Pigheaded Strategy

James Apa 11/19/2009 2:16:00 AM

Nina -- Thanks for covering this issue and raising important questions about H1N1 vaccine availability. The delays in vaccine production have been challenging for everyone, as there isn't enough right now to meet the demand for people who need it. Availability is gradually improving, and more people are getting vaccinated every week, but we know it�s still tough for many people to locate vaccine. Our approach in King County has been to get most of the available vaccine directly to health care providers, including pediatricians, so they can identify their adult and youth patients in priority groups who need it most. To date, over 250,000 doses of vaccine have either been received on the ground (with many already vaccinated) or are in the process of order and delivery. As more vaccine becomes available, we�ll continue to provide vaccine to health care providers to vaccinate more of their patients, but also allocate a portion for distribution more widely through public venues. We've started to make a limited amount of vaccine available to pharmacies as part of this widening distribution strategy. Pharmacies do have different age ranges for vaccination based on existing systems and policies, and many do not allow them to vaccinate babies and young children. At our request, some are finding ways to quickly expand their vaccinations to age ranges for younger children. We expect that we'll be able to make additional pharmacy options available soon for young children. And as supplies continue to improve, we�ll look to widen vaccination options further, including some school-based clinics. For more details on our distribution plans and current availability at local pharmacies, I'd encourage readers to check out our H1N1 website at www.kingcounty.gov/health/H1N1.