NH expands eligibility for H1N1 list

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November 25, 2009

Clinic in Derry to target 'second tier' population

By Suzanne Laurent

DERRY — The Town of Derry will hold a clinic next week to dispense the H1N1 vaccine to the state's "second tier" of priority groups.

Last week, the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services expanded its list of those who are eligible to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine. Now, the vaccine will be available to all children from 6 months to 5 years of age; the partners of pregnant women; anyone who directly and regularly cares for an infant younger than 6 months old; and those from 19 to 24 years of age who have underlying medical conditions.

The people who have been vaccinated so far belong to what Dr. Jose Montero, director of public health, called the "first tier" of the state's vaccination strategy: pregnant women, children from 6 months through 18 years of age who have chronic health conditions that could expose them to complications of the H1N1 flu, and health care workers with direct patient contact.

The state had administered 78,435 doses of the vaccine as of Nov. 13, according to Montero.

"The clinic planned for next week is by appointment only," said Garrett Simonsen, Derry's public health network coordinator. "There are two specific groups we are targeting: 19- to 24-year-olds with underlying medical conditions, or people living with or caring for infants younger than 6 months old."

Because babies under 6 months old cannot be vaccinated, it is important for those caring for them to be vaccinated, Simonsen said.

Pregnant women and those under 18 are advised to get the vaccine from their primary care doctors.

The state will provide colleges with doses of the vaccine so they can be administered to 19- to 24-year-olds with chronic medical conditions, and Simonsen said the Greater Derry Regional Department of Health will work with Chester College of New England to set up a clinic.

Last week, the Derry Health Department held clinics in Derry and Plaistow for school nurses and school nurse substitutes, dentists, dental assistants and dental hygienists. This group falls under the first tier category.

"We are now doing an outreach to day-care facilities in this region licensed for children under 6 months," Simonsen said. "This is also a way to reach households with children under 6 months."

Simonsen said that there are 130 family and center-based day-care facilities in the region, and of those, 50 are licensed to care for children under 6 months.

"The 19- to 24-year-old population is tricker," he said. "It is not necessarily an age category we can reach, especially if they are not in a college."

Montero said he hopes to open the vaccines to a third tier, all children and adults 25 to 64 with underlying medical conditions sometime in early December, depending on the demand among that group and the availability of the vaccine.

"More than half of the population of New Hampshire falls under one of the risk groups," he said.

Over the last month, there was a "huge increase" in the number of people going to hospitals because they suspected they had H1N1, Montero said. But there has not been an increase in the number of people hospitalized for the illness. Reports of illness have started to plateau, Montero said, but they could rise again.

The Derry clinic next week is for those aged 19 to 24 with underlying health problems and those caring for or living with infants under 6 months.

The vaccinations are free, but can only be administered to those who have appointments by calling 845-5519. The clinic will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 2 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Nutfield Professional Building at 44 Birch St., Suite 206.

"As more vaccine becomes available and we are cleared by the state to vaccinate the third tier, we will offer more clinics," Simonsen said.

Information about the clinics will be available at www.dhhs.nh.gov, through the state's 2-1-1 flu hot line and at www.google.com/flushot.