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Published
Thursday, July 11, 2002
Vaccination shortages not hampering students
Local health officials say no problems have arisen over
shortages
Last modified at 2:03 a.m. on Thursday, July 11, 2002
By Harold Reutter
hreutter@theindependent.com
Although some childhood vaccines are in short supply, the
shortages have caused no problems locally with students being able to attend
school.
National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" reported this week that
pharmacists and patients across the country have noticed that some
medications for common diseases are increasingly hard to get. Steroid
injections, as well as vaccines for tetanus, rubella and mumps, have been in
short supply.
In Grand Island, however, Dee Brabander, coordinator for the Grand
Island/Hall County Health Department, said no problems have arisen because
of shortages of vaccines that students are legally required to have before
they can attend school.
Brabander said the tetanus booster shot typically given to
seventh-graders has not been available. But she noted that the seventh-grade
tetanus booster is a recommendation, not a legal requirement for students.
She said students normally get the booster shot when they have their
seventh-grade physical.
The Health Department has not given any seventh-grade booster shots since
March 2001, Brabander said.
However, she said Internet postings on vaccine availability indicate that
the vaccine should be ready to ship shortly.
"We hope it soon will be available, that we get some in and can recall
all the kids," Brabander said.
Students who will be eighth-graders this year did not receive tetanus
boosters last year, she said. State officials are still trying to decide
whether enough vaccine will be available to recall all the eighth-graders so
they can get the booster shot they missed last year.
Children first get their tetanus shots in kindergarten, which gives them
a 10-year immunity, Brabander said. Eighth-graders are still within that
10-year window.
She said doctors have not been able to get tetanus shots for adults, so
they have sent adults to the Health Department if a shot is needed. While
private doctors have had a tough time getting tetanus shots for adults,
Brabander said, "We have been able to get it."
In addition to the tetanus booster for older kids, there is a shortage of
some vaccines needed for young children, Brabander said. Prevnar -- a
pneumococcal vaccine that helps prevent pneumococcal meningitis,
pneumococcal bacteremia and pneumococcal pneumonia -- is one of the vaccines
in short supply.
Brabander said children receive Prevnar shots at 2 months, 4 months and 6
months. However, the Health Department is not immunizing children with
Prevnar at 15 months, which is considered a booster dose.
Varicella, which protects against chicken pox, is normally given at 12
months but now is being delayed until the child is 18 months old.
DTaP -- the vaccination given to protect against diphtheria, tetanus and
whooping cough -- is being given at 2 months, 4 months and 6 months but is
not being given at 15 months.
Brabander said that delay has not caused any concern. She said the
directive about not giving DTaP at 15 months has been in place only since
February.
The Prevnar directive also has been in place only since February, while
the varicella directive has been in place only since March.
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