Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://ourmidland.com/articles/2009/10/28/local_news/doc4ae888680be61930685207.txt
Demand ?amazing? at H1N1 clinic
Published: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 2:13 PM EDT
Angela E. Lackey
for the Daily News
Almost 1,000 local children received the H1N1 vaccine at Tuesday?s clinic in Homer Township.
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?The demand was just amazing,? said Midland County Health Department Preparedness Coordinator Fred Yanoski.
The clinic?s primary purpose was to vaccinate children ages 6 months to 18 years old with chronic illnesses such as asthma. Those children were given the injectable form of the vaccine. Healthy children ages 2 to 18 were vaccinated with the intranasal form.
?H1N1 is having a major impact on the young population, so it is important to address that,? Yanoski said. ?We are following very closely the CDC?s priority groups.?
The CDC ? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ? recommends that children, pregnant women, caregivers of children 6 months and younger and medical workers first receive the H1N1 vaccine.
Yanoski said the health department receives a limited amount of H1N1 vaccine each week, and plans its vaccine clinics based on that amount. He said the department should be able to schedule its next H1N1 vaccine clinic in a couple of days.
?It?s important for our residents to know we are addressing our priorities,? he said. ?We are not saving any (vaccine). As soon as we get more vaccine, based on how much we get, we will come up with plan to address the priority groups.?
Yanoski said the department has been told ?eventually we will have enough vaccine for everyone.?
?The people who are getting it are far more at risk,? he said. ?If you?re in a lower priority group, you are less at risk of having severe complications from H1N1.?
Yanoski said the H1N1 is widespread at this point.
?The majority of the flu that has been tested is H1N1 and not seasonal,? he said.
However, Yanoski stressed that people who think they have had the virus should still get the vaccine when available unless they have had ?a lab-confirmed H1N1 test.?
He said the department also hopes to get more seasonal flu vaccines in, and that it is important to also get this vaccine.
Yanoski said Tuesday?s clinic was successful.
?We were able to vaccine everybody waiting in line,? he said.
Yanoski said people should visit the Midland County Health Department website at http://www.co.midland.mi.us/departments/home.php?id=14 or call (989)... for the latest information about H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines.
Demand ?amazing? at H1N1 clinic
Published: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 2:13 PM EDT
Angela E. Lackey
for the Daily News
Almost 1,000 local children received the H1N1 vaccine at Tuesday?s clinic in Homer Township.
*
?The demand was just amazing,? said Midland County Health Department Preparedness Coordinator Fred Yanoski.
The clinic?s primary purpose was to vaccinate children ages 6 months to 18 years old with chronic illnesses such as asthma. Those children were given the injectable form of the vaccine. Healthy children ages 2 to 18 were vaccinated with the intranasal form.
?H1N1 is having a major impact on the young population, so it is important to address that,? Yanoski said. ?We are following very closely the CDC?s priority groups.?
The CDC ? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ? recommends that children, pregnant women, caregivers of children 6 months and younger and medical workers first receive the H1N1 vaccine.
Yanoski said the health department receives a limited amount of H1N1 vaccine each week, and plans its vaccine clinics based on that amount. He said the department should be able to schedule its next H1N1 vaccine clinic in a couple of days.
?It?s important for our residents to know we are addressing our priorities,? he said. ?We are not saving any (vaccine). As soon as we get more vaccine, based on how much we get, we will come up with plan to address the priority groups.?
Yanoski said the department has been told ?eventually we will have enough vaccine for everyone.?
?The people who are getting it are far more at risk,? he said. ?If you?re in a lower priority group, you are less at risk of having severe complications from H1N1.?
Yanoski said the H1N1 is widespread at this point.
?The majority of the flu that has been tested is H1N1 and not seasonal,? he said.
However, Yanoski stressed that people who think they have had the virus should still get the vaccine when available unless they have had ?a lab-confirmed H1N1 test.?
He said the department also hopes to get more seasonal flu vaccines in, and that it is important to also get this vaccine.
Yanoski said Tuesday?s clinic was successful.
?We were able to vaccine everybody waiting in line,? he said.
Yanoski said people should visit the Midland County Health Department website at http://www.co.midland.mi.us/departments/home.php?id=14 or call (989)... for the latest information about H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines.