Supplies of the state's H1N1 flu vaccine continue to lag behind expected amounts in the state as the virus continues to spread, state health officials said Thursday.
Meanwhile, Elkhart County received about 1,200 more H1N1 flu doses Thursday. Those doses will be administered from obstetric and pediatric doctors' offices in the county, said Dr. Dan Nafziger, Elkhart County health officer. To date, the state has ordered about 479,000 doses and has received about 40 percent of that. Elkhart County has received 12,600 doses, about half of its expected 25,000.
Statewide, 11 people have died from influenza-like illness since June 1 this year; 10 of those deaths were attributed to H1N1.
Spread of the flu can be seen in Indiana's schools, too. Last week, 39 Indiana schools reported absentee rates of more than 20 percent. Once a school has more than 20 percent of its students out, it is required to report that to the local health department.
In Elkhart County, Eastwood Elementary, West Side Middle School and Mary Feeser Elementary have been hit hard with illness, but none of the schools have closed. Concord schools showed a five percent absentee rate. Goshen and Middlebury schools showed an absentee rate of less than 10 percent.
600 H1N1 VACCINES CONFISCATED FROM WALGREENS
About 600 H1N1 flu vaccines were confiscated Wednesday from a Goshen Walgreens after people reported the pharmacy was giving shots to people not in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's priority groups.
Local county health officials confirmed with WNDU, The Elkhart Truth's newsgathering partner, that the shots were confiscated by Indiana State Department of Health officials.
Local doctors reported the store's misstep and were worried about their practices because of the short supply of the vaccine.
The vaccines were taken away and given to other doctors' offices in the county.
Walgreens officials told WNDU this was a one-time problem.
HOSPITAL WON'T ALLOW VISITORS YOUNGER THAN 18
Effective today, Goshen General Hospital is not allowing children younger than 18 years old in the hospital unless they are patients. This follows restrictions other area hospitals, including Elkhart General Hospital, have put into place already.
GGH also has suspended its job shadows for the rest of the flu season, but does not plan to suspend its high school mentorship program. The mentorship program matches high school students with professionals in their areas of interest for a semester.
GGH has seen 34 people stay home from work with flu-like symptoms in roughly the past month, according to Bridget Levitz, public relations coordinator for Goshen Health Systems. During the same month last year, the hospital saw 11 people home sick with flu-like symptoms.
Officials at Elkhart General Hospital did not provide similar data requested by The Truth for publication.