Missoula's third H1N1 flu clinic was aimed at a selective group of at-risk people on Sunday, but as the clinic progressed all that changed.
The clinic was originally aimed at two higher-risk groups that haven't been vaccinated. But, with a large amount of vaccine on hand and the smaller amount of people in line at Sentinel High School, health officials were able to offer the vaccine to healthy Missoula children 6 months to 4 years old.
The Missoula City-County Health Department, along with help from volunteers kept the lines short.
"It was super quick” said mother Jessica Lucas. “I thought we would be waiting for hours just judging by what everybody else had been saying about their waits, and this one was really quick we were in and out."
“I'm so glad that Missoula had it, I'm glad that I could call up, and they told me exactly when and where, and I'm glad that I get to go home now" added mother Jennifer Crean.
Missoula's local leaders say they care about residents, and their concerns about the H1N1 flu, is why the were on hand at Sunday’s clinic to talk to the public.
Missoula Mayor John Engen and Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss answered questions about the pandemic. Engen and Curtiss both stressed the basics to keep from getting sick: wash your hands, drink lots of fluids, and if you are feeling sick, be courteous and steer clear of others.
Curtiss says each week they are briefed on the amount of vaccine they will have, and this week they were lucky.
"We're doing everything that we can to make sure that we are squared away and with luck and enough people vaccinated... we'll be fine” Engen said.
This may be the last H1N1 clinic of this size. The health department will soon open a clinic, with a different system, to help get people vaccinated on a more convenient basis.
Additional information and updates can be found by contacting the Health Department's H1N1 Info Line at (406) 258.4636.
- Allyson Weller reporting from KPAX in Missoula
Missoula is conducting an H1N1 vaccination clinic today, aimed at two higher-risk groups that haven't yet been reached by the vaccine.
The Missoula City-County Health Department will offer H1N1 vaccinations to "medically at-risk" children ages five to eighteen, and caregivers and household members of infants up to six months old.
In addition, due to an increased amount of vaccine on hand, they are offering the vaccine to healthy Missoula children 6 months to 4 years old.
The clinic will be held at Sentinel High School, running until 5:00 p.m.
Parking is available in the Bancroft.Parents should accompany their children and complete the paperwork onsite.
For any additional information call 258-4636, the Health Department's H1N1 Info Line.
(November 6, 2009) Missoula County Commissioners Jean Curtiss and Bill Carey and Missoula Mayor John Engen will be on hand Sunday at the H1N1 vaccination clinic which is set to take place at Sentinel High School on Sunday.
They will be there to "provide moral support, answer questions and talk with the public and the news media" according to the Greg Oliver, the Public Information Officer, Health Promotion Director for the Missoula City-County Health Department.
"It's important for us to be there," said Mayor Engen. "There's been so much national news coverage. And we want to be there to support the Health Department, which is doing a great job here in Missoula."
The Missoula City-County Health Department is holding the clinic from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for medically at-risk children ages 5-18 and for caregivers and household members of infants up to 6 months old.
Health officials have worked the last few years on pandemic influenza planning, and the effort shows according to Commissioner Curtiss.
"We had done our work ahead of time and made our plan," Curtiss said. "We're dealing with lots of variables. We're doing our best every day to move vaccine to the people who need it."
The Health Department will offer H1N1 vaccinations to two higher risk groups we haven't reached to date at Sunday's clinic.
This clinic is for Missoula County residents who are:
- "medically at-risk" children ages five -eighteen
- caregivers and household members of infants 0-6 months ages.
The clinic will be held at Sentinel High School, 11am-5pm on Sunday. Parking will be available in the Bancroft parking lot and the clinic will have information about the H1N1 vaccine and parent/guardian consent forms.
Additional information and updates can be found by contacting the Health Department's H1N1 Info Line at (406) 258.4636.
- Mark Thorsell reporting from KPAX in Missoula
Two higher-risk groups for the H1N1 virus will get their first chance for the vaccine this week in Missoula.
The Missoula City-County Health Department will host a clinic this weekend for Missoula County residents who are "medically at-risk" children ages five to 18 or caregivers and household members of infants zero to six months old.
The clinic will be held on Sunday, November 8th in Sentinel High School's new gym from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., and those taking part should park in the Bancroft parking lot and then follow the signs to the new gym.
Missoula City-County Health Promotion Director Greg Oliver says that the clinic is being held for Missoula County residents who are: "medically at-risk" children ages 5-18, caregivers and household members of infants 0-6 months ages.
The Department will have information about the H1N1 vaccine and parent/guardian consent forms available at the clinic, and parents should plan to accompany their children to the clinic and complete the paperwork onsite.
Health officials say that the medical conditions that have shown to carry the most risk include: asthma or any other lung condition; immune disorders such as diabetes; muscular weakness such as muscular dystrophy or significant cerebral palsy; kidney and liver disease; blood disorders; chronic aspirin therapy; and chemotherapy for cancer or organ transplant.
If you cannot attend this clinic, call the Missoula City-County Health Department's H1N1 info line at (406) 258.4636 to get the latest information about other clinic options.
The Missoula City-County Health Department plans to offer more immunization opportunities, as early as this coming week, for the highest risk groups, including repeat opportunities for children ages 6 months through 4 years old.
The latest Missoula County H1N1 information can be found by clicking here.
- Mark Thorsell reporting from KPAX in Missoula with information from Breanna Roy
(from November 3, 2009) The H1N1 vaccine is headed to Missoula County public schools and surrounding Missoula area schools this week and next.
But the vaccines are not going to all students just yet. The Missoula City-County Health Department is giving out shots to kindergarten through fourth graders who have a chronic illness. The Health Department has a list and they continue to check it off.
K through fourth graders with an existing medical condition are listed in the first priority group to get their vaccine starting Tuesday night.
A shortage of the H1N1 vaccines is known around the country but Missoula is slowly getting the number of vaccines they need to make sure everyone is treated.
"So now it's coming in a little more regularly and we are moving through our risk groups," explained Missoula City-County Health Promotions Director Greg Oliver.
Parents with children in Missoula schools may wonder why their child has not been given an H1N1 vaccine. But up next in that First Priority Group are K through fourth graders who suffer from a pre existing illness.
"Parents in MCPS have been notified through letters and various other ways and parents are being notified in the outlining schools in the county. This week and next week we're getting the shots out to kids who worried us the most. Normally there are going to be nurses also at the school and a school that doesn't have a nurse will be visited by a team of Public Health nurses and that should cover the county," adds Oliver.
Reports across the county say two thirds of H1N1 deaths have been kids with chronic disease.
"It's kids with some underlining chronic disease issues frequently it's something like asthma."
The Health Department is starting now on at risk children nine and under, because they required two doses. One now, and another 28 days later.
If you are a parent who has a child with a chronic illness and you're unsure if your child qualifies for a vaccine at this time, health officials say the best thing to do is to call the H1N1 flu information hotline at (406) 258.4636.
As for healthy school aged kids, those vaccines won't be likely until December.
(from November 2, 2009)
The Missoula City-County Health Department says it's given out more than 4,700 H1N1 flu vaccines. Up next, school children are to be vaccinated.
Greg Oliver with the Health Department says they are preparing for another large flu clinic set for this Sunday, which will only be for people found in the first priority group.
Missoula City-County Health Department Director Ellen Leahy is still deciding which people in the first priority group will be included in the clinic.
In the meantime, Oliver says at risk children grades kindergarten through fourth grade will receive the H1N1 flu vaccine depending on their school's plan, with vaccinations aimed first at students with chronic illnesses.
As of Monday, there were 30,000,000 doses of the vaccine available nationwide and the director of the National Center for Immunization and Diseases is hoping the supply will increase in the coming days.
A limited number of doses are what Missoula is facing as well.
"Over time we expect that supply will start to increase and eventually catch up with the tremendous demand we're seeing now" said National Center for Immunization and Disease Director Dr. Anne Schuchat.
You can keep in contact with the Missoula City-County Health Department's plans by checking in with the H1N1 flu information line at (406) 258.4636.
Those in the first priority group are:
pregnant women
children ages 6 months through 4 years
people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age
children ages 5 - 18 years with chronic health conditions
health care and emergency medical workers with direct patient contact 
