October 29, 2009 - Ventura County Public Health has received the first delivery of the Inactivated Injectable H1N1 vaccine. “The quantity of vaccine received does not even begin to immunize the at-risk population in Ventura County”, said Dr. Robert Levin, Health Officer. “It only represents 1% of the vaccine we hope to eventually get.” As with the FluMist, which has been available for the past two weeks, the vaccine will be given to those at highest risk of infection and serious illness. This includes people between the ages of 6 months and 24 years of age, pregnant women, caretakers and household contacts of infants under the age of 6 months, and people with high risk conditions from 25 to 64 years of age. High risk is defined as those individuals with substantial, physically disabling conditions such as asthma, emphysema, cystic fibrosis and other lung diseases; heart disease but not high blood pressure; diabetes; morbid obesity; neurocognitive disease; neuromuscular disease; and suppressed immunity due to such things as cancer, chemotherapy, steroids, and HIV/AIDS.

People not included in these groups have been shown to be at low risk for serious illness from the H1N1 virus.

In addition to the injectable vaccine availability at Public Health Clinics (see www.vchca.org/ph for clinic locations), there are over 300 physicians’ offices in Ventura County that will offer the vaccine over the coming weeks as more vaccine arrives in our county. Residents are encouraged to contact their personal physician for vaccine availability.

The novel H1N1 (swine) vaccine is available for county residents only. This delivery of the Inactivated Injectable H1N1 vaccine is the first to arrive in the county. As more vaccine is made available, remaining groups eligible to receive it will be expanded. Residents are encouraged to visit the Public Health website for current information.