News

Suburbs may have to wait a few days, maybe more, for H1N1 vaccine

Posted October 24, 2009 11:00 pm

By Joseph Ryan Daily Herald Staff

The majority of the H1N1 flu vaccinations at DuPage County Health Department are being given in the form of a mist inserted in the nose. Brian Hill | Staff Photographer

Suburban residents looking to protect themselves from the H1N1 flu with a vaccine will have to wait a few days - if not longer.

The first significant roll out of the hard-to-find vaccine is expected in the suburbs this week, but the limited supply is likely to be quickly overcome by demand, as the number of cases continue to rise.

DuPage County, the only suburban region doling out vaccines over the weekend, was already booked with appointments through Nov. 15 as of Saturday, with 15,000 vaccines in total called for and only 10,000 or so actually in hand.

Hundreds of Chicagoans were turned away Saturday when temporary clinics ran out of the vaccine in the city, in the first local effort to give out the shots and nasal sprays on a walk-in basis.

Health officials are hoping to deter those not in high-risk groups from taking the vaccines in this first round of immunizations. Those considered high-risk include people age 6 months to 24 years, those under 64 with chronic health conditions, pregnant women, caregivers of children under 6 months and health care or emergency personnel.

Unlike the common flu, the H1N1 virus has impacted children more significantly than the elderly.

"There are a lot of concerned parents out there," says Maureen McHugh, director of the DuPage County Health Department.

That is why Nicole Richwine and her family were one of the first to sign up for the vaccine in DuPage County. Richwine, her husband and their two young daughters were immunized Saturday. Their 2-month-old son is too young for the vaccine.

"It is obviously in our area and all it takes is one or two kids to get it and we all have it," said Richwine, a Winfield resident and microbiologist. "I know how quickly these things can spread."

Health officials say the public need not panic, but should be aware and take preventive action. People should wash their hands frequently and be sure to stay home from work and school if they have flu-like symptoms.

Nationwide, more than 1,000 deaths have been attributed to H1N1, with 22 of them reported in Illinois as of Friday. The state has recorded 542 H1N1-related hospitalizations.

"We are seeing an increase and we are going through a peak," said McHugh. "Like the normal seasonal flu, you are going to see peaks and hopefully it will go down."

Immunizations are not yet available through drugstores or regular doctors' offices like seasonal flu vaccines.

The vaccines are so far only going to county health departments, which are set to then hold clinics for immunizations at schools, hospitals and other public locations.

A delay in production of the H1N1, or swine flu vaccine, has led to a national shortage. To make the vaccine, the flu virus has to be grown in chicken eggs and the virus simply grew more slowly than initially predicted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shipped out 11 million doses so far, but more are expected soon.

Illinois, outside of Chicago, has received about a half million. Chicago received about 150,000 as of Friday, according to the CDC.

The federal government has ordered 250 million doses in all and the CDC estimates about 150 million of them will be shipped by December. To speed the deployment, President Barack Obama declared a "national emergency" to allow health officials to cut through red tape.

Meanwhile, suburban health officials have been planning their vaccine deployment for weeks as the shipments have been continually delayed.

As of Saturday, suburban Cook, Kane and DuPage had vaccines in hand, but Lake County did not. The McHenry County Health Department had yet to announce receiving the vaccines.

DuPage County is the only health department administering vaccines by appointment, a practice that started on Thursday.

On Saturday, the department was giving out immunizations at its main site in Wheaton at a pace of about 100 an hour. More than 1,500 shots or nasal sprays had been used up in the first three days of appointments, leaving 8,500 left.

Other counties will distribute the vaccines through different methods.

Lake County will coffer vaccines through five clinics starting Thursday. The sites will be located in Gurnee, Waukegan, North Chicago, Mundelein and Round Lake Beach. The county expects to receive its batch of vaccines early in the week, said Leslie Piotrowski, a spokeswoman for the Lake County Health Department.

Kane is planning a massive immunization on Monday, administering up to 12,000 vaccines between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. at three sites: East Aurora, St. Charles North and Larkin high schools. More than 40 health care workers will be at each site. Long lines are expected.

"We plan on being busy," says Tom Schlueter, spokesman for the county's health department. "We have been doing a lot of planning."

In Cook County, officials have yet to finalize their roll out, having received their batch of 20,000 vaccines late Thursday. Tentative plans call for immunizations of children at schools first. An early list, which is still subject to change, would have the vaccines first go to Palatine Township Elementary District 15 on Thursday.

No dates are set yet for other schools, but districts have been categorized by ZIP code, with Arlington Heights ranked 6th, Schaumburg ranked 10th and Des Plaines ranked 16th.

"It is all being finalized right now," said Amy Poore, spokeswoman for the Cook County health department.

In Will County, the first temporary immunization clinics are set to start opening Wednesday.

"Really, people shouldn't panic," cautioned McHugh. "There will be enough vaccine. We just have to wait until the supply comes up. We see this sometimes."

Kristen Margaglione of Wheaton and her children, Claire, 5, and Alex, 8, leave the DuPage County Health Department on Saturday after getting H1N1 flu vaccinations. Brian Hill | Staff Photographer

Eileen Goodwin gives a vaccination to 3-year-old Elise Richwine of Winfield, as her dad Brett comforts her. The Richwines were among the first families to receive the vaccinations in DuPage County. Brian Hill | Staff Photographer

Nicole Richwine of Winfield finishes paper work for H1N1 flu vaccinations on Saturday at DuPage County Health Department in Wheaton, where they were given out by appointment. Brian Hill | Staff Photographer

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/?id=331524">Churches making changes to avoid spreading swine flu </a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=331567">Obama declares swine flu a national emergency</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=331604">Thousands vaccinated for swine flu in Chicago</a></li> <li><a href="/?id=331598">Two Illinois swine flu deaths reported </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> The H1N1 vaccine Where and when it will be available • Vaccines are free. • First batches being sent to county health departments for distribution. Not yet available at drugstores or doctors' offices. • During initial roll out, people in high-risk category should get the vaccine; others should wait until more doses arrive. High-risk individuals include people age 6 months to 24 years, adults age 25 to 64 with chronic health problems, caregivers to children under 6 months, pregnant women and health care or emergency workers. Suburban Cook County • A final schedule is expected Monday. Officials plan to administer the vaccine to children at schools on a rotating basis, with the first tentatively set to be Palatine Township Elementary District 15 schools on Thursday. (<a href="http://www.cookcountypublichealth.org" target="new">www.cookcountypublichealth.org</a>; (708) 492-2828) DuPage County • Vaccines are being administered by appointment only. To make an appointment call (866) 311-1123. (<a href="http://www.dupagehealth.org" target="new">www.dupagehealth.org</a>) Lake County • Five clinics are set to open Thursday and run through Nov. 1. • Locations include: Advocate Condell Medical Building, 1425 Hunt Club Road, Suite 103, Gurnee; Carl Sandburg Middle School gymnasium, 855 W. Hawley St., Mundelein; Round Lake Area Park District Sports Center, 2004 Municipal Way, Round Lake Beach; Waukegan Park District Hinkston Park Field House, 800 N. Baldwin Ave., Waukegan; and the Lake County Health Department's North Chicago Community Health Center, 2215 14th St., North Chicago. • Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends, except 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in Round Lake Beach, 8 a.m. to noon Sunday in Waukegan, and closed Sunday in North Chicago. (<a href="http://www.lakecountyil.gov/health" target="new">www.lakecountyil.gov/health</a>; (847) 377-8350) Kane County • Vaccines will be available 4-9 p.m. Monday at: East Aurora High School, 500 Tomcat Lane, Aurora; St. Charles North High School, 255 Red Gate Road; and Lark High School, 1475 Larkin Ave., Elgin. Lines will not be allowed to form until after 3 p.m. (<a href="http://www.kanehealth.com" target="new">www.kanehealth.com</a>; (630) 208-3315) McHenry County • Details not yet available. The county is planning to offer vaccines through local clinics and schools. (<a href="http://www.mcdh.info" target="new">www.mcdh.info</a>; (815) 334-2800) Will County • Clinics planned at high schools and middle schools. The first is from 3-9 p.m. Wednesday at Plainfield Central High School, 2120 W. Fort Beggs Drive. (<a href="http://www.willcountyhealth.org" target="new">www.willcountyhealth.org</a>)

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