DuPage County GOP candidates debate H1N1 vaccine preparation

Now that the H1N1 vaccine is available to all ages, Republican candidates in the Feb. 2 primary for DuPage County Board District 3 differ on how the county handled the initial distribution.

Attorney Greg Abbott of Woodridge; Dennis Brennan of Hinsdale, who owns a real estate firm; and Brian Krajewski, an attorney and accountant, will face off in the primary for the GOP nomination to replace Thomas Bennington Jr. in the November general election. The winner will face Democrat Karen Sole, an environmental consultant from Westmont.

Brennan and Krajewski agree the county was prepared for the H1N1 threat, based on their replies to a Daily Herald questionnaire.

By early November, DuPage was able to distribute both injectable and mist vaccines to 14,500 people a week in priority groups that included pregnant women, residents who live or care for children 6 months or younger, residents between the ages of 6 months and 24 years, residents 25 to 64 with underlying medical conditions and medical workers and emergency workers.

The department also opened special clinics to provide vaccinations to children with serious medical concerns who were identified by area school nurses.

Brennan, who is a member of the DuPage County Board of Health, said he's proud of the department's work.

"The department has worked hard to reduce the threat and provide the vaccine to the people most threatened by the illness," he said. "The health department has also been provided updates to the community and made the public aware of the need for the vaccine."

Krajewski said he knew the county was preparing for a possible pandemic years in advance. As the former village president of Downers Grove, he sat on a committee in the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference that heard plans for dealing with H1N1 several years ago.

"The county implemented their plan and did a fine job of handling this outbreak, despite the federal government's inability to timely get out the vaccines," he said.

But Abbot said residents should have received more information.

"I believe the county could have done a better job informing people when and where the vaccine would be available," he said in the questionnaire.

District 3 includes all or parts of Bolingbrook, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills, Darien, Downers Grove, Hinsdale, Lemont, Westmont, Willowbrook and Woodridge.