The valley's hospital, St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center, hasn't received a dose of the H1N1 vaccine going on two weeks now.
According to hospital spokesperson Tonia Bruess, the dry spell is no different than that experienced by many providers nationwide who are waiting for vaccine suppliers to catch up to demand. And just like everyone else, all the hospital can do is wait.
Bruess said the date of the next shipment is indefinite.
Even though St. Luke's has been high and dry, Bruess said its satellite clinics in Ketchum and Hailey have been receiving weekly shipments, though at a trickle of 40 doses per shipment. But the clinics are only administering the vaccine to the highest-risk demographics—pregnant women and healthcare providers.
This difference in vaccine-shipment destinations happens because weekly doses are first sent to state health departments, which then distribute the vaccines throughout that state on a population basis. As of last week, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported that it had been allocated 113,000 doses of H1N1. Those were sent to full-service hospitals, community health centers and local public health districts.
According to the Department of Health and Welfare, local public health districts have been holding public clinics and clinics for school children. However, District Director Rene LeBlanc said, the Wood River Valley's health district has been behind the curve because weekly shipments have been inconsistent.
The South Central Public Health District announced on Oct. 16 that it received its first H1N1 shipment and would begin vaccinating children in area schools.
"Children are a vaccinating priority because H1N1 has hit the under-25 age group in the greatest numbers," LeBlanc stated in a news release, adding that the district is also giving doses to pregnant women and healthcare providers.
And the health district did have a free clinic on Oct. 29 for pregnant women and high-risk children in six locations, the closest being in Bellevue. But, LeBlanc said in an interview, the plan to go to area schools was put on hold. The health district wanted to wait for a steady stream of supplies before devising a school vaccination schedule.
LeBlanc said the past two weeks have been good for the health district, which received 2,000 to 2,500 doses each week.
"Vaccines are now coming in a little more predictably," LeBlanc said, "and we can start to plan for schools."
Area schools districts will notify parents when it's their turn for free vaccinations. The health district said only children accompanied by a parent or guardian would be vaccinated. Both the H1N1 live, weakened nasal-spray vaccine and H1N1 inactivated vaccine injections will be offered.
LeBlanc said everyone else would eventually get his or her chance to be vaccinated, but not yet.
"We know people are anxious about when the vaccine will be available," she said, "and their concern is understandable. But we want to encourage everyone that does not fall into one of the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention priority groups to let those more at risk get the vaccine first."
For information on upcoming school clinics, go to the health district's Web site at www.phd5.idaho.gov.
Trevon Milliard: tmilliard@mtexpress.com
