Real Change News | Just Heard: Looking back at flu response

June 23, 2010
Vol: 17 No: 26

Just Heard

Just Heard: Looking back at flu response

by: Julia Cechvala , Contributing Writer

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Despite vaccine shortages, King County weathered the H1N1 influenza pandemic quite well, according to a report from Public Health – Seattle & King County to the Board of Health June 17. Just as much if not more vaccine will be needed next flu season, since new Centers for Disease Control guidelines recommend that all people over six months of age get an annual flu vaccine. The upcoming seasonal vaccine will include the H1N1 strain along with two others.

People who fall into certain categories are still considered the highest priority for vaccination. “We anticipate the same types of people will be at risk,” Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, chief of communicable disease control and immunizations, told the board. These include pregnant women, children, and people with certain medical conditions, which now include obesity.

One of last season’s difficulties, which Public Health did not anticipate, was that its allocation of vaccine from the CDC fell far short of the amount they were projected to receive. It was not until late December 2009 that the agency started getting the supplies they had originally expected. The shortfall meant it was necessary to prioritize who received the available vaccine, and as the epidemic went on and was found to be less deadly than originally thought, the priorities shifted.

“We had to rapidly adjust our response,” said Dr. Duchin. The objectives moved away from preventing transmission in order to keep society functioning and towards preventing deaths, he said.

Lack of consistency across county borders regarding vaccine distribution and information about priority groups was another challenge, said Michael Loehr, Public Health’s emergency preparedness manager. Having different formulations of the vaccine – shots and nasal sprays – each suitable for different priority groups, further complicates distribution. And while partnering with local pharmacies helped get the vaccine out, few pharmacies were staffed with people trained to inoculate young children.

With an estimated 835,860 vaccine doses distributed, Dr. Duchin said, “I think we did an outstanding job.” Public Health will use what they learned from the H1N1 vaccination efforts to improve next season’s flu response.

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