H1N1 vaccine readily available

FLATHEAD RESERVATION — Lake County and Tribal Health officials are fighting a different flu fight in 2010.

As they gear up for  a predicted third wave of H1N1 flu, they have an abundance of vaccines and are urging people to get their dose. Attendance at free clinics throughout the area has fallen off in the last months. Another worry is that many children, ages 6 months through 9 years, have not returned for a necessary second dose.

This is a different picture from early fall, when the H1N1 vaccines were in short supply and limited to targeted at-risk groups. Up to 300 people were attending the earlier vaccination sessions.

“We have the (H1N1) vaccine, we have an abundance of the vaccine. It’s offered to anybody and we want them to come in and get it,” community health nurse for Tribal Health Teri Robison said.

Robison said she served around 25 people at the clinic in Ronan last week.

Free clinics continue to be offered from 1-4 p.m. every Tuesday at Lake County Public Health in Polson and Tribal Health in Arlee, Elmo, Ronan and St. Ignatius.

The “third wave” of H1N1 flu is predicted to hit in mid-February. This is a rough time estimate, but a press release from the Lake County Department of Health said the third wave is “most often deadliest.” And, it could run in conjunction with regular flu season.

“Seasonal flu peaks vary year to year, usually we start seeing it in December . . . it pretty much hits here [by] February and March,” Robison said.

Tribal Health has received a limited amount of seasonal flu vaccines. It is available to Tribal Health beneficiaries by appointment. Several private stores around the area do offer the seasonal flu vaccine for a fee.

Brainstorming continues for ideas of how to get the younger patients in again for the second dose.

The most recent Lake County press release included a statistic noting that 248 pediatric deaths have been due to the 2009 H1N1 virus.

“[The] second dose (booster dose) is imperative, as without it a child does not have full immunity to fight off the disease and could potentially be infected if exposed to H1N1,” the press release said.

The release also mentions a newly released Center for Disease Control study that found American Indians and Alaska Natives are four times more likely to die from H1N1 than all other ethnic groups combined.

No H1N1-related deaths have been reported on the reservation so far, Robison said.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last unveiled new public service announcement campaigns to encourage these groups to get the vaccine.

In Lake County, approximately 5,300 people have received the H1N1 vaccine. To date the health department has  not had a single report of an adverse reaction following vacination.

“The sooner they get vaccinated, the more immunity they have,” Robison said.