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H1N1 flu clinic fails to draw large crowd
Only 345 children of 3,000 invited were vaccinated
By Mackenzie Ryan ? Statesman Journal ? November 25, 2009
On Tuesday Julia ? who is at risk for flu complications because of her chronic asthma ? was one of 345 children vaccinated at three Salem-Keizer School District clinics.
"I'm very relieved," Amy Clark said. "It was frustrating not being able to get her one."
The school district and Marion County Health Department held invitation-only clinics for children who have underlying health conditions. That follows new state guidelines to focus on vaccinating individuals with a higher risk of complications.
With about 3,000 vaccinations set aside for the clinic, fliers were mailed last week to 3,800 families with children in Salem-Keizer programs.
But only about 12 percent of those vaccinations were given to children Tuesday.
"It's hard to know why people didn't show up," said Tonya Johnson of the Marion County Health Department. "Everybody worked really hard together to get the information out."
The more than 2,500 unused vaccines have been re-allocated so others at risk of flu complications can access them, said Dr. Karen Landers, health officer for Marion County.
Landers declined to speculate as to why so few families participated in the clinic, but others thought that at-risk children already may have received vaccinations from their doctors.
Others wondered if parents were unable to take children to the clinic ? even though school was not in session due to conferences ? because it was during normal work hours.
"I was surprised," said Ruth Gelbrich, director of Salem-Keizer student services. "I wish more kids would have come."
Families who did go to the clinics said they were glad the vaccinations were being offered. Many expressed frustration at having been unable to get their children vaccinated through their doctor's offices because of limited supplies.
"It brought home the severity of it," said Shane Pedroli, who brought his 8-year-old son, Vincent, to be vaccinated. "I've never been around when there was a shortage of medicine."
Families also took advantage of the clinic because they have seen how the H1N1 flu affected other students at their children's school.
Sixteen-year-old Brianna Maloney decided to be be vaccinated after a few of her friends at McNary High School developed H1N1 flu, she said.
"I know a lot of people in the hospital right now," she said. "I don't want it. I have asthma."
And Kelly Cooper brought her children to the clinic because she was concerned about the H1N1 flu spreading in her son's preschool class at Lee Elementary School.
"A couple kids in his class have had H1N1," Cooper said. "It is concerning. ... We were definitely coming."
maryan@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6750