Flu vaccine could make its way here

A limited supply of H1N1 vaccine has held distribution in Southern Arizona to just Tucson, but as the demand diminishes, officials could send it to outlying communities such as Green Valley as more becomes available.

Arizona received two percent of the available vaccine based on its population, said Laura Osley, communications director for the Arizona Department of Health Services.

“The county health directors tell us where the doses go. They know their population,” she said. “When you look at Green Valley and Sahuarita, the Pima County health officer chooses if it goes to Tucson or wherever.”

Program Manager for Pima County Strategic Health Planning Julia Flannery said that since there was a limited supply of the vaccine, there has been only one clinic, at Tucson Electric Park.

“We haven’t gone out to find satellite clinics. We’ve had none in Oro Valley or Marana because the vaccine is so limited,” she said.

The vaccine was give to people ages 25-64 with chronic health conditions — asthma, neurological, liver and/or blood disorders, chronic lung disease, heart disease and weakened immune systems.

Vaccines were also given to children ages six months to those up to 24 years of age, health care workers and pregnant women.

Division Manager for Pima County Public Health Services Brad McKinney said the demand for the H1N1 vaccine at the public health clinics is diminishing.

“If the trend continues it would be more cost-effective to send the vaccines out into the communities to the Walgreens and Safeways where it would be more widely distributed,” he said.

“The expense for us to run the public clinics is enormously expensive. We’re going day by day.”

For updates, call 243-7800, or go to www.pimahealth.org.

Contact Green Valley freelance reporter Ellen Sussman at ellen2414@cox.net.