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CDHD suspends school-based H1N1 vaccinations

Dave Fotsch
Central District Health Department
The Central District Health Department (CDHD) this week suspended its school-based H1N1 (swine) flu vaccination program in the Boise and Meridian school districts. Deliveries of additional doses of nasal spray and injectible vaccine did not arrive as expected this week, forcing planners to suspend the program until additional vaccine arrives. CDHD, like all other health agencies around the country, must adjust its plans for distributing the vaccine because of a smaller supply than what was originally projected.

“Children remain one of the top priority groups,” said Rob Howarth, incident commander for the flu operations at CDHD. “But we can only dispense the vaccine we have on hand, and today we’re going to run out.”

Howarth wants to assure parents that CDHD will resume the school-based vaccination program as soon as adequate supplies arrive. CDHD is also working on a plan to have a private provider vaccinate students in private and charter schools, but that plan also is dependent on vaccine availability.

Additional information can be found on the CDHD Web site www.cdhd.idaho.gov and by calling the Flu Hotline (208) 321-2222.

CDHD narrows definition of H1N1 vaccine priority groups
Smaller supply of vaccine forces change

In response to smaller than expected deliveries of H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine the CDHD is narrowing its definition of"Priority Groups" – those people most at risk of serious complications of the flu. The primary effect of the change will be to limit the number of people allowed to get the vaccine at "Point of Dispensing" (POD) locations starting on Saturday (Oct. 24) at two locations in Ada County.

Following the guidance of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices (ACIP), CDHD will limit access to the vaccine to the following groups:

pregnant women,
who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age,
health care and emergency medical services personnel with direct patient contact (i.e. diagnosing and treating patients with flu-like illness),
6 months through 4 years of age, and
children 5 through 18 years of age who have chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, lung or heart disease, chronic liver or kidney disease, or are immune-compromised because of cancer treatment or HIV

As long as the supply of vaccine remains unpredictable, the additional restrictions will remain in effect. CDHD is continuing with its school-based vaccination campaign Tuesday October 20th, but will suspend the operation as soon as the current supply of nasal spray is exhausted. School vaccinations will resume with the delivery of additional vaccination.