H1N1: 1st Shipment of Vaccine Arrives At Chatham Co. Health Dept.: Limited Supply

The first shipment of the vaccine for the H1N1 (swine) flu has arrived at the Chatham County Health Department. Department officials say there's a very limited supply.

By: Randi Hempel | WSAV-TV
Published: October 06, 2009

The first shipment of H1N1 flu vaccines are here, but they're in extremely limited supply.

The Coastal Health District is following state recommendations of giving the initial doses to children ages two to four.

There are only 3,200 vaccines and they’re for all eight counties in the Coastal Health District. Chatham County will receive 1,400 doses. Health officials say the rest will be distributed by population.

The first vaccines are in the form of a nasal spray because it's faster to make those.

A lot of the health departments will be offering the vaccines as part of their services but, again, right now, they're just for healthy two to four year olds. Children in that age group are not eligible if they have chronic illnesses or conditions, such as asthma, or if they're on long term aspirin therapy.

"That is the age group experiencing the highest hospitalization rates and we also know it's an age group that's very effective in spreading germs, so CDC has recommended using the small initial shipment for that age group." Explains Dr. Diane Weems with the Coastal Health District.

This batch of vaccines will be distributed to area pediatricians in Chatham County who already ordered doses, WIC and other services.

They'll begin administering them tomorrow. Dr. Weems says the health department will receive more vaccines at the end of this week or next week.

The next group to receive the vaccination will be the critical workforce; hospital employees, EMS workers, police and fire fighters.

For more on the H1N1 flu, click here.