| 11/5/2009 9:40:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | County health distributes injectable H1N1 vaccine
Audrey Gilpin - Mail Staff Writer
Injectable killed H1N1 vaccination is being distributed by Chaffee County Public Health personnel in accordance with tier groups recommended by the Center for Disease Control and state health department.
Susan Ellis, Chaffee County public health director, said the vaccine is available during the week of Nov. 2 for:
• Pregnant women.
• Household contacts and care providers for infants younger than 6 months.
• All children 6 months through four years old.
• Children and adolescents 5 years through 18 years who have chronic diseases.
Beginning Nov. 9, Ellis reported, tier groups will expand to include infants 6 months and older and all children, adolescents and young adults through age 24 with or without health problems.
H1N1 vaccine is available through primary care providers and internal medicine providers.
Mountain Medical in Buena Vista, Ellis said, is no longer providing the H1N1 vaccine, and those patients may call Chaffee County public health.
Ellis said H1N1 activity in Colorado has been widespread with 46 counties reporting influenza cases and 578 confirmed H1N1 cases.
Surveillance by state officials determined influenza circulating is the H1N1 virus, Ellis said.
Seasonal flu has not yet been detected in Chaffee County, but "we do expect it to hit sometime during November," she said.
Public health will receive seasonal flu vaccine by mid-November.
By Oct. 31, Ellis said Colorado has had 1,553 hospitalizations for flu-like illness which is higher than usual for this time of year.
As of the same date, there were 34 deaths in Colorado related to influenza - seven were children or adolescents and 27 were adults, which is higher than expected for October, Ellis said.
Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center has had no admissions for flu-like illness during the past week and has seen only a few patients in the emergency room for flu symptoms.
It's unclear, Ellis said, if H1N1 activity has peaked in Chaffee County.
She said state surveillance reports a decline of influenza activity in the Denver metro area, and Colorado regions may differ in peak activity.
Call 539-4510 ext. 100 to make an appointment with public health personnel.
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