Seattle -
Hunting down the swine flu vaccine can feel like it's next to impossible right now.
Because of production delays, King County has only gotten 70,000 of 250,000 vaccines it had hoped for this week.
King County Public Health claims 20,000 doses went out first to health care workers and that an additional 50,000 were sent to doctors and hospitals this week including Harborview, the UW Medical Center, Virginia Mason and Swedish.
We called around and found Swedish got 4,000 vaccines but only for employees. Virginia Mason got 200 doses for high risk employees. A spokesperson for Harborview and UW says they got a small number of doses for pregnant women and small children who are patients. So where is the rest?
We asked Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett of King County Public Health to see a list of providers that got vaccines this week, but he did not provide us with that information.
Public health did open four clinics today, but only for those without insurance who have underlying health issues. 2,000 doses were set aside for that population, even though cost is not a factor.
"The federal government is providing the vaccine free of charge. No one will be billed for the vaccine," says Charissa Fotinos with Public Health.
The CDC has said all along there are certain people who should get top priority regardless of insurance coverage.
"Those would be pregnant women, those with chronic illnesses but we also did not want to leave those without insurance behind," says Kwan-Gett.
I have a vested interest in getting a vaccine because I'm going to have a baby in a month and a half. I've learned that pregnant women are nine times more likely to end up in intensive care with swine flu complications than other people. So I went to the North Seattle Clinic today after making calls to public health, and once I got there, they let me get it and I wasn't the only one.
"I'm pregnant and we're traveling soon so we do have insurance but they said to show up anyway," says Joan Brennan.
Health Department officials say they didn't want to advertise the clinics being open to all high risk groups because they would have been bombarded with people. So what can you do now?
"One of the most important things is to ask for everyone's patience. Mid next week we should be seeing more providers who serve pregnant woman and those at risk should have vaccine available," says Kwan-Gett.
King County says to call your provider for updated information. Each doctor requests a projected number of vaccines he or she wants, and so far Public Health says it has only been able to meet 10% of that demand.
You can also check local pharmacies, like Safeway and Walgreens. Walgreens offers an automated H1N1 clinic locator at 1-800-925-4733.
There will be a swine flu vaccine clinic in Puyallup Saturday, October 24, 2009 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Emerald Ridge High School at 12405 184th St E. The clinic is only for children six months through 24 years old.
As of 4:00 PM Wednesday, October 21, 2009, King County reports it distributed 672 of 2,000 vaccines at its public health clinics. Clinics will continue at the following four locations while supplies last. Health officials would like to keep the clinics open to people without insurance and asks those with insurance to wait to get the vaccine from a medical provider.
King County Public Swine Flu Vaccine Clinics:
White Center Public Health Center (10821 8th Ave SW, Seattle) 8:30 AM-6:30 PM Thursday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM Friday
Alder Square Public Health Center (1401 Central Ave S., Suites 101 & 112, Kent) 8:30 AM-6:30 PM Thursday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM Friday
North Public Health Center (10501 Meridian Ave N., Seattle) 8:30 AM-6:30 PM Thursday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM Friday
Federal Way Public Health Center (33431 13th Place S., Federal Way) 8:30 AM-6:30 PM Thursday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM Friday
Because of production delays, King County has only gotten 70,000 of 250,000 vaccines it had hoped for this week.
King County Public Health claims 20,000 doses went out first to health care workers and that an additional 50,000 were sent to doctors and hospitals this week including Harborview, the UW Medical Center, Virginia Mason and Swedish.
We called around and found Swedish got 4,000 vaccines but only for employees. Virginia Mason got 200 doses for high risk employees. A spokesperson for Harborview and UW says they got a small number of doses for pregnant women and small children who are patients. So where is the rest?
We asked Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett of King County Public Health to see a list of providers that got vaccines this week, but he did not provide us with that information.
Public health did open four clinics today, but only for those without insurance who have underlying health issues. 2,000 doses were set aside for that population, even though cost is not a factor.
"The federal government is providing the vaccine free of charge. No one will be billed for the vaccine," says Charissa Fotinos with Public Health.
The CDC has said all along there are certain people who should get top priority regardless of insurance coverage.
"Those would be pregnant women, those with chronic illnesses but we also did not want to leave those without insurance behind," says Kwan-Gett.
I have a vested interest in getting a vaccine because I'm going to have a baby in a month and a half. I've learned that pregnant women are nine times more likely to end up in intensive care with swine flu complications than other people. So I went to the North Seattle Clinic today after making calls to public health, and once I got there, they let me get it and I wasn't the only one.
"I'm pregnant and we're traveling soon so we do have insurance but they said to show up anyway," says Joan Brennan.
Health Department officials say they didn't want to advertise the clinics being open to all high risk groups because they would have been bombarded with people. So what can you do now?
"One of the most important things is to ask for everyone's patience. Mid next week we should be seeing more providers who serve pregnant woman and those at risk should have vaccine available," says Kwan-Gett.
King County says to call your provider for updated information. Each doctor requests a projected number of vaccines he or she wants, and so far Public Health says it has only been able to meet 10% of that demand.
You can also check local pharmacies, like Safeway and Walgreens. Walgreens offers an automated H1N1 clinic locator at 1-800-925-4733.
There will be a swine flu vaccine clinic in Puyallup Saturday, October 24, 2009 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Emerald Ridge High School at 12405 184th St E. The clinic is only for children six months through 24 years old.
As of 4:00 PM Wednesday, October 21, 2009, King County reports it distributed 672 of 2,000 vaccines at its public health clinics. Clinics will continue at the following four locations while supplies last. Health officials would like to keep the clinics open to people without insurance and asks those with insurance to wait to get the vaccine from a medical provider.
King County Public Swine Flu Vaccine Clinics:
White Center Public Health Center (10821 8th Ave SW, Seattle) 8:30 AM-6:30 PM Thursday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM Friday
Alder Square Public Health Center (1401 Central Ave S., Suites 101 & 112, Kent) 8:30 AM-6:30 PM Thursday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM Friday
North Public Health Center (10501 Meridian Ave N., Seattle) 8:30 AM-6:30 PM Thursday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM Friday
Federal Way Public Health Center (33431 13th Place S., Federal Way) 8:30 AM-6:30 PM Thursday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM Friday
