there are some few side effects such as allergies, health officials said the H1N1 vaccines are ?effective and safe.?

http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=96141

[Pathfinder]

Re: DPH: 750 get H1N1 vaccines


Saturday, February 06, 2010




DPH: 20,000 avail of H1N1 vaccines


By Moneth Deposa
Reporter

A total of 22,000 individuals on three islands have already availed of the H1N1 flu vaccine since the Department of Public Health began its extensive vaccination campaign last year.

Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez said that 19,565 individuals have been vaccinated on Saipan, 1,075 on Rota, and 1,360 on Tinian.

A total of 910 people were inoculated during the three most recent vaccination drives conducted by DPH: 436 during the Cervical Cancer Fair, 57 during the Head Start symposium, and 417 during the Nutrition Assistance Program drive. The first two took place on Jan. 30. The NAP drive was held Feb. 1.

Villagomez said the mass vaccination drive will continue today at the Kagman Community Center and during the Little League opening on Feb. 14.

He emphasized that people who want to avail of the vaccine are not required to have a blue card from the Commonwealth Health Center.

Next week, school vaccination campaigns are set to focus on private schools: Mount Carmel School, Saipan Community School, Calvary Christian Academy, Marianas Baptist Academy, Saipan International School, and Ladera International School. These will be held on Feb. 16 and 17 starting at 8am.

Public secondary schools are also scheduled for vaccination such as Chacha Oceanview and Kagman High on Feb. 19; Marianas High School on Feb. 23; Saipan Southern High on Feb. 24; and Hopwood Junior High School on Feb. 25.

DPH emphasized that school staffers and students in 7th to 12th grade will be given the option to receive the doses either through shots or nasal sprays and students-except those 9 years old and below who have availed of the first vaccines-are required to have the mandatory consent forms signed by their parents.

The Commonwealth is slated to receive a total of 56,000 H1N1 vaccines to avert a swine flu outbreak. So far, it has already received 25,000 doses since last year.

The CNMI's aggressive effort in fighting the virus was recognized during a health meeting in Australia. The Commonwealth to date remains clean in terms of flu-related deaths compared to neighboring Guam, which has two fatalities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that between April and mid-November 2009, 47 million people were hospitalized and nearly 10,000 people died due to the H1N1 pandemic, with a vast majority of deaths occurring in children and elderly adults.

Flu experts earlier warned about a possible third wave of the H1N1 flu pandemic.

CDC officials on island

Secretary Villagomez introduced yesterday two visiting CDC officials who will be on island until next week: Janice McMichael, project officer serving the Pacific Islands' Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program; and Barbara Cooper, public health adviser for the Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response's Division of Strategic National Stockpile.

Villagomez said DPH is fully collaborating with the two officials and lauded the assistance and support provided the CNMI in its effort to combat the flu.

?They're here to help us and see how we can best improve our services,? he added.

http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=97048&cat=1