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H1N1 nasal spray clinic draws no crowds, chaos
More-stringent qualifications keep many from seeking dose
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Ocean County Health Department nurse Gerry Montano, of Stafford Township, administers a swine flu nasal spray vaccination to Zakayah Mears, 2, while her mother, Mattie Mears, of Lakewood, comforts her Wednesday at a clinic in Toms River. The Health Department had 2,400 doses but dispensed only about 300.
TOMS RIVER - The swine flu nasal spray-vaccine clinic Wednesday at the Ocean County Health Department was not as crowded and chaotic as injectable-vaccine clinics held over the past two weeks in Ocean County.
Health Department spokeswoman Leslie Terjesen said there was a line early in the evening but things moved along smoothly and the people dissipated quickly.
The department had about 2,400 nasal mist vaccines on hand, but as of 7 p.m., only about 300 people had showed up, according to Terjesen. She said the county is waiting for an additional 10,000 injectable doses of the vaccine from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The clinics then will be open to the general public and not just priority groups.
Thousands of people had sought flu vaccines at two clinics held in Jackson and Stafford townships.
Terjesen said not as many people sought the nasal mist Wednesday because people have to meet more criteria to receive it.
Those who qualify to receive the nasal mist vaccine include:
The mist is a live, attenuated intranasal vaccine, weakened so it will not cause the illness, according to Dr. Andrew King, of the Ocean County Health Department. King and Terjesen said studies have shown that the weakened live virus does not cause the flu.
King said certain groups should not receive the nasal mist vaccine, including pregnant women, people with long-term health problems and children 6 months to 2 years old. King added that people with asthma should not receive the nasal vaccine either.
"Injecting the live virus into the nasal passage could act as an irritant and cause an asthma attack," he said. "Really, you just have to be healthy to get the nasal mist vaccine, and some people are not. The injectable vaccine is just more liberal."
Jacqueline Chafart, 6, of Toms River, sat in a chair to receive her vaccine Wednesday evening. She clutched Terjesen's hand. Two of her sisters - who with Jacqueline make up a set of triplets - looked on while eating pretzels handed out by health department personnel.
She leaned her head back as a nurse squirted once inside each nostril.
The nurse said even if the patient sneezes after the mist, the vaccine is already in their membranes.
"It felt good," Chafart said.
Contact Donna Weaver:
609-226-9198
Posted in OCEAN on Thursday, November 5, 2009 2:10 am
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