The federal government moved a major step closer to the largest mass immunization campaign in U.S. history with approval of the H1N1 vaccine Tuesday as New York State health officials began mapping distribution plans.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration licensed H1N1 vaccines by four manufacturers. Studies last week showed a single dose will be sufficient for most adults. Distribution begins the first week of October and follows a top-down format with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention orchestrating allocation.
Because New York has about 7 percent of the country’s population, it will receive roughly 7 percent of the vaccines. Vaccine distribution will be overseen everywhere in New York by the state Health Department, except in New York City, which will direct its own plan.
Given H1N1’s status as a pandemic strain, Claire Pospisil, of the New York State Department of Health, said this rollout will be different from ordinary flu seasons. “The state doesn’t get that involved in the distribution of seasonal flu vaccines,” she said, adding a letter has been sent to health care providers with ordering information.
Ultimately, doses will be sent to health departments, hospitals, pharmacists and medical providers. McKesson Pharmaceuticals, a national firm, will deliver the vaccines to designated sites.
Mary Ellen Laurain, spokeswoman for Nassau’s health department, said distribution plans are still sketchy. “We’ve reached out to school districts” as vaccination sites, she said. “And we have interested parties who want to work with us in PODS [points of distribution] but the state Health Department will set the parameters.”
Grace Kelly McGovern of the Suffolk County Health Department said divvying up the state’s overall supply isn’t easy. “Right now, the state is trying to figure how much of it will go to private providers. We’re encouraging providers to call the state H1N1 hotline [800-808-1987].”
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