H1N1 vaccine available to all

GRANT COUNTY —  The Grant County Health District’s health officer issued a recommendation to expand the H1N1 vaccinations to include all individuals.

High risk groups were initially treated when the vaccine first became available. Priority groups include: people with underlying health conditions up to age 64, pregnant women, children and young adults ages 6 months to 24 years and the caregivers of children under 6 months of age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site. 

“We had no choice but to require adherence to priority groups vaccinations at first because supplies were limited, sporadic and below what was initially promised to us,” stated health officer Alexander Brzezny.

The decision to include all groups was made by the Grant County health officers based on the regional and statewide trends. Increased supplies of vaccine given to the county, the near completion of the school-based vaccination clinics and the consultation with healthcare providers, made the expansion possible, according to a health district spokesperson.

“Even though we may have seen a second peak of the 2009 H1N1 influenza in our community in October, another peak is possible,” stated Brzezny. “We need to get as much H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccine into as many shoulders as possible and as soon as possible.”

The health district is receiving 13,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine by the end of January. Workers are breaking the supply down into weekly allotments so they can administer the shot to people wanting shots, according to a health district spokesperson.

A health district spokesperson reported most of the high risk groups wanting vaccinated received their shots. The health district still urges healthcare facilities to prioritize high risk groups.

Contact your healthcare provider for vaccination hours and locations. Moses Lake Safeway pharmacy, Moses Lake Walgreens, Ephrata Safeway pharmacy and Grand Coulee Safeway are now providing the H1N1 vaccine.