Health Department flu clinic is Tuesday

The Flathead City-County Health Department will hold its second mass flu immunization clinic Tuesday.

Planned for 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the mass clinic takes place in the expo building at Flathead County Fairgrounds.

It provides a community rehearsal for potential bioterrorism medical responses.

"We're hoping we get a good number of people like we did last year," said Lisa Schlepp, bioterrorism coordinator.

Nearly 3,000 people participated in the 2004 clinic held, by coincidence, the same day as the flu vaccine shortage was announced.

Unlike last year, this year's clinic is limited to people 65 or older and those 2 years or younger and those with high-risk medical conditions.

According to Schlepp, the Centers for Disease Control recommended that high-risk citizens get first access to flu shots. Allison Bishop, public health nurse, said Flathead County's health department followed those guidelines.

Others who want flu shots may attend clinics later in October when additional shipments are expected. So far, no nationwide shortage of vaccine has appeared.

Those eligible for the first tier include people with immune deficiency, pregnancy, heart disease, respiratory disease, diabetes and other metabolic disease. Caregivers of high-risk people also qualify.

The vaccine expense has increased to $20 for adults and $10 for children. Last year, funding from a grant kept the price lower. Medicare and Medicaid covers the cost of the vaccine for those who are eligible, but people will need to bring their cards to use that coverage.

Schlepp said this year's mass clinic follows the model established last year with just a few changes.

"We had a positive reaction last year," she said. "People thought it was very organized."

The idea for a mass clinic evolved from a bioterrorism planning session held in the spring of 2004. It was a way to test the department's ability to vaccinate large masses of people.

Both Bishop and Schlepp said the exercise supplies a useful model in case of a pandemic of the bird flu now under widespread public discussion.

Staff discussions after last fall's clinic identified problems such as handling large surges of people showing up at once. Last October, the line stretched from the expo building to Meridian Road by 7:45 a.m. with people waiting for the 9 a.m. clinic to open. The department added two more lines to the 12 already planned.

Schlepp said student nurses from Salish-Kootenai Community College and Montana State University will again help the department administer shots. Public health nurses supervise the student nurses at the clinic.

The county's Office of Emergency Services handles logistics for the large turnout of people, with the sheriff's posse handling traffic control. Because of road construction on Meridian this year, Schlepp anticipates juggling traffic in and out of the fairgrounds may pose some challenges on Tuesday.

Schlepp said that people coming to the flu clinic may enter from West Wyoming Street as well as from Meridian Road. West Wyoming runs along the north border of the county fairgrounds.

Bishop said the department has received no predictions regarding the 2005-2006 season.

"We just started collecting (flu) information on Oct. 1," Bishop said.

No cases had cropped up in the brief reporting period.

This year's vaccine contains A New Caledonia/A California/B Shanghai-like viruses. It takes about two weeks from the time of an immunization for the vaccine to provide protection.

In an average year in the United States, about 36,000 people die from the flu or related complications.

Health officials define flu as a viral infection of the nose, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs. Symptoms include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, headache, fatigue and muscle aches.

Most people recover from the flu in a few days. However, the elderly and people with other health problems may get a more serious disease requiring hospitalization.

As a result, Bishop and other public health professionals urge those at risk to participate in the mass clinic. She said special arrangements were made to handle disabled people and children.

Certain people should check with their private physicians before getting the flu vaccine, especially:

. Those with serious allergies to eggs or allergic reaction to previous doses of flu vaccine.

. People sick with a fever.

. Children and teens on long-term aspirin therapy.

. Anyone previously paralyzed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com