Vaccine rules are explained Carroll County Health Department workers were inundated with patients seeking H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccinations last Thursday and Friday. More than 300 people were seen during the two-day clinic. Patients clogged the north entry into the courthouse while waiting their turn for service. Rules for the clinic were posted on a sign outside the health department door. Comet photo by Debbie Lowe Indiana State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Judy Monroe said during a media teleconference Thursday “lines are forming at county health departments across the state” for H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccinations. Monroe reported that H1N1 activity has increased significantly in the northern third of the state. The situation was described as “an upward trend” and the peak could not be predicted.

Monroe said it was the local health leaders who would decide how to handle the outbreak in their communities. Although the state would help guide decisions, the local officials are in control of what happens in the county.

“Each county is under the jurisdiction of the county health officer,” Monroe said. “Vaccine is distributed to every health department based on population per capita.”

Carroll County is no exception to the situation as was witnessed last week when the county health department immunized between 200 and 300 children for H1N1 plus another 100 children and adults for seasonal flu on Thursday and Friday.

County health nurse Hope Kinzer said another children’s flu clinic will be this Thursday and Friday, Oct. 29 and 30, at the health department. She said there are roughly 200 to 250 doses of H1N1 available at the clinic this week and between 30 and 40 doses of seasonal flu vaccine available for inoculations.

Kinzer said all nasal mist vaccination received from the state were distributed to area doctors’ offices and clinics. She also said that some patients from Lafayette are being referred by their physicians to the Carroll County Health Department for H1N1 shots. Kinzer reported that according to the ISHD the local health department is not allowed to limit service to the residents of the county they serve.

Monroe said residents must be responsible and take action to do as much to prevent the spread of the disease as possible. She said it was the duty of the local media to help com- munity members understand the responsibility.

“Folks need to understand what they can do to protect themselves,” Monroe said. “This is a virus that is spreading widely. Those in a high risk group should not delay in getting medical care if they are ill.”

“The mildly affected should stay home so they don’t infect others,” she added. “And people have to stay tuned in to the local media,”

High risk groups include the elderly, pregnant women and infants. For a complete list of those in the high risk groups and methods of prevention, visit www.gov/flu.

Attempts to reach Carroll County Health Officer Dr. Jordan Dutter for this story were unsuccessful.