(Spirit Lake)– The first shipment of H1N1 vaccine has arrived in Dickinson county, but officials say it isn’t nearly enough to vaccinate the priority groups, yet alone the general public.
That word late this (Thursday) afternoon in a press release from Lakes Regional Healthcare and Dickinson County Public Health.
Officials now say it could be early November before they have enough vaccine to begin holding immunization clinics. Even then, they say it will likely only be enough for the priority groups. Those include healthcare workers, pregnant women, household contacts and childcare providers, children ages six months to four years old; children ages five to 18 with chronic diseases and young adults ages 18 to 25.
Children aged five to 18 years old that do not have chronic illness be the next priority group.
Officials say there are currently no plans to vaccinate children at area schools. Mary Dunleavy of Dickinson County Public Health says they’re waiting to see how much vaccine the county will get before making that determination.
Dunleavy adds information on public immunization clinics will be released once an adequate supply of vaccine is received.
