Georgians still on hunt for swine flu vaccine

By Shelia M. Poole

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Charles Marrally feels like he's been on a treasure hunt trying to find the swine flu vaccine.

Over the past few weeks, he has either called or visited eight different places. Some didn't have it at all.  He finally found the vaccine at two public flu clinics, but the lines were so long that the  retired Smyrna businessman had to leave without the shot because he can't stand for long periods of time.

"I can't understand why we can't get more of this stuff to go around," said Marrally, who has diabetes, heart problems and high blood pressure, all conditions health officials say make him more vulnerable to the illness.

Although the vaccine became available in October, it hasn't been easy to find. Several providers who signed up with the state to administer the vaccine haven't received their first batch. The lucky ones who got early batches are already out and clamoring for more.

According to state figures, as of Oct. 31, more than 99,000 people have received the swine flu vaccine in Georgia. But providers have 10 days to report the information, so that number is likely higher.

"Not only do we don't have enough, but one of the major issues providers are facing is that we don't have any real awareness of when the vaccine is going to be coming in," said Dr. Pat O'Neal, director of emergency preparedness and response for  the Georgia Department of Community Health. "That's one of the great frustrations for the public and the providers. ... We need the public to be understanding and patient."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has allocated 1.2 million doses of the vaccine for Georgia, and to date, the state has placed orders for 810,200  doses.

Some vaccine is trickling in. The DeKalb Board of Health recently received a shipment of 7,000 doses of the swine flu injectable vaccine. The board will begin administering the vaccine from all five of its health centers beginning Monday.

The board said supply is limited and will be focused on priority groups and medical partners who serve those groups. Those given priority include people such as Marrally with chronic health conditions that could put them at higher risk of developing complications from swine flu; parents of young children; and pregnant women. The CDC urges people in all those groups to get the vaccine as soon as it is available.

Still around Georgia and the nation the frustration and anger has grown.

Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the CDC's director, recently sent a letter to state and local health officers emphasizing the need to make sure the vaccine is given to priority groups.

"The goal of the H1N1 vaccination program is to protect our population -- focusing first on these high-risk groups and ensuring equitable access to the vaccine," the letter said.

Recently, news outlets have reported that at-risk employees of Wall Street firms have received the vaccine, drawing criticism that it was going first to the privileged.

The Washington Post reported that there is so little flu vaccine now because the novel H1N1 virus grows slowly in fertilized chicken eggs. According to the Post, which quoted Robin Robinson, director of the Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority, "normally vaccine makers expect to get two to three doses of vaccine out of each egg injected. At the start of production in the summer, the yield was 0.2 to 0.5 doses per egg."  That yield has since increased.

A recent national poll by the Harvard School of Public Health found that about two-thirds of adults in priority groups who tried to get the vaccine for themselves were unable to do so.

Lynette Sheikh, the practice manager for the Galleria Medical Center, has nine pages filled with the names of people who have called or come by to get vaccinated. Many of the names -- such as  Marrally's -- are highlighted in yellow to identify them as members of a target  group.

The flu appears to be decreasing in intensity in Georgia, which was hit by an early wave. Even though most cases have been mild to moderate, the state reports that 34 people have died and 625 have been hospitalized since the spring.

"I can just about guarantee that every call I get is about H1N1," said Sheikh, whose office received about 100 doses of the vaccine a few weeks ago and quickly ran out. "The demand is out there."

Dharini Patel, the office manager for Premier Family Clinic in Atanta, said her office received an initial batch but demand was high.

"We get about 50 calls a day for the vaccine," she said.

Before a person can get the vaccine, Patel said they have to go through a screening process. If they're eligible, they're told to wait until those most at risk are vaccinated.

"Some leave with anger," she said.