Health district changing H1N1 screening policy

The Southern Nevada Health District has received several more shipments of the injectable form of the H1N1 vaccine and is ready to hold another clinic this Saturday.

They've made a few policy changes when it comes to screening patients.

"The local health departments will get confirmation from the state for our weekly allocation of vaccines," said Veronica Morata Nichols with the health district. "We also give this out to the private providers, meaning pediatricians and local OB/GYNs - the ones we are allocating the vaccines to at this time. So the vaccine is out there in the community in a very limited dose."

To ensure they won't run out of the shot form of the vaccine like they did a few weeks ago, the health district will now be using a tougher screening process. Additionally, they will no longer allow patients to choose which form of vaccine they receive like in the past.

"This time around, the clinics that we are gonna have on Saturday are also gonna screen for the people who qualify for the injectables and people who qualify for the FluMist," Nichols explains.

"The reason we are switching right now is because there are a lot of people out there opting for the injectable when they qualify for the FluMist. When an individual does that he is taking something away from a pregnant woman, from very young children who cannot get the FluMist. And if we don't start to screen well for this, we will have a shortage of the injectable."

So from now on, pregnant women, children under two and kids under 14 with underlying health conditions will receive only the injectables. Other priority list people such as adults who have children under six months old or health workers who have direct contact with patients will only receive the FluMist vaccine.

"If you opt not to get the FluMist we will ask you to return at a later date when we have enough vaccines for everybody."

The health district's next clinic will be this Saturday, November 7 from 10 am to 6 pm. Both forms of the vaccine will be available. You can always stop by the health district's office during normal business hours and receive the FluMist vaccine.

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