H1N1: Vaccinations likely not available until mid to late November

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A mass public H1N1 flu vaccination clinic likely will not be available in Grand Forks until mid- to late-November “at the earliest,” a local health official confirmed Tuesday.

In a statement released by Altru Health System, Dr. James Hargreaves said the amount of vaccine that will be available to Altru and the timing of its arrival remain unclear, so a process for distributing the vaccine has not been fully established.

But “health care employees in high-exposure areas will be the first to receive the vaccine so as to ensure adequate staff to care for the community’s health needs,” said Hargreaves, an infectious disease physician at Altru and the city’s public health physician.

Altru will follow guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state Department of Health in distributing the vaccine first to healthcare workers and other priority groups, according to the statement.

Those groups include pregnant women, children younger than 5 (and especially younger than 2), people 65 and older, and people with chronic health conditions or weakened immune systems.

The vaccine is expected in a series of allotments, and Altru officials will announce rolling criteria and procedures for obtaining vaccinations as the allotments arrive.

In the meantime, Hargreaves urged people to follow CDC recommendations on avoiding the flu, including hand-washing, using alcohol-based sanitizers, covering coughs and sneezes, frequently cleaning commonly used surfaces and not touching one’s eyes, nose and mouth.

People at high risk of serious flu-related complications who experience flu-like symptoms should seek medical care, Hargreaves said.

“Otherwise, people experiencing flu-like symptoms should stay home and rest,” he said.

In monitoring the spread of the H1N1 and seasonal flu viruses, the CDC has determined that most people experience mild to moderate symptoms and are able to recover without medical assistance.

Reach Haga at (701) 780-1102; (800) 477-6572, ext. 102; or send e-mail to chaga@gfherald.com.

Tags: local news, swine flu, altru health system, altru hospital, dr james hargreaves, centers for disease control, h1n1, vaccinations, flu, health