Colorado Receives Fewer Than Anticipated H1N1 Vaccine
Doses This Week
High-Risk Groups, Including Health Care Workers, Remain a Priority in
Receiving Available Vaccine 
 

      DENVER—State health officials today reported the amount of H1N1 vaccine received this week, 50,000 doses, is well below the 183,300 doses that were expected. They advised local health departments and hospitals to continue to provide available vaccine to health care workers who provide direct patient care and to other high-risk groups as vaccine supplies in individual locations allow.

      The following individuals who are in the high-risk group for experiencing complications from H1N1 were advised to be the first in line to receive an H1N1 vaccine:

• Preschool children ages 6 months to 4 years
• School age children and young adults ages 5 to 18 with chronic health conditions
• Health care workers with direct patient contact
• Pregnant women
• Parents/caretakers for children younger than 6 months

      Joni Reynolds, Immunization Program director at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said, “The federal government is doing everything it can to provide as much vaccine to states as possible. However, the vaccine estimates have changed nearly daily and have been lower than that anticipated and planned for.”

      Ned Calonge, the state’s chief medical officer, said, “This is frustrating, especially for those individuals who know they have an increased risk and are anxious to get the vaccine. It is also proving difficult for local health departments and others who have set up flu clinics and now may not have enough vaccine this week to conduct them. However, we continue to be assured by our federal partners that we will receive the vaccine we need to provide immunizations for those Coloradans who need them, though later than originally anticipated.”

      In the meantime, Calonge advised people to prevent the flu by practicing good hygiene, staying home when sick and avoiding others who are ill.

      Good hygiene habits to prevent the flu include

• frequently washing hands;
• coughing and sneezing into the crook of your arm, rather than uncovered or in your hand;
• avoiding people with respiratory illness;
• staying home from work or school when sick, returning only after fever has subsided for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medication.

      Calonge said, “As soon as we have the vaccine needed to support community clinics, we will update our flu clinic finder at www.immunizecolorado.com.”

      Two resources to assist the public during H1N1 flu season are available online, including the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Home Care Guide about caring for sick individuals at home and a link to CDC’s Web-based H1N1 flu self-evaluator, an online tool that will help people decide if they need to see a doctor for symptoms that might be caused by the flu. The Home Care Guide is available in English and Spanish at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/epr/Public/H1N1/HomeHealthcare/HomeHealthcare.html and CDC’s Flu Self-Evaluation is at http://www.flu.gov/evaluation/

      For additional information about flu clinics or answers to other questions about H1N1 or seasonal flu, individuals may call the CO HELP hotline at 1-877-462-2911.