Swine flu vaccinations due to arrive this week, area hospitals banning kid visitors

Marin, which has been on the short end of the H1N1 flu vaccine distribution in California, is due to get an allotment this week. Jody Pimms, from Marin Health and Human Services-

"We are expecting some this week, although we don't have any idea how much it will be but it should be received in the next day or two."

Pimms went on to add that the first 2,000 doses will be set aside for this weekend's upcoming H1N1 flu vaccine clinic in San Rafael. That clinic will distribute injectable vaccine doses to patients at higher risk of contracting the virus. There are three additional clinics scheduled; two more in November and one in early December.

Additionally, Pimms told us that physicians who could not get the vaccine up to now, will most likely be able to obtain some of the vaccine soon. The state was coordinating with the various county health departments on supply and demand.

"The health department is dispensing it as they can," said Pimms, adding "And we'll get it to whoever requested it first."

Area hospitals are stepping up prevention measures that now include banning young visitors.

Kaiser Permanente in San Rafael was the among first to announce that it was barring children 14-and-under from entering the hospital to visit other patients. A number of other Bay Area hospitals, including Stanford and Lucille Packard Children's Hospitals in Palo Alto and just today, UCSF Medical Center in SF. 

We called Marin General to see if they were considering such a ban. Their Communications Director, Cathy Graham, told us that "it was under discussion. My guess is that they will do that."

A reminder that only high risk patients will be eligible for the clinic vaccines this weekend

Those include pregnant women; persons who live with or provide care for infants aged less than 6 months old; health care workers; children and young adults aged 6 months-24 years and persons aged 25-64 years who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications, such as asthma, heart disease, and diabetes.

The rest of us will continue to wait for ours. Meanwhile, you know (see photo at right) the drill.

Comments

[bcooper]

washing hands won't do much to avoid spreading the flu if it is an airborne thing...