WTHR |H1N1 flu vaccine remains behind schedule for Indiana

H1N1 flu vaccine remains behind schedule for Indiana

Indianapolis - Indiana health officials say the state remains far behind in its expected availability of H1N1 flu vaccine as instances of the illness continue increasing among residents.

State health Commissioner Judy Monroe said Thursday that the state has ordered 479,500 doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine so far.

Many of them have been received and the rest should arrive in the next few days. That's still only about half of what the state had expected to receive by this time as there have been nationwide delays in vaccine production.

At a small flu shot clinic in Hendricks County, there was a long line of parents who say they've been trying for weeks to have their children immunized.

"It is extremely frustrating when you are trying to get them taken care of and doing everything you can, calling everyone you know and you just can't," said Lori Wynn, parent.

Local public health officials are fighting both the spreading H1N1 virus and what they call an acute shortage of vaccine.

"The quicker we could get the vaccine, the quicker we could stop the spread," said Monica Smith, Hendricks County Health Department.

State health officials say the H1N1 outbreak shows no signs of slowing. The number of flu victims in emergency rooms and doctors offices is at an historic high and growing.

Last week 39 schools reported absenteeism at 20 percent or higher. The number of health care workers out because of the flu nearly doubled. So far a total of ten deaths have been attributed to the virus.

Indiana has received at most only 40 percent of the vaccine it was promised would be here by now.

"It's incredibly frustrating," said Dr. Judy Monroe, Indiana's health commissioner.

The state health commissioner says Indiana just ordered nearly 480,000 additional doses of vaccine. But given previous shipping delays and disappointments it's certain how quickly or how much will reach community clinics.

"All delays of vaccine arriving to the state put as in a position we are going to see more widespread disease," said Monroe.

Even if the entire shipment arrives, Indiana will have only have half of what was expected by now.

Monroe says there's no telling when H1N1 flu cases will subside.

Visiting Nurse Service (VNS) says it has plenty of seasonal flu vaccine available at clinics through November. See a list of clinics here.

Flu info

The Associated Press contributed to this report.