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H1N1 Vaccination Update
Isanti County Public Health has just announced it will be holding a special H1N1 vaccination clinic from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1 at its office inside the Isanti County Government Center. This walk-in clinic will serve children 6 months through second grade; pregnant women; children ages 5-18 with chronic medical problems; caregivers of children 6 months and younger; and emergency medical workers. Public Health Director Kathy Minkler said the clinic is primarily targeting those without insurance, though it will not turn away those whose primary provider doesn’t have enough vaccine.
By Jon Tatting
jon.tatting@ecm-inc.com
Isanti teacher and parent Steve Bucks knows firsthand the multiple days missed this school year by students stricken with illness including the possibility of novel H1N1.
“I know our schools have been hit with students missing 10 days of school (at a time),” said Bucks, who teaches fifth grade at Isanti Intermediate School. “I had eight to 10 kids gone because of flu-like illness.”
 In response to the H1N1 flu and softening the blow for its expected third wave sometime after January, he and other families packed the Isanti Primary School gymnasium Nov. 20 for one of several H1N1 vaccination clinics—designed for Isanti County children in kindergarten through second grade (ages 5-7).
Pictured: School nurse Mary Lynn Holt administers a dose of the H1N1 vaccination to 7-year-old Adam Olson during the Nov. 20 clinic at Isanti Primary School. (Photo by Jon Tatting)
Isanti County Public Health sponsored the clinic, reflecting the second phase of treatment, while others occurred at Cambridge Primary School and Braham Elementary.
Bucks brought his 6-year-old who, as most kids during the clinic, received the vaccine via nasal spray.
“The clinic is good for the whole community, to get people vaccinated before something spreads like wildfire,” he added, emphasizing proactive involvement in deterring illness now and in the future.
Area resident Jennifer Olson has children enrolled in the Cambridge-Isanti School District, and her boys Adam and Jacob cooperated for their nasal spray vaccinations.
When asked what brought her and family to the Nov. 20 clinic, she brought up her 4-month-old daughter who’s been too young for the first and now second phase of H1N1 vaccinations.
“We want to protect Emilia as well as the boys. Their friends were sick (H1N1 can only be presumed) and Adam and Jacob were lucky enough not to get it.”
Isanti mother Becky Whittemore had her 5-year-old son vaccinated, too, for reasons beyond just avoiding a single illness.
“He usually ends up with bronchitis in the winter, and we don’t want other complications,” said Whittemore, noting she liked the nasal spray option because her son was comfortable with it. “The possibility with bronchitis and the flu on top of it doesn’t seem like a good plan.”
She’s also waiting on the next phase of H1N1 vaccination for her other two children who have yet to qualify based on their age group.
Vaccinations to expand?
And Whittemore may not have to wait long since the Minnesota Department of Health on Tuesday announced plans to expand H1N1 vaccinations to more priority groups.
With this announcement, Minkler said she and staff are meeting to discuss their next phase. “But the message is similar: ‘as vaccine becomes available we will be offering it to expanded groups.’ We are not expecting more vaccine until next week sometime so that limits us,” she noted.
The first phase, now complete, included vaccinations for pregnant women, ages 6 months to 4 years old and child care workers and providers, said Isanti County Public Health Director Kathy Minkler.
Locally, she added, the second phase has begun for Isanti County children ages 5-7 and will continue for those up to age 18. “The vaccine we get determines the age group,” said Minkler.
The third and final phase, scheduled sometime next year, is for the general public.
Local clinic scenes
Tony Buttacavoli, emergency preparedness coordinator for Public Health, said school nurses went through 202 doses of the vaccine during a H1N1 clinic held Nov. 17 at Cambridge Primary School.
Numbers appeared similar if a bit less at Isanti Primary where families lined the hallways from the north/back entrance to the gymnasium.
With public health officials at watch, school nurses mainly used the nasal spray with kids at different table stations. Other children, with pre-existing conditions such as asthma, received shots. They were identified ahead of time through communications between school nurses and Public Health.
Afterward, families waited on the other side of the gym for 15 minutes—enough time for health workers to see if the vaccination caused any complications. None reported.
As for the 3:15-6 p.m. time frame, Buttacavoli noted the slot was designed to be convenient for parents with kids at the end of the school day.
Public Health goals
In light of how much vaccine the county received this phase from the department of health, “We’re limited by the amount of vaccine we get. We had enough for ages 5-7; we’ll do the rest when we get it,” said Minkler.
Since September, an Isanti County task force—comprising of Cambridge Medical Center, school nurses and superintendents—has been working on a plan to implement the vaccine. The H1N1 vaccination clinics are being held at schools to take pressure off the medical center.
Added Minkler, “We want to encourage people to get the vaccine. Our goal is to get the vaccine out to the public as quickly as possible. We’re particularly concerned with children; they’ve been hard hit by the pandemic. This flu seems to spread faster and be more contagious.”
Nationwide, a third of the deaths associated with H1N1 occurred to children under age 17, Minkler said.
As for the vaccine that is being used across the nation, “This is a typical flu vaccination for a new strain of flu,” noted Minkler, referring to H1N1. “Seasonal flu mainly affects people over 65.”
Minkler added the community has been anxious yet understanding through H1N1 pandemic plans. “They want the vaccine and accept how public health is handling the plan.”
School perspectives
Back at the Nov. 20 clinic, Isanti Primary School nurse Jayne Zurn noted some parents have been anxious since the second wave appeared stronger earlier this fall. Yet school nurses have calmed some fears with giving out correct information, she said.
“H1N1 has caused people to call and ask questions, rather than (no such communication) in previous years with the regular seasonal flu,” Zurn added.
Though student absenteeism did increase a bit earlier this school year, Zurn explained, it began to level out after mid-October.
“We established protocol, plans and a credible Web site to inform the public on what to do if (something) happens. Nurses have been meeting with Isanti County Public Health since August.
“They (Public Health) have done a nice job keeping us informed, scheduling events such as these clinics and keeping everything organized,” said Zurn.
“The planning took a lot more time than I thought. I’ve never done a pandemic before, but it’s been helpful,” she added.
School nurses and assistants were vaccinated in early November.
“I’m very pleased (student absenteeism) is down now. The clinic is nice and very convenient, and we have the space. It really went smoothly, and it’s free,” remarked Isanti Primary Principal Kris Stueve.
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