Swine-flu vaccine is in short supply in Richmond metro area
Joe Mahoney / Times-Dispatch
Deean Johnson of Mechanicsville, a patient at Sheltering Arms Hospital, visits via webcam with her daughter Sara Leavell.
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Richmond metropolitan health facilities are largely, if temporarily, out of H1N1 flu vaccine.
"In the region, all the local health departments are out of vaccine except for a small stock held off to the side primarily for pregnant women," said Dr. Donald Stern, director of the Richmond Health District.
"We hope to get another shipment at the end of this week," Stern said yesterday. "The key word here is patience. It's on its way."
The amount the city health district is reserving for pregnant women, a group at high risk from the swine flu, is only 30 doses, Stern said, speaking for the central Virginia health districts.
Three of HCA Virginia Health System's six area hospitals have no vaccine while the others have little or none, according to HCA spokeswoman Karen Nelson.
VCU Medical Center has swine-flu mist vaccine on hand, but the live-virus mist is only approved for healthy people from 2 to 49 years old who are not pregnant.
"As with everyone else, we are waiting for the injectable vaccine," VCU spokeswoman Pam Lepley said. "We have some, but not much."
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said yesterday that the swine-flu vaccine "is coming out the door as fast as it comes off the production line."
But at the same time, she acknowledged delays in getting a sufficient supply for all those demanding it.
"We were relying on the manufacturers to give us their numbers, and as soon as we got numbers we put them out to the public. It does appear now that those numbers were overly rosy," Sebelius said.
She said officials now have a supply of about 16.5 million doses of the vaccine, while conceding that's millions of doses below the amount needed.
Acute-care hospitals in metro Richmond began restricting visits by people under the age of 18 yesterday to curb spread of the flu.
"Everything went very smoothly," said HCA's Nelson. "It seems as if the community is partnering very well with us."
Pandemic H1N1 influenza activity continues to spread, with 46 states reporting widespread activity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
Since Aug. 30, there have been 8,200 hospitalizations from laboratory-confirmed infections caused by the swine-flu virus and 411 deaths in the United States. That brings the totals since the pandemic outbreak in April to more than 20,000 hospitalizations and more than 1,000 deaths.
There were 11 new pediatric deaths in the week ending Oct. 17, bringing the total since April to 102. A 6-year-old Amelia County girl died from swine flu last week.
In a typical flu season, there are 40 to 50 deaths among children.
Sebelius said she couldn't predict just how widespread the virus will be. But she also said officials do not believe there is yet any cause to close down schools and cease other daily activities.
On Saturday, President Barack Obama declared a national emergency to give hospitals and health professionals more leeway under federal regulations to respond to the illness.
"We do have a vaccine that works," Sebelius said. The immune response is working faster than officials anticipated.
Contact Peter Bacqué at (804) 649-6813 or
.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Reader Reactions
And as for Bob McDonnell winning the election next week, I agree. And he should win, he’s run a much better campaign.
Life goes on for me whether there’s a Dem or Repub in the White House or State Capitol. My political views tend to run in many different directions.
Wow, touchy when presented with actual facts, huh?
So if each and every news outlet you mentioned is “The Liberal Media,“ where do you get your news from? You said you watch Glenn Beck every day, is that someplace you get news from? That’s like me getting my news from Michael Moore.
And please, tell me exactly where I’ve called someone a name. I’m presenting facts, you and others are countering back with myths. That’s all I’m saying.
Grizzman… I do not mind debating you, however you are too much into the name calling to the person who debates you, so what is the point? We will not agree, and if again if you do not like what I have to say, than do not read it.
My suggestion to you is… Read the NY Times, or turn on MSNBC; NBC; ABC; CBS; CNN along with MoveOn.org and Airhead America and you will gain all the wonderful disinformation you want.
AND do not forget that McDonnell is going to win next week, I am sure that hurts… Have a great debate, and someday I will listen, but keep your statement accurate. We know how much you enjoy the “Kool-Aid”. Oh, sorry… did I mention Kool-Aid?
Let MrCobray and everyone who thinks like him forgo the shot. That’s just one more shot for those who are at the most risk and right now, those at greastest risk should be getting what little vaccine we do have.
When the vacine is available to the general population, he’ll enjoy “herd immunity.“ If he’s not lucky, it is possilbe the herd will thin out.
I post the same things over and over because people keep posting the same lies over and over, including you. I guess you don’t like being challenged, because you got defensive, yet still didn’t debunk my facts. That’s because can’t. You and others are free to keep posting the same lies over and over. I’ll continue to debunk them.
Grizzman…. To be really honest with you…. I like the Kool-aid line from time to time. AND if it is OK with you, I may use it again. I feel if you do not like what I post, please do not read my posts…. OK
However, if you want to complain about me and my post, than do so with the RTD. Maybe they will stop me from posting the Kool-Aid line, like Obama tried to shut out FOX News.
You say the same things over and over to everyone who disagrees with you, and I do not complain, however it seems you have a problem with anyone who disagrees with you…
I will like to repeat this again as I have said this several times before in my earlier posts Grissman….
“This message has not been approved by the the Obama WhiteHouse Team” AND watch out for the “Kool-Aid Flu Shot”
MrCobray: The truth? Is that what truth is Beck telling me? I can’t here it between all the babble and crying. I was making a general point about all of the conservative media’s talking heads. I couldn’t tell you what any talk radio or cable news hosts have said about this , liberal or conservative, I choose to get my news from reputable sources, not a TV/radio personality with an agenda. I don’t watch or listen to them.
And we get it, you think the Kool Aid joke is clever. I’ve seen you use it at least a half-dozen times now.
noreply: How exactly is it comparable to what would happen under government run health care? Private manucafturers are scrambling to make this vaccine with 4 months less time. THAT is what is causing the delay. THAT is why people can’t get shots. Not the CDC. Obviously the govt is involved in distributing it, that’s not where the problem is. The problem is with the shortage. Which goes back to my original point, that the manufacturers are doing their best to create a vaccine, properly test the vaccine, all with 4 months less time. I consider the fact we have any vaccine at all a testament to how hard people have worked to get this vaccine made. You ignore the facts and blame it on the government.
I will agree with you that some people who are older (I think I read born before 1958?) seem to have a resistance to this strain. But some of the H1N1 deaths have been people that age and older. So not getting the shot for that reason is not an entirely safe bet. And it’s why I told my 78 and 75 year old parents to cancel a trip here to visit recently because my wife had H1N1.
From the CDC website:
“But while people 65 and older are the least likely to be infected with 2009 H1N1 flu, those that do become infected are at greater risk of having serious complications from their illness.“
But really, this seems to be a pretty mild strain, just overhyped by the media/blogs, and people like us.
As an early adopter of the H1N1 virus after a NY city trip in the spring. I say skip the vaccine and enjoy a mild case of the flu. Who wants to take a chance on getting any Obama koolaid injected directly into the blood stream.
Why has Obama let this linger? He has had way more time than the last government fumble with the Katrina catastrophy. OMG, the horror, the horror the government letting people suffer the flu. Those B@st@rds.
Grizzman…. I watch Beck every day, and I have yet to hear him saying anything in regards to the flu vaccine…. so why are you misleading people about those who are showing us the truth?
I choose not to take it as it is full of the Obama Kool-Aid.
Info on how the vaccine is distributed. And, yes, the government is involved.
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/vaccination/statelocal/centralized_distribution_qa.htm
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