Lee delays swine flu vaccination clinics

LEE COUNTY — The Lee County Health Department is delaying the start of H1N1 swine flu vaccination clinics for high-risk populations to Monday, Oct. 26, because the federal government is not expected to get enough vaccine shipped out.

The clinic schedules at Lee County high schools will now begin Monday, Oct. 26. The original plan was to begin one week earlier.

The high-risk populations who are recommended to come to one of the clinics are children and young adults age six months through 24, pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than six months old, and health-care workers and emergency medical responders. Another priority population is anyone 25 through 64 years old who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from the flu.

“The (clinic) start date was always contingent on having enough vaccine to operate public clinics,” Dr. Judith Hartner, director of the health department, said in a statement.

The free vaccinations will be given at twelve high schools in the community and everyone should eventually be vaccinated but the high-risk groups have priority.

When the federal government receives the vaccine from suppliers, it has to process the supply and shipment to states, which then has to process and ship to county health departments. Not every county can receive some supply from the first date, said Lee County Health Department spokeswoman Jennifer James-Mesloh.

“Sarasota got some (Friday). It’s just one of those things,” she said. “Our order just hasn’t gotten processed yet.

The health department expects to get 190,000 doses for the high-risk populations, not all at the same time, and will later get vaccine for the general population.

Check the Web site, www.leechd.com. The state’s information telephone line is (877) 352-3581.