Whitley Health Dept. gets first batch of ‘swine flu’ vaccines

While the first batch of the H1N1 vaccine has arrived in Whitley County, it will probably be early next month before the vaccine is available for the general public.

"We had a very small shipment come in last week," said Tamara Johnson, Whitley County Health Department Public Health Nursing Supervisor.

"With the first batch, we were trying to target health care workers and those that take care of babies under six months of age."
She said that the health department is supposed to get small batches of the vaccine in each week.

After health care workers and people with small children too young to get the vaccine are vaccinated, Johnson said that pregnant women and those with chronic diseases would get priority for the H1N1 vaccinations.

"They are telling us that probably by the first week or two of November we should have enough to go around for everybody," Johnson said.

The health department will make an announcement when public vaccinations will start.

"We do recommend that everybody take it. If they have questions, they need to talk to their healthcare provider or call the health department," Johnson said.

The state has also set up a hotline, which is open from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. that people can call with questions about the H1N1 virus or the vaccine. The number is (877) 843-7727.

Johnson said she is recommending for her own family to take the vaccination and that she has already received her H1N1 vaccination.

Once the H1N1 vaccinations begin, Johnson said that the health department wouldn’t be charging for it.

The Whitley County Health Department still hasn’t received any new shipments of the seasonal adult flu vaccine, and Johnson said that she has been unable to find a vendor, who has it in stock.