Kane working to fill H1N1 flu vaccine gaps
GENEVA — "High-risk" residents unable to get the H1N1 vaccine at three Kane County clinics Monday might have another shot at a couple of upcoming opportunities, health officials said Tuesday.
Paul Kuehnert, executive director of the Kane County Health Department, said that for those who stood in line on Monday and did not get the vaccine, a secondary clinic will take place 2:30 to 8:30 p.m. today at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles. It's only those who received a bracelet or otherwise were told they could return today because they did not get their vaccination on Monday, he said.
(Michael Smart/Staff Photographer)
County health department officials remain uncertain about whether they would receive enough vaccine for this next round of clinics after receiving 17,500 doses from the state earlier this month, more than any other health department outside of Chicago.
"Right now, the major constraint ... is the vaccine supply," Kuehnert said.
Kuehnert said his office expects to hear from the Illinois
Department of Health early this week about how many more doses they can
expect to receive.
H1N1 flu vaccination clinics that had been scheduled at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville and Hampshire High School in Hampshire have been cancelled, according to Community Unit School District 300.
The clinics, to be held by the Kane Couty Health Department, were planned for 4 to 9 p.m. Monday.
"The health department has not received a sufficient supply of the vaccine from the federal government to hold the clinics as planned," according to the school district's Web site, d300.org.
An automated phone message also was sent this morning to D300 families by the school district's rapid communication system.
The Kane County Health Department could not immediately be reached for comment.
County officials had set a goal to give out 4,000 doses at each of the three clinic locations this week.
About 1,500 doses have yet to be distributed to residents who were turned away Monday when the clinics finally closed their doors for the night.
In addition to those given out at clinics, about another 5,500 doses have been earmarked for emergency personnel and health care workers in the county.
Kane County Board member Jeanette Mihalec, D-Elgin, said she was at the Elgin clinic and was impressed with how it was run.
"I was just amazed at how well-coordinated the effort was," Mihalec said.
Demands for the vaccine currently are outpacing the supply.
The Illinois Department of Health officials say that manufacture of the vaccine is continuing and that more will be available in November and December.
Current supplies of the vaccine are being distributed through health departments and hospitals.
Kuehnert said he was unaware of any private physicians in Kane County who have received any vaccine yet.
