Health Department: Vaccine delays postpone H1N1 clinics - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

Health Department: Vaccine delays postpone H1N1 clinics

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SPOKANE, Wash. - Due to smaller than expected shipments of the H1N1 vaccine, the Spokane Regional Health District announced Tuesday that upcoming public vaccination clinics will switch to appointment-only clinics, instead of the previously planned walk-in clinics.

ADVISORY: To see the latest schedule of clinics following the announced delay in vaccine shipments, click here.
The amount of vaccine SRHD is expecting will be insufficient for several of the clinics the Health District had scheduled the week of November 2. People who already have an appointment scheduled at the Health District will still be able to be vaccinated. 
 
Two upcoming public clinics for priority groups will also likely remain scheduled, but will offer only the nasal spray vaccine and will switch to appointment-only clinics, instead of the previously planned walk-in clinics. (November 7, at the Spokane Valley YMCA from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. and November 14, North Spokane at the YMCA from 9 a.m. -3 p.m.).

Appointments for the November 7 clinic will be scheduled by phone on November 3 by calling 324-1648 beginning at 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. or until appointments run out. 
 
This is disappointing for everyone," said Dr. Joel McCullough, Health Officer for the Spokane Regional Health District. "Although we know that vaccine production can be impacted by many variables, we were told that by this time we would have a supply that would allow us to hold our planned clinics. We wish we knew exactly when and how much of the vaccine will arrive in our community," McCullough said. "All of our plans to provide vaccinations and to distribute it to our healthcare partners depend on when we get the vaccine in and in the quantity we receive."
 
The Health District is continuing to distribute limited amounts of the H1N1 vaccine to pre-registered health care providers for the purpose of treating their high-risk patients and to locations that serve people who are uninsured or underinsured.