First H1N1 arrives in Johnson County for priority groups

Posted on Nov 04, 2009 by Anna Lothson.

2 1/2-year-old Taylor Seaton sits on her Mom's lap as her 14-month old brother Austin Becher waits for his turn as she receives the H1N1 influenza nasal spray vaccine at the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building Wednesday. (Anna Lothson/The Gazette)

The Johnson County Health and Human Services building looked like a day care Wednesday afternoon as people waited to receive the first dose of the H1N1 influenza vaccine available to priority groups.

Until more arrives, health care workers and emergency response personnel who have direct contact with patients or infectious materials, people who live with or provide care for infants less than 6 months, children 6 months to 4 years, and pregnant women are the only people who qualify for the vaccine.

Johnson County Public Health Director Doug Beardsley said their office has a backlog of several hundred calls from people wanting the be scheduled for the H1N1 influenza vaccine.

“We thought we were prepared,” he said. “But we are way behind schedule.”

With around 200 scheduled Wednesday, he said mostly young children have been the largest population getting the vaccine.

Depending on age and pre-existing conditions, the vaccine is available in either a nasal spray or shot form.

And since the supply is being shared between other health care providers across the county, including the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and private health care providers, it’s hard to know how to exactly sustain the supply, Beardsley said.

As he said the national trend of the H1N1 influenza remains elevated, Beardsley expects people’s desire to get the vaccine constant.

Emily Becher of Fairfax didn’t hesitate when it came to getting her children, 2 1/2-year-old Taylor Seaton and 14-month-old Austin Becher the vaccine.

“It seems like you can’t go anywhere,” she said, speaking of her fears of the flu spreading.

But even though she said she has pre-existing condition and a weak immune system, she said she found out she does not quite qualify for the vaccine — something she said she couldn’t understand.

Beardsley said he has taken some angry calls, but overall people have been compliant with the regulations of those who qualify.

He said his office plans to have clinics running every Wednesday as long as the vaccine supply arrives, but said the supply arrival is difficult to predict.

“There is no projection for any time,” he said. “We are working on a week-to-week basis.”