H1N1 vaccines publicly available

COLUMBIA BASIN — Pharmacies, such as Walgreens and Safeway in Moses Lake, received shipments of H1N1 vaccines last week.

Workers say they are instructed to give the vaccines to priority groups only. Priory groups are pregnant women, caregivers for children younger than six months of age, healthcare personnel, people age six months to 24 years suffering from chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems and people ages 25 through 64 years at high risk.

Moses Lake’s Walgreens received 180 shots and began distribution Monday. Safeway’s pharmacy had around 170 shots as of Friday and are administering shots during store hours, according to a pharmacy representative.

Grant County Health District workers held school-based vaccinations and overseen the community-wide distribution of the shot to health care facilities since October.

“With assistance from our community partners, the school based vaccination clinics have been very successful,” said health district administrator Peggy Grigg. “So far we have administered about 5,600 doses in Grant County public and private schools.”

The health district is administering second doses of the H1N1 vaccine to children at the following schools and times:

• Last Friday: St. Rose of Lima, Wilson Creek School District and Coulee City School District

• Wednesday: Grand Coulee School District and Warden School District

• Thursday: Royal School District

• Friday: Quincy School District

• Dec. 14: Soap Lake School District and Ephrata School District.

The health district’s Moses Lake office is closed Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through February 2010. The Ephrata office, located at the courthouse, remains open five days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, call the Moses Lake office at 509-766-7960 or the Ephrata office at 509-754-6060.

The Washington State Department of Health reported Adams County Health Department vaccinated most county health care workers and emergency medical service personnel. Some H1N1 vaccines were given to local health care providers for distribution to their high risk clients.

The Health Department is now offering H1N1 vaccines, by appointment only, to priority groups at on-site clinics in the Ritzville and Othello offices. Clinic hours include both daytime and extended evening hours.

The Adams County H1N1 Flu-Line was established for screening callers for eligibility and setting appointment times. The number of the H1N1 Flu-Line is 509-659-3321 for the Ritzville area or 509-331-2057 for Othello.

For more information, call the Othello office at 509-488-2031.