This is an update from the NW Regional Flu Web Site

Health officials in the Portland area learned Wednesday that 47,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine will be arriving in the region next week, roughly two to three times the size of recent weekly shipments.

About 42,500 of the doses expected next week will be injectable vaccine rather than the FluMist nasal spray. FluMist is only recommended for healthy people age 2 to 49 who are not pregnant; injectable vaccine can be administered to anyone older than 6 months.

The H1N1 vaccine in general remains in short supply nationwide because production of the vaccine is behind schedule.

The slowdown reflects the complexity of the vaccination manufacturing process and the need to maintain the same quality assurance used for seasonal flu vaccine production.  Oregon has received just 6% of the vaccine required to vaccinate all of the members of the priority groups.

Because of the national delay in H1N1 vaccine distribution, county public health officials are working under the guidance of the state and federal governments to further prioritize the distribution of vaccine. Until more vaccine arrives, health officials are emphasizing vaccination for those at high risk for serious health consequences related to H1N1, including pregnant women and children age five and under. Distribution is also focused on protecting the region’s health care system, including vaccinating health care and emergency medical services personnel.

In the Portland area, the production delay means some public clinics have been canceled or postponed. Other clinics are offering only a limited number of doses of vaccine.

Federal health officials continue to expect that shipments will ramp up and availability of the vaccine will increase.

Outbreaks

From Sept. 1 through Oct. 28, a total of 584 people in Oregon were hospitalized and 15 died from Influenza A virus. Although not all of these patients were tested for H1N1, public health officials have determined that nearly all of these patients were positive for pandemic H1N1 influenza. Schools throughout the region continue reporting increased absences due to influenza-like illness.