Health Officers Update on Status of Swine Flu Vaccines

Scotch Plains residents hoping to get the swine flu vaccine will have to wait a little bit longer.

Union County Health Official Richard Proctor released a statement Monday stating that his department has not yet received the vaccine, but has ordered it and anticipates its delivery in about two weeks. Proctor oversees the Rahway Regional Health Department, which is responsible for Scotch Plains services.

In the statement, Proctor says that vaccination clinics will be scheduled as soon as a sufficient quantity of the vaccine is received. Information concerning the vaccination clinics will be disseminated by the school system, day care centers, municipal website, local access television, newspapers, and Twitter.

Proctor says that the health department will target high priority groups first, including pregnant women, emergency responders, children ages 6 months to 19. As more vaccine becomes available, additional clinics will be scheduled to accommodate other priority groups. Clinics will be scheduled until everyone who wants a shot has received it.

Megan Avallone, director of the Westfield Regional Health Department, which oversees Fanwood, made a similar announcement last week during the Fanwood Council meeting. Avallone said her department has not received the vaccines yet either, but expects them to arrive sometime next month.

New Jersey is operating a toll-free public information hotline for H1N1 on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The information line number is 1-866-321-9571. The hotline intends to provide general information about H1N1, vaccine safety and availability
information, symptoms of H1N1 and flu preventive measures.

New Jersey is also updating information via the state's Web site. There, one will find links on where to find seasonal flu shots. When the H1N1 vaccine is more widely available, it will also have a search engine to find where you can get your H1N1 vaccine.