Published: November 12, 2009 10:46 pm      

Patience urged at H1N1 clinic

Counties have limited amount of vaccine available

Parents are being urged to exercise patience at the first public H1N1 clinic Sunday, held by the Howard County Health Department.

The health department will conduct the first of three public clinics from noon to 5 p.m. at Havens Auditorium on the Indiana University Kokomo campus.

Karen Lopke, H1N1 administrator, said the health department is expecting long lines. The department will have more than 3,000 doses available in nasal and injectable vaccinations for children ages 6 months to 10 years, as well as for pregnant women. The other clinics will take place on Nov. 29 and Dec. 6.

“The staffing is all lined up and ready to go,” she said. “There will be 24 stations.”

To prepare their children to be immunized, parents should dress their children in loose-fitting clothes appropriate for the weather, Lopke said.

Howard County Emergency Management Agency officers and off-duty police officers will help with traffic and crowd control, Lopke said.

Lopke said IU Kokomo students have volunteered to provide entertainment for the children while waiting. The activities will include puppet shows, face painting and balloons.

Parents will be required to read two information sheets pertaining to the vaccine and to sign a permission slip.

Lopke said approximately 500 people will be allowed in Havens Auditorium at a time and then small groups will be taken to the clinical areas.

Michelle Siegfred, public health nursing for Miami County, said the Miami County Health Department has been receiving vaccine on a weekly basis.

There will be a walk-in clinic at the health department offices in the courthouse from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. today for children up to 6 months of age, pregnant women and caregivers of children under 6 months of age. A second walk-in clinic will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 20 for children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years.

Siegfred said the Miami County Health Department will vaccinate the first responders with the Mexico Volunteer Fire Department on Monday, students at the Christian Academy on Tuesday and at Peru Jr. High School on Wednesday. Vaccinations will be given from 3 to 6 p.m.

Noland Pyke, administrator for the Tipton County Health Department, said the department is still giving vaccinations to students at Tipton and Tri-Central schools.

“We still have some of the upper grades to do,” Pyke said. “We hope to have all school-age children vaccinated by Thanksgiving. It has been smooth as clockwork thanks to our volunteers.”

Pyke said the department is not planning any public clinics because the doses of the vaccine aren’t available. He said Tipton County has been receiving 200 doses in each delivery.

• Ken de la Bastide is the Kokomo Tribune enterprise editor. He can be reached at 765-454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com