Tulsa World: H1N1 vaccine available to more people

MAKE US YOUR HOMEPAGE | Tuesday, February 09, 2010 | WIRELESS

Home > News > Article

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

H1N1 vaccine available to more people
Priority groups are still reminded of their immunization need.

Nathan Compton, 5, grimaces as he gets an H1N1 vaccination from nurse Leslie Trotter as his mother, Madeline Rubenstein (right), comforts him at a swine flu clinic in Sacramento, Calif. Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

By KIM ARCHER & SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writers
Published: 11/18/2009 2:22 AM
Last Modified: 11/18/2009 3:58 AM

For more on the swine flu.

Swine flu vaccinations are now open to all who want them, state health officials announced Tuesday.

Vaccine supplies are still limited, but demand from priority groups has dipped enough so that all Oklahomans can be vaccinated, said state epidemiologist Dr. Kristy Bradley.

"While we continue to emphasize the importance of vaccination for the priority groups, especially children and pregnant women, we are going to begin to vaccinate the general population today," she said.

Tuesday's H1N1 clinic at the Tulsa County Fairgrounds was the first chance many Tulsans had to get the shot, and the Tulsa Health Department administered 730 of its 5,000 doses in the first hour and a half, said L'Toya Knighten, the department's community relations coordinator.

The clinic continues Wednesday from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Expo Exchange Center at the fairgrounds, 21st Street between Harvard and Yale avenues.

Those who went to Tuesday's clinic early were rewarded with short lines for the shot or nasal vaccine.

"We just walked in and didn't have to wait at all," said Melissa Bryan, who was able to get a shot along with her four daughters, ages 4 to 10. "I have a couple kids with asthma and a couple who don't. I wanted to keep from getting the flu."

The short lines weren't the only reward for the girls.

"They're getting Frosties for being brave," Bryan said.

Tulsa Fire Department firefighter paramedics joined department employees in administering the doses.

"I've been a paramedic for 12 years and I don't know why we haven't done this before," said Jon White, who is also a fire equipment operator. "A lot of us wanted to do this to help out."

Teresa Courtney took the opportunity to get the vaccine Tuesday during a break from work.

"I have arthritis and I take medications that affect my immune system," said Courtney, who was surprised by how quickly she got through the process.

"I don't think I've been here but 10 minutes," she said. "It's certainly not what I was expecting or dreading."

Don Thomas decided to get the vaccine just to be safe.

"I was worrying about the weather changing and I thought I better get me a shot," Thomas said. "It's on TV 24-7, I better get a shot and not worry about it."

The virus has been widespread in Oklahoma since September. Even though statewide monitoring has shown a recent decline in flu-associated hospitalizations, the swine flu is expected to continue circulating throughout the winter, Bradley said.

There could also be another surge that follows the current wave, Bradley said.

Since Sept. 1, 890 Oklahomans have been hospitalized due to complications from H1N1 flu and 27 have died. A Kay County man died earlier this year and is not included in the official count.

Tulsa swine flu clinics

Wednesday: Expo Square Exchange Center, 21st Street between Harvard and Yale Avenues. The clinic is set for 2 to 7 p.m.

Dec 3, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Tulsa Community College West, 7505 W. 41st St.

Dec 12, 9 a.m. to noon, Oral Roberts University, 7777 S. Lewis Ave.

Walk-in clinics for pregnant women and children younger than 10 will be open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. mondays through Thursdays, and 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Fridays at the following locations:

James O. Goodwin Health Center, 5051 S. 129th East Ave.

Central Regional Health Center, 315 S. Utica Ave.

Expo Square Health Center, 4616 E. 15th St.

For more information, call Tulsa County’s swine flu hot lines at 595-4500 or 582-9355 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Source: Tulsa City-County Health Department

Kim Archer 581-8315
kim.archer@tulsaworld.com

Sara Plummer 581-8465
sara.plummer@tulsaworld.com

By KIM ARCHER & SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writers

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Reader Comments

Show: Most Recent Comment First

Add your comment

10 comments have been made on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!

Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Swine flu vaccine now available to everyone in Oklahoma," which was published on 11/17/2009.

	Report Comment psychedelikrelik, Tulsa (11/17/2009 2:00:36 PM) I thought we weren't supposed to call it "Swine Flu." Okay, all you people who were griping last week, go get your shot!
	Report Comment WideAwake, (11/17/2009 2:03:56 PM) No one wants it.
	Report Comment Companion, Sperry (11/17/2009 2:28:49 PM) I got the regular flu shot the other day at the indian clinic I go to. And I'm a type II diabetic. But they had no H1N1 flu shots available.
	Report Comment lizzy, Tulsa (11/17/2009 4:22:36 PM) What will the cranky "Obama wants to kill old people" folks complain about now?
	Report Comment Faith, (11/17/2009 4:34:12 PM) I get the flu shot every year and when everyone else is sneezing and is ill at least I stay well.
	Report Comment Aggie, (11/17/2009 5:04:29 PM) Well, lizzy, we can complain about the fact that it took the government this long to prepare when it had ample warning. Also, thanks to Hillary Clinton's urging back in the 90s, vaccine makers were forced to accept less money for their vaccines. The result? Several vaccine manufacturers stopped making vaccines, leaving only a few companies to make up the difference. As usual, "government help" is counterproductive.
	Report Comment Elusive, the burbs (11/17/2009 8:51:39 PM) I heard a doctor say that these vaccines H1N1 and the regular flu shot are only effective in 50% of the population so don't think you are protected by getting your shot, still take precautions. This explains why some people say they got the flu shot in the past and ended up with the flu anyway.
	Report Comment TulKaiwan, Broken Arrow (11/17/2009 11:33:43 PM) Statistics- Based on current numbers from the article, and based upon 2007 census data listing Oklahoma's population at roughly 3.3 million: -One out of every 33 Oklahomans who contract H1N1 dies. -One out of every 3,708 Oklahomans contracts H1N1. -One out of every 122,222 Oklahomans dies from H1N1.
	Report Comment Elusive, the burbs (11/18/2009 3:08:32 AM) Good News! Anyone that has not had their shot should get it now.
	Report Comment fld11, (11/18/2009 9:52:57 AM) Why do you folks continue to let the so called state health officials decide who gets shots and who doesn't? Stand up for yourselves and demand positive change. That's the only way things will improve.

Add Your Comment
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.