By Richard Kerns
rkerns@newstribune.info
tribune staff writer

KEYSER — The Mineral County Health Department has administered an estimated 1,000 swine-flu vaccines in the past two weeks, with the vaccination effort now set to shift to the school system.
Adults with chronic illnesses are also expected to be served soon by upcoming clinics.
A.J. Root, administrator of the Mineral County Health Department, said a vaccination clinic held Tuesday drew more than 450 people. A second clinic Wednesday featured a similar turnout.
With supplies of the H1N1 vaccine still limited, the local health department, like health agencies nationwide, is providing the vaccine to selected segments of the population most at risk of contracting the virus. Initially, the vaccination effort focussed on health care workers, first responders and pregnant women.
This week's clinics were targeted at children 6 months to 4 years of age, children and young people ages 5 to 24 with chronic health problems, and parents and caregivers of infants under 6 months of age — who cannot receive the vaccine.
While health care workers were generally processed in about 30 minutes under the earlier vaccine clinics, this week's processing time was considerably slower.
“With the kids involved, it drastically slowed down ...,” Root said. “I want to thank the public. Those who came out this week were very patient and for the most part very considerate and understanding.”
With supplies of the swine flu vaccine tight, and delivery schedules uncertain, Mineral County is not yet ready to provide the vaccine to the general population.
The next group to receive the vaccine will be school children. The Health Department is currently working with the Mineral County Board of Education to develop a plan for administering the vaccine in county schools. With the schedule dependent on supplies, Root was not able to say when the vaccine will be provided at the schools, but he hopes to have a date nailed down by early next week, when the next deliveries are expected to arrive.
“Our intentions are to at least have something scheduled by next week ...,” Root said. “When it's all said and done, we will be through all the schools.”
Once school children are given the opportunity to receive the vaccine, the next targeted population will be adults age 25-65 who have chronic medical conditions that make them more vulnerable to contracting swine flu.
Schedules for the school clinics and the older-adult clinics will be announced as they are determined.
In addition to thanking the public for its cooperation and patience, Root complimented the health department staff for stepping up to organize and administer the clinics, and answer the countless calls with questions about swine flu.
“Our staff have been excellent and have been working a lot of extra hours,” he said. “It's public health, it's what we do, but they have been working more than their normal hours and haven't complained.”
Root again encouraged residents to visit the health department's Web site — www.mineralcountyhealthdepartment.com — for reliable information about the swine flu and the vaccine, as provided by the Centers for Disease Control.
“People need to go to that site to get the proper information,” he said.
To contact the Mineral County Health Department directly, call 304-788-1321.