Vaccine Shortage
Jonathan Betz reports
Related links:
- 10/24:
- 10/23:
- LINK:
- LINK:
- MORE:
DALLAS - President Barack Obama declared a national emergency Saturday as swine flu threatens to overburden health care services.
The virus is now widespread in 46 states, including Texas.
Health officials say more than 1,000 have died nationwide, with tens of thousands hospitalized.
State and local health officials are growing impatient with the lack of H1N1 vaccine, and they are hoping the presidential declaration speeds things up.
More vaccine is promised, but with no clear idea of when it will arrive, Dallas County Health and Human Services Director Zachary Thompson fears it may be be too little and too late.
"Even with a declaration of an emergency, it doesn't mean anything unless you have a vaccine," Thompson said.
Right now, Dallas County says it doesn't have nearly enough to meet the demand.
Only this weekend did Dallas and Tarrant counties receive their first shipments of the swine flu vaccine, but the precious doses have not yet been distributed.
Dallas County is planning a massive vaccination clinic to immunize thousands of people at once. Details aren't yet final, but News 8 has learned it will likely be at a health department office during the first week of November.
Officials are anticipating long lines and incredible waits - much like what was seen when parents lined up with their youngsters to get seasonal flu vaccine shots.
The president's declaration cuts some government red tape, letting hospitals move emergency rooms off-site to speed treatment. Medical centers can also be opened at schools or community centers as needed.
But with 11 people dying from the virus in Dallas County alone, Thompson said more vaccine is urgently needed. "We don't need the 20,000 doses at the end of November - we need the 20,000 now," he said.
Dallas is expecting another 5,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine any day now. It will likely be distributed at that massive immunization clinic now being planned.
It will be the first time Dallas has offered mass vaccinations since a measles outbreak in the 1980s.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved emergency use of the experimental drug Peramivir to treat patients hospitalized with H1N1 virus. Tamiflu and Relenza are the primary drugs used in treatment right now, but one is administered orally and the other is a nasal spray.
Peramivir is intravenous, which will give doctors a third option when other drugs fail or when intravenous treatment is the only option.
