Health Officer Expects Thousands at H1N1 Clinic

Cranford Health Officer Warren Hehl is hoping the H1N1, or "swine flu" clinic scheduled for Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Orange Avenue School will pass without a hitch. But with any large undertaking, like administering 3,000 doses of vaccine to children and other targeted individuals, things can go wrong.

"Most of us (town health officers) have never done mass clinics before," he said. "This is a whole new experience for us. So we grin and bear it. On paper the flow works..."

The clinic staff, about 20 registration aids, 20 nurses, one pediatrician, another doctor, and at least seven police officers will be on hand at the clinic to keep things running smoothly. Hehl expects over 2,000 to arrive over the course of the day.

"We'll have enough doses," he said. "But based on other clinics in other towns, the holdup may be because of the kids who struggle a bit when we try to administer the shots."

Another of Hehl's key concerns is the parking situation.

"Parking is definitely going to be an issue," he said. "We're telling people to park in the Orange Avenue Pool parking lot that's right around the corner."

Clinic attendees should also consider parking a block or two away and walking to the clinic to avoid jams in the school parking lot.

The clinic is open to all New Jersey residents within the following targeted priority groups designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Pregnant women
• Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age
• Health care and emergency medical services personnel
• All people from 6 months through 24 years of age
• Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza

Of the two basic H1N1 vaccines, Cranford will administer the inactivated version. This vaccine contains a "killed virus," making it impossible to contract the virus from the injection alone, said Hehl.

Those under 10 years of age will have to receive a second vaccine injection at a later clinic.

Cranford has submitted a state grant application for just over $70,000 for running the town's H1N1 vaccination program. If approved, the grant would cover start-up, personnel and other costs generated by a series of H1N1 vaccination clinics.

In the meantime, $50,000 in township funds will cover the cost of the clinic and any other costs incurred by the Cranford H1N1 program until the grant is approved. Town officials appropriated the emergency funds last Tuesday at a regular town meeting.

"I have a verbal commitment that they’re reviewing the application," Hehl said. "I expect them to approve it, but it hasn’t been finalized yet."

Hehl had to borrow the vaccine from Union County three weeks ago, after waiting much of the season for the state's promised supply.

The Cranford Health Department receives final H1N1 testing information to identify health trends in the community and to take action on them if needed.

As of yet there are three confirmed H1N1 cases in Cranford: a 13-year-old, an 18-year-old, and a 40-year-old. These patients are being treated either at hospitals or by personal physicians, said Hehl. No additional information is available.

"When we get the [H1N1 test] results, the information is at least a week old," he said. "Most of the time the [patients] are already back at work, at school, back where they need to go."

This week 89 students have been absent due to what parents and school nurses identified as "flu-like" symptoms. These are not necessarily fully-tested and confirmed cases of H1N1. As of Tuesday, November 17 (unless otherwise noted):

• Bloomingdale Avenue School: Six total, one in kindergarten, three in first grade, two in second grade.
• Brookside Place School: Six total, one in P.M. kindergarten, one in fourth grade, two in fifth grade.
• Cranford High School: Eight total, two in ninth grade, three in tenth grade, one in 11th grade, one in 12th grade.
• Hillside Avenue School: 11 total, one in kindergarten, one in first grade, two in sixth grade, three in seventh grade, four in eighth grade. (Updated Wednesday, November 18.)
• Livingston Avenue School: 11 total, three in fifth grade, two in fourth grade, six in third grade.
• Orange Avenue School: 13 total, three in third grade, one in fourth grade, two in fifth grade, three in sixth grade, one in seventh grade, three in eighth grade.
• Walnut Avenue School: 34 total, five in preschool, 16 in kindergarten, 16 in first grade, seven in second grade.

"We're hearing quite a bit less about it now than back in the spring," he said. "Then kids would be sent home from school, put n a lot of medications, and sent back to school. And then they'd get sick again. They were going back and forth because of child care issues. Now we have a directive where a child has to be fever free for 24 hours without medication, and the schools making sure of doing just that."