CDC Unveils Distribution Plan for H1N1 Influenza Vaccine

[undeterred]

Source: Washington Post

Pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine will be distributed on a three-day turnaround time from four regional warehouses around the country next month. The vaccine deliveries, expected to equal 20 million doses a week by the end of October, will be distributed among 90,000 immunization "providers," including health departments, hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices and pharmacies.

Those were among the details unveiled Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of the federal government's increasingly complex response to the pandemic of H1N1 influenza, also known as "swine flu." "This is a huge logistical process. There's not a sudden appearance of vaccine in 90,000 refrigerators around the country," said Jay Butler, an epidemiologist heads CDC's task force on the pandemic vaccine.

About 3.4 million doses of nasal-spray flu vaccine -- which can be used only by people age 2 to 49 -- are expected to be available the first week of October. The injectable vaccine, which will form the vast bulk of the 195 million doses the government has ordered, won't be available until later that month when many experts believe the flu outbreak will be in full-swing.

All the pandemic vaccine will be bought by the federal government. It will be divided among states and territories on the basis of population. Providers, including private companies such as pharmacies, will get it for free. They won't be permitted to charge consumers or health insurers for it, but they can charge an "administration fee" for giving the shots or sprays. In some settings, such as public health clinics, people will get the shots for free.




Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/18/AR2009091803050.html?hpid=moreheadlines

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[kestrel91316]

1. Our local pharmacy said today that they will have it on the 9th, but

they didn't say anything about the intranasal or it being age-restricted. I am 52, so I am not allowed to get it. That pisses me off, because intranasal vaccines for respiratory viruses are the cat's pajamas, lol.

[xchrom]

2. good. nt

[madrchsod]

3. my wife is on the list because she deals with the mentally handicapped

i`m just taking the reg flu shot since i`ve been through two of the swine outbreaks

[Blandocyte]

4. I'm surrounded by Repukes

Can I say I need it cuz I, too, work with the mentally handicapped?

[madrchsod]

5. i live in the hometown of ronald reagan

we have a 3 million dollar waterfront with a statue of ronny on a horse!

[Blandocyte]

9. Dixon?

I've driven thru there many a time on my way to see my peeps in Rockford.

[madrchsod]

10. ya betch ya.....

[Missy Vixen]

6. We both have respiratory issues

I'm 49 and a little afraid of the intra-nasal thing.

DH is getting it no matter what. He's diabetic.

In the meantime, I'm making a short list of stuff we need to be sure is in the pantry over the next few weeks, just in case.

[cleverusername]

7. Asthmatics out of luck

My child has asthma and he can't have the nasal spray. He's the one that I'm worried about. We just wait. . .

[Robb]

8. What's wrong with the injection? nt

[earcandle]

11. Trust this stuff?

Do you eat cold meats sprayed with a viral cocktail that kills
bacteria, but no one knows what will happen once the 
virus begins to live in your body... hit with this other viral
material..... things are not looking good.

Google FDA approves viral cocktail spray for meats.... how
many virals can one body take? 

Just wondering. 

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

12. Very Good.