GUAM - The Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) continues to receive small quantities of the H1N1 influenza vaccine. Vaccination efforts are targeted with the initial vaccines based on recommendations from the Vaccine and Antiviral

Prioritization Planning committee (VAPPC) and guidance received from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. CDC reports that the manufacturer is further behind schedule than previously anticipated.

The target groups being addressed locally currently include:

• Health-care and emergency medical services personnel
• Pregnant women

In accordance with CDC guidelines, the VAPPC also identified a series of subsets within the target groups who will begin to receive the H1N1 influenza vaccine as it becomes available:

• Children age 6 months to 4 years of age
• Children age 5 to 18 years of age (with high risk medical conditions)
• Healthy children age 2 to 4 years of age (for Nasal Mist vaccine)
• Licensed daycare providers caring for infants age 6 months and younger

Once individuals in these target groups and subsets have been vaccinated, efforts to vaccinate the other target groups based on vaccine availability will be initiated.

When the vaccine has been distributed to all target groups, DPHSS will commence vaccinating the general public through a series of Points of Distribution (PODs). The PODs will take place throughout the island to ensure all residents are afforded the opportunity for vaccination against the H1N1 Influenza.

The PODs were originally scheduled to begin the first week of November, but due to current vaccine availability, the focus will be on the priority groups. The PODs conducted by the DPHSS are planned to commence following vaccination of the target groups in early December.

DPHSS stresses there will be enough of the vaccine for everyone wishing to take advantage of protecting themselves from the risks of contracting H1N1 as the the vaccination becomes availble.

For more information, please visit the following website at ww.flu.gov; the Department of Public Health and Social Services at www.dphss.guam.gov; or Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense website at www.guamhs.org. You may also call the Information Line at 735-H1N1 (4161).

This news announcement was prepared by a media release provided by the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services.

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites

Comments

Add New Search

Write comment

Name: Email:  do not notifynotify Website: Title: UBBCode:         -color-aquablackbluefuchsiagraygreenlimemaroonnavyolivepurpleredsilvertealwhiteyellow -size-tinysmallmediumlargehuge     Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

Powered by !JoomlaComment 3.26

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."