As of Wednesday, November 4, more than 66,000 doses have been distributed throughout Hillsborough County. Approximately 37,000 doses have been provided to private medical providers, 16,000 doses have gone to hospitals and universities, 12,000 doses have been provided to school aged children through the public school vaccination clinics, and 1,100 doses have been provided to walk-in clinics.

 

Due to a national delay in vaccine shipment the Hillsborough County Health Department (HCHD) has modified the H1N1 swine flu vaccination program . The HCHD received a revised schedule for the estimated availability of H1N1 vaccine on October 17. The new estimates reduced the overall total number of doses available to Hillsborough County over the course of the program by 11% or roughly 77,000 doses from the original estimates.

 

As a result of the limited supply, the HCHD is focusing on priority sub-groups within the overall target groups identified for early vaccination. Obstetricians who have placed orders through Florida Shots have now received their first doses of injectable vaccine for pregnant women, and Pediatricians who placed orders through Florida Shots have received their orders as well. The HCHD initiate the school-based vaccination program this week at selected middle and high schools based on geographic location and vaccine availability.

 

It is important to understand that any provider in the county that wishes to offer the vaccine to their staff and patients is able to do so through the Florida Shots Program. All providers that sign up for Florida Shots and place orders for the vaccine will receive an allocation at some point between now and January 2010. The amount they receive and the time frame for which they receive an allocation are based on vaccine availability. There are currently 272 providers registered as H1N1 vaccine providers for Hillsborough County. We have 209 additional slots available to providers who wish to register in Florida Shots to become H1N1 providers.

 

We continue to encourage providers to become H1N1 Vaccine providers by registering in "Florida SHOTS". This is a web-based program that will allow providers, hospitals, etc to receive the vaccine directly from the CDC. Providers will need to place orders on a weekly basis for allocations as they become available. The Health Department will be monitoring and adjusting distribution levels to ensure that we reach the target populations as the first priority. We will receive enough vaccine to take care of the entire population, but it will take a longer period of time to receive it.

 

In the upcoming weeks vaccination locations will be listed on www.myflusafety.com. Individuals unable to receive the vaccine through their primary care provider should check this site periodically for locations as they become available. The School Board and Health Department partnered together to develop a plan to provide vaccinations to public school students within the county while providing minimal disruption to the education process.

 

Parents will be notified and receive consent forms/information packets approximately two weeks in advance of their school hosting the vaccination teams. This is completely voluntary and no student will be given a vaccination without parental consent. Middle and High school students will receive the vaccination during normal schools hours on their school's campus. Only one dose of the vaccine will be needed for children over nine years of age. For elementary schools, we will be having an "after school" vaccination program.

 

The district has selected high schools geographically spread throughout the county (ie, northwest, central, northeast, south) and we will be scheduling teams to go there two nights a week. This will provide parents the opportunity to be present when their children receive the vaccination. The District will be communicating with parents through the PTAs, Parent Link system, printed material brought home by their child and electronically through their web site.

 

In addition to public schools, the HCHD has developed a vaccination plan for all private schools in the county wishing to participate in the program. The private school vaccinations will begin as soon as possible after the public school vaccinations begin. This will allow time for the larger shipments scheduled to be received by the HCHD from the Federal Government suppliers. The Florida Department of Health has a toll-free number to provide public health information and updates on H1N1 Swine flu to the public.

 

The information line is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EDT, seven days a week. Information is available in English, Spanish and Creole.  Florida Flu Information Line 1-877-352-3581

Thank you.
 
Lynda Remund
Director of District Operations
 
Tampa Downtown Partnership
601 N. Ashley Dr., Suite 1100
Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 221-3686 - phone
(813) 229-1328 - fax
email - lremund@tampasdowntown.com