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October 22, 2009 (San Diego) – “I’m worried,” Supervisor Dianne Jacob told East County Magazine when asked about H1N1 (swine flu) vaccinations. “These should have been here yesterday.”
Jacob expressed concern over the fact that San Diego has only received 28,000 doses of the vaccine, yet the County has 12 million people. She added that she is now receiving hourly updates on the situation.
Thus far, 25 San Diego County residents and three non-residents have died from swine flu in San Diego County. While most had underlying health conditions, last week a healthy five-year-old girl died. The lastest victim, a 31-year-old woman with other health conditions, succumbed yesterday. As of today, 348 people have been hospitalized county-wide.
Swine flu has now been reported in 29 schools, with the outbreak causing 20% absentee rates at some schools.
The H1N1 vaccine is given in either a nasal spray or a shot. A limited number of H1N1 nasal flu vaccines were recently distributed throughout San Diego County. Initial shipments of the vaccine were distributed primarily to doctors and medical providers who care for children. The nasal spray vaccine is designated only for healthy children ages two to 18 and for healthy people ages two to 49 who live with an infant under six months old.
Check with your medical provider to see if the vaccine is available yet. More doses are expected, with those at highest risk to be given priority:
• Pregnant women
• Caretakers of infants under six months old
• Children and young adults six months to 24 years old
• Adults 25 to 64 years old with underlying medical conditions
• Health care workers.
If you do not fit within the above target groups you will most likely not receive a H1N1 vaccine until the supply of vaccine increases.
County health officials urge that you stay home from work or school if you have flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue. People with underlying medical conditions who experience flu-like symptoms should contact their doctors promptly.
For more information, visit the San Diego County’s swine flu update page at http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/Portal/News/swineflu.html.
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