By Junelynn Tran
RICHMOND, Va. – The number of swine flu cases in Virginia is rising, but the vaccine against the H1N1 flu virus is in short supply, the state’s top health official said Friday.
Health Commissioner Karen Remley said that fewer than 400,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine are available in Virginia, which has almost 8 million residents.
The limited supply of vaccines has been distributed or is in transit to health care providers throughout the state. The immediate goal is to provide doses to high-risk priority groups, such as pregnant women, health care providers and people with chronic medical problems.
“We have a state of 7.7 million people, so you’re looking at about over 3.5 million people who fit in those priority groups, and we have less than 400,000 doses,” Remley said in a telephone conference call with reporters Friday.
Emergency room treatment for suspected flu in Virginia reached an all-time high of 14.2 percent this week, Remley said. Previous seasonal flu cycles have peaked around 7 percent.
About 60 percent of the vaccine doses sent to Virginia health care providers are injectable, while 40 percent are in the nasal mist form.
With 2,800 vaccination sites statewide, not every location will receive its entire order of vaccines. Some sites have received as few as 100 doses.
Remley attributed the short supply of vaccines to production delays. It takes weeks to manufacture because the process requires recreating the H1N1 virus to create the vaccine. Then each batch of vaccine must be tested to make sure it is safe and effective.
The Centers for Disease Control and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are working to distribute the vaccines in a timely fashion because the vaccines are perishable.
Remley said Virginia should expect to receive more of the H1N1 vaccine next week. She hopes the vaccine will be readily available to the general public in mid-November.
The Virginia Department of Health created a statewide media campaign and vaccination program against the H1N1 flu virus called “H1N1Get1. It’s up to you to fight the flu.” The campaign promotes awareness against the virus and encourages Virginians to get vaccinated.
Last week, at an event at Virginia Commonwealth University’s medical campus, Remley received one of the first vaccinations. Remley has asthma, a chronic health condition that puts her in a high-risk priority group.
The VDH’s media campaign strongly encourages people to protect themselves and their families by getting vaccinated to prevent the spread of the contagious flu virus.
Virginia has had 10 reported deaths associated with the H1N1 virus. That’s fewer deaths than most other states when compared with their population, Remley said.
Besides getting vaccinated, health officials are promoting other ways to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus:
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water
- Cover the mouth when sneezing and coughing
- Use hand sanitizers
- Avoid touching the eyes, nose and mouth
- Stay home if feeling unwell
For more information about swine flu, visit www.h1n1get1.com, a Web site created by Virginia Department of Health. The department also has a toll-free hot line – 1-877-ASK-VDH3.
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