Shasta County Public Health to distribute H1N1 vaccine

Shasta County Public Health received 4,200 doses of the H1N1 virus vaccine Friday and hopes to have it ready to be distributed to health care providers starting today.

Roxanne Burke, community education specialist, said 81 providers in Shasta County put in orders for the vaccine and it's unlikely any of the orders will be filled completely at this point.

The only H1N1 vaccine currently in the county is the nasal spray version, and only a fraction of the 1,900 doses ordered have made it to providers so far, she said. The latest shipment includes the injectable version.

Out of 13 providers contacted, only one confirmed it had the vaccine.

"We get people daily asking if they can come in and get it and we just have to say, 'check back in later,' " said Heidi Shipman, clinical nurse educator at Shasta Community Health Center.

Shipman said the center placed an order for the vaccine and expected to have it by now, but delays in manufacturing and distribution have kept the center from receiving the vaccine so far.

Secretary Kathleen Sebelius of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services acknowledged delays on Monday in getting a sufficient supply of the vaccine to providers but said the vaccine "is coming out the door as fast as it comes off the production line."

Sebelius said a supply of 16.5 million doses has been distributed throughout the country, still millions below what is needed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 1.3 million were shipped to California as of Oct. 21.

Burke said 27,900 doses are expected to be received sometime next month. With the latest shipment, 400 doses will be retained by Public Health for a first-come, first-served clinic to be announced later, she said.

Burke said she couldn't say what specific providers would receive the remaining doses, but they would serve those with the highest risk of illness. Burke said that includes: health care workers who have close contact with children; children ages 6 months to 9 years old; caregivers of infants younger than 6 months; pregnant women if they're willing to receive vaccine that has thymerisol preservative; and health care workers who care for pregnant women.

Public Health's goal is to have the vaccine ready for providers to pick up today, she said.

Reporter Amanda Winters can be reached at 225-8372 or awinters@redding.com.