Last Updated on 2/4/2012

Published on 12/15/2009

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — After a long wait, the H1N1 spray vaccine is available to more people in Georgetown County — but people with health problems could still face some roadblocks to getting the spray dosage.
This is according to information from local drug stores and health clinics in DHEC’s Public Health District 6, which covers Horry, Georgetown and Williamsburg counties.    Although people have been lining up locally at Walgreens pharmacies for the spray form of the vaccination, only those within a certain age range, with no underlying health problems, can receive it.
Because of a nationwide shortage, the H1N1 vaccination in shot form is not yet widely available for the general public in South Carolina, according to DHEC officials.
The spray version, however, is now becoming more available.
Walgreens is offering the spray version of the vaccine for people age 10 to 49 — with no underlying health problems.
Shots for swine flu cannot be given at the drug store, according to employees.
 H1N1 vaccine isn’t available at Wal-Mart Supercenter or CVS pharmacies, according to employees.
“We’re administering the spray to ages 10 to 49,’’ said Candice Anderson, a pharmacy technician at Wal-Green’s on Fraser Street.
Only the very healthy, including those with no diabetes, heart problems or high blood pressure, for example, can get the nasal spray version of the vaccine, since the vaccination contains the live form of the virus.
The vaccine shots are mostly being reserved for high-risk groups, such as pregnant women and healthcare workers.

Health clinics

Spray mist H1N1 vaccinations are also being offered to healthy people, from age 2 to 49, at local health departments in Conway, Kingstree and Georgetown.
The H1N1 vaccination program for students in middle and high schools in Georgetown and Williamsburg counties will resume in mid-January, said Tom Russo, spokesman for Region Six Health District.
The shortage of the vaccine caused a slowdown in getting it out to some students this fall, Russo said.
He expects the H1N1 vaccine to be more widely available to a wider range of people in the next several months.
“We only received 25 percent of what we thought we were going to get,’’ Russo said. “We’ve had to stretch giving the shots in the schools to January, because of the supply issue.”
Russo said since there has been a delay, some school children could receive another permission form to get their vaccination at their schools later this winter.
“If they do not have the form and they want their child to have the H1N1, then we will provide them with another form,’’ Russo said. “We’re not going to turn anybody away.”
He said he expects a third wave of swine and seasonal flu to hit in March, so residents are being urged to get their vaccinations, if they can, and have their children vaccinated.
There have been no problems reported from anyone receiving the vaccinations, Russo said.  
At least 20,000 vaccinations for swine flu have been administered in the past several months in Horry and Georgetown counties.

Other locations

Some local doctor’s offices have the spray and the shot version of the vaccine, Russo said.
Doctor’s offices are mostly limited to giving the shot form of the vaccination to pregnant women and those in high-risk groups.
Those ages 2 to 49, with no underlying health problems, will most likely get the spray mist version.
“The nasal mist version of the H1N1 vaccine will become more widely available in South Carolina thanks to an increase in supply.
“People who can safely receive the nasal mist vaccine — healthy non-pregnant people ages 2-49 — are urged to get the vaccine as soon as possible,” according to the DHEC Web site.

By Kelly Marshall Fuller
Kfuller@gtowntimes.com