By Jennifer McGraw
"It's critical because we need to maintain our infrastructure and if we don't have people available that can care for those people who are sick, are whole infrastructure falls apart," says Geri Rackow, with Public Health District 7.
After months of anticipation, hospitals and health districts in Idaho have finally received the first dose of vaccines to ward off the potential for H1N1 flu pandemic, but still in very small doses.
"The state of Idaho was only able to order nine thousand doses," says Rackow.
Public Health District 7 will give the first 400 vaccines in mist form to only emergency personnel to those counties without a major hospital including Clark, Custer, Jefferson, and Fremont Counties.
Public Health District 6 will instead be giving their 400 vaccines to ISU Student Health Center and to the Pocatello Children and Adolescent Clinic. Another 100 vaccines were also given to all major hospitals in Idaho and they too are distributing the vaccines differently.
"Such as labor and delivery, nursery, surgery, those are going to be the first doses," says Peter Fabrick, Vice President of Operations and Mountain View hospital.
Each week hospitals and districts will receive more vaccines to first take care of high risk people and those on the front lines.
"Obviously those in the clinical areas will be first. Those in admissions who have a lot of patient contact will be second," says Fabrick.
and for the general public...
"We don't know how much we'll be getting in those shipments and so we are telling the public, we ask for your patience. We anticipate by the end of October, we'll have enough vaccines to start offering the vaccines to those people who are in priority groups," says Rackow.
After months of anticipation, hospitals and health districts in Idaho have finally received the first dose of vaccines to ward off the potential for H1N1 flu pandemic, but still in very small doses.
"The state of Idaho was only able to order nine thousand doses," says Rackow.
Public Health District 7 will give the first 400 vaccines in mist form to only emergency personnel to those counties without a major hospital including Clark, Custer, Jefferson, and Fremont Counties.
Public Health District 6 will instead be giving their 400 vaccines to ISU Student Health Center and to the Pocatello Children and Adolescent Clinic. Another 100 vaccines were also given to all major hospitals in Idaho and they too are distributing the vaccines differently.
"Such as labor and delivery, nursery, surgery, those are going to be the first doses," says Peter Fabrick, Vice President of Operations and Mountain View hospital.
Each week hospitals and districts will receive more vaccines to first take care of high risk people and those on the front lines.
"Obviously those in the clinical areas will be first. Those in admissions who have a lot of patient contact will be second," says Fabrick.
and for the general public...
"We don't know how much we'll be getting in those shipments and so we are telling the public, we ask for your patience. We anticipate by the end of October, we'll have enough vaccines to start offering the vaccines to those people who are in priority groups," says Rackow.
