Swine flu impact grows

Local News

November 2, 2009

More people added to list of those eligible for vaccine

By James Beaty The McAlester News-Capital Mon Nov 02, 2009, 10:12 AM CST

The Pittsburg County Health Department has added another group to those eligible to receive the Influenza A H1N1 swine flu vaccine.

“Our new group is anyone from ages 19 to 64 years of age with a chronic medical condition,” said Health Department District Nurse Manager Melissa Tidwell.

With the vaccine in short supply, the term “chronic medical condition” refers to a significant condition, Tidwell noted.

Those include conditions such as chronic pulmonary disease, dealing with the lungs; renal or kidney dysfunction, diabetes, cardiovascular or heart diseases and immuno-suppressive diseases, such as HIV or lupus, said Tidwell.

No influenza A H1N1 swine flu vaccines are yet available at the health department for the general public — and the supply on-hand for currently prioritized groups is rapidly dwindling.

Tidwell said the health department expects to obtain more of the vaccine this week, but limited supplies were available today.

“We have 40 H1N1 pre-filled injectables,” she said. Those are available for those who are from ages 4 to 64 with underlying health conditions and for pregnant women, according to Tidwell.

“We’re really encouraging pregnant women and children to get the vaccinations,” Tidwell said. They have been especially susceptible to the H1N1 virus, she noted.

“Plus, we have 73 of the H1N1 flu mists,” Tidwell said, adding that those are available to individuals from ages 2 through 49 who fall into one of the other prioritized groups.

The priortized groups include children up to 18, health care workers who are in direct contact with acutely ill individuals and custodial parents of children up to 6 months of age.

Although the health department has exhausted its supply of the injectable regular seasonal flu vaccine for the time being, a limited supply of pediatric nasal flu vaccinations are available.

“We have 105 pediatric regular seasonal flu mists for children up to 18,” Tidwell said.

In other Influenza A H1N1 swine flu-related activity, the health department administered vaccinations at the Savanna Elementary School on Friday.

“We went to Savanna school and gave 62 of the vaccines,” said Tidwell. Some received the nasal mist and some received injectable vaccines, she said.

The school’s administration had asked the health department to give the vaccinations because of elevated school absences last week.

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.

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