Harvey County receives its first H1N1 vaccines

Harvey County received its first shipment of vaccines for the H1N1 virus Tuesday.

The Harvey County Health Department received about 500 initial doses of the vaccine, which have been designated for health-care workers.

“The first doses are going to nurses and doctors — people who are on the front lines of patient care,” said Chad Frey, health department spokesman. “We wanted the people to get the vaccination first who are in at-risk populations. We think the best way to control the flu is to vaccinate the people who will be coming into direct contact with people carrying the virus.”

The county is working with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to push through paperwork for as many as 27 sites in the county to distribute the vaccine.

These include all the school districts in the county, Frey said.

The county likely will receive shipments of the vaccine once a week.

Other at-risk populations, including children and pregnant women, are likely to receive the vaccine next with the general population following.