Raleigh declared Tuesday, Dec. 8, an expanded H1N1 vaccination effort, advising the New Hanover County Health Department to make the vaccine available to everyone, officials said.
But the county continues working with a limited supply of H1N1 vaccines, said county spokesman Mark Boyer, so whoever wishes a vaccination is asked to call the health department for an appointment. The telephone number is (910) 798-6646.
"As we enter this new phase, it is important for people to remember that we are still in the midst of an ongoing pandemic," said public health director Dr. Jeffrey Engel. "While the number of cases may be going down, the rate of influenza illness is still high, and we can expect another wave of influenza as we reach the peak of the regular flu season.”
A written announcement from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services indicated that more than two million new doses had flooded the state as of Tuesday, and they are currently being distributed to health care providers in every county.
State health officials are working closely with county health departments to assess supply and demand levels, planning to shift supplies from counties that have excess to those that need more.
Before the announcement Tuesday, healthcare providers were targeting their vaccination efforts on the groups of people deemed most at risk—like school-aged children and pregnant women—but recently the demand for those groups has dropped off, Engel said.
The H1N1 virus began its sweep across North Carolina in April. A total of 74 deaths have been contributed to the disease.
The county is urging everyone to follow these steps to prevent the spread of H1N1:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol based hand cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
- If you get sick with flu, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from making them sick.
