Delivery of swine flu shots hits snag

By Craig Schneider

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

As swine flu drives an unprecedented amount of illness for this time of year, Georgia health officials said Friday that the state expects to receive about half the amount of vaccine it anticipated this month.

The result could be that Georgians may find it more challenging to find the vaccine at a time of widespread illness in the state.

Based on projections from federal health officials, the state had expected in August that Georgia would receive 2 million doses of vaccine by the end of October. But officials said Friday that 912,407 doses are now expected by the month's end, a 55 percent drop.

The slower-than-expected production of the vaccine is being experienced nationally, federal officials said, pointing to complications in the production process.

Federal health officials said the vaccine would not reach widespread availability until late this month or early November. They had earlier said it would be out by the middle of this month.

Dr. Anne Schuchat, immunization director for the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the federal agency had expected 40 million doses to be available nationally by the end of this month, but that only about 28 million to 30 million are now expected.

Fulton County health spokeswoman April Majors said the county has received word that the vaccine will not arrive in significant numbers until late this month or early in November. She said Fulton expects to receive an initial shipment of the swine flu shots next week, which will be distributed for free through the county's eight health clinics.

The nasal mist vaccine for swine flu has been available in Georgia for about two weeks, but health care providers have focused on making it available for young children. The swine flu shots can be used by a broader population.

Swine flu, already considered widespread in Georgia and 40 other states, is sickening a high number of people, especially young people, Schuchat said.

"It is a very busy and difficult flu season," she said.

The number of deaths from pneumonia and flulike illnesses had surpassed what the CDC considers an epidemic level,  Schuchat said. About 6 percent of all doctor visits are for flulike illnesses, she said.

“It’s unprecedented for this time of year to see the whole country seeing such high level of activity,” she said.

The virus continues to claim more children and teenagers, Schuchat said. At least 86 Americans younger than 18 have died from the disease, including 11 deaths that have been reported in the past week. About half of the deaths that have occurred in the past month were among teenagers, she said.

This week Georgia health officials reported the death of 10-year-old Summer Rockefeller, an Augusta-area girl who died of complications from swine flu. She was the second Georgia child to die who did not have an underlying health condition.

A total of 539 Georgians have been hospitalized from swine flu, and 27 have died.

DeKalb County health officials said Friday that they are expanding the age of their priority group for the available nasal mist vaccine to 2 to 49 years of age. That group had been 2 to 4 years of age. Officials said that only 200 children had come in for the nasal mist vaccine beforehand, and the county has 4,000 doses.

Grady Memorial Hospital has received its initial shipment of the swine flu shots and is distributing it on a voluntary basis to staff and some patients, based on their risk. The shots are not available to the general public.

DeKalb County Jail officials have quarantined 11 inmates suspected of having swine flu. Officials have quarantined one jail pod, which also includes about 20 other  inmates who may have had contact with the individuals showing flu symptoms.

Wire services contributed to this article.