Vaccines trickle into Nebraska, Iowa

Flu vaccine of various kinds — H1N1, seasonal, injectable and nasal mist — is trickling and spritzing its way into Nebraska and Iowa. Slowly.

The Douglas County Health Department announced Friday that it will hold its first free H1N1 vaccine clinic for public consumption.

It will take place Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass St. Like most H1N1 vaccine available now, it’s for high-risk groups such as pregnant women, health care workers, caregivers for infants and people ages 6 months to 24 years.

Nebraska and Iowa have struggled so far to get large numbers of doses of H1N1 vaccine and seasonal flu vaccine.

“It’s gotten much better on the H1N1 front this week,” said Dr. Joann Schaefer, chief medical officer in Nebraska. Over the past nine days, the number of H1N1 vaccine doses shipped to Nebraska increased from 61,900 to 118,400, Schaefer said.

As the federal government and distributors get more H1N1 vaccine out, the focus gradually will turn to delivering seasonal flu vaccine, Schaefer said.

The Visiting Nurse Association didn’t have H1N1 vaccine as of Friday afternoon and postponed seasonal flu vaccination clinics because it has too little vaccine of that kind.

Kohll’s Pharmacy and Homecare on Friday received 400 injectable doses of seasonal flu vaccine, to be divided among its several pharmacies. Spokeswoman Laurie Dondelinger said Kohll’s hopes to get more by the end of next week.

The pharmacy system doesn’t have H1N1 vaccine.

Creighton Medical Associates has H1N1 nasal mist and seasonal flu vaccine at some of its clinics. The vaccinations are for established patients.

And Alegent Health, which oversees numerous hospitals and offices in the area, will distribute H1N1 mist by appointment next week at Lakeside Hospital, Midlands Hospital and Immanuel Medical Center.

Pottawattamie County Emergency Management also announced coming H1N1 vaccine clinics. One will take place Monday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Council Bluffs National Guard Armory, 2415 Kanesville Blvd. The other will take place Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Oakland, Iowa, Community Center.

Those clinics also will be for high-risk groups.

The Douglas County Health Department will follow the H1N1 vaccine clinic next week with two primarily for students and their siblings, and parents who are in a high-risk category.

High-risk categories generally include adults who have medical conditions such as asthma, heart problems and diabetes, although the two Pottawattamie clinics don’t include that group because of limited vaccine.

The additional Douglas County clinics are Nov. 10 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Burke High School, 12200 Burke Blvd.; and Nov. 12 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Benson High School, 5120 Maple St.