Ciccotelli: BOH has administered 2,131 H1N1 vaccines

~ Next clinic is scheduled for January 16 at CHS ~

By Kathy Anderson

The Centers for Disease Control has said that incidences of the H1N1 virus have peaked in the United States, but influenza-like illnesses, including H1N1, are still active and Canton health officials urge residents at risk to get immunized to reduce chances of contracting the virus.

John Ciccotelli, Canton’s public health director, said H1N1 vaccines have been administered to public school children and to adults at clinics throughout the fall. To date, he said, the Board of Health has administered a total of 2,131 vaccinations for all age groups. Clinics held at the schools administered vaccines to a total of 1,459 school-age children under the age of 18 — approximately 44.2 percent of school-age kids in Canton.

“Roughly half of this age group received the nasal mist form, a live attenuated virus, of the vaccine while the balance received the injectable form (a “killed” virus),” Ciccotelli said. “Notwithstanding the recent recalled lots of flu mist, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, both forms of vaccination are equally effective.”

CDC data point toward a downward trend in incidences of pneumonia and influenza (P&I) in the U.S. beginning in mid-December. For instance, during the week of December 13-19, deaths attributed to P&I were below the epidemic threshold for the first time in 11 weeks, the CDC web site said. Since April, the CDC has received reports of 285 laboratory-confirmed pediatric influenza deaths, 241 of which were due to H1N1.

Ciccotelli said the current recommendation for children is that those 9 years old or under should receive two doses approximately 30 days apart to ensure immunity from the H1N1 strain of flu. He said the Canton BOH does not track which children need a second dose and leaves that up to parents to follow up with their children if necessary.

“There have been large numbers of Canton children who have been diagnosed as having had the H1N1 influenza, but there are no reliable numbers as to how many,” Ciccotelli said. “To our knowledge, none of those children had been vaccinated against the H1N1 virus.”

Ciccotelli said when the Board of Health first received its very limited supplies of vaccine earlier in the year, only certain high-risk individuals on a priority list created by the CDC were able to be vaccinated.

“Now that we have adequate supplies available, the vaccinations are now being given to any Canton resident who wants one at our clinics without consideration of age,” he said. “Certain health conditions may, however, preclude an individual from being able to get the nasal mist form or even to get vaccinated at all. Although the priority groups still exist, this list is mostly to indicate to the people on that list the degree of importance of getting vaccinated. Notwithstanding those precluding medical conditions, no one is currently being turned away.”

The next scheduled clinic (H1N1 only) is planned for Saturday, January 16 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Canton High School.

“We will plan further clinics as we reassess the need,” Ciccotelli said. “We don’t want to make plans and then find we can’t get the vaccine; we want to do our best to ensure all residents who need the vaccine are able to receive one.”

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