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The Frederick County Health Department will no longer offer drive-through injections for seasonal flu clinics or in the event of a mass immunization during a pandemic emergency.

That was one lesson learned last week when three seasonal flu clinics held at area high schools became difficult to manage due to traffic and other problems.

The Friday clinics served as an exercise in how the Health Department would handle a mass immunization, said Dr. Barbara A. Brookmyer, the county's health officer.

"It was an exercise in mass distribution and because it was an exercise, new systems were tested," she said. "This year we added the drive-through."

Drive-through vaccinations will still be available for residents with limited mobility, but everyone else must stand in line for immunizations.

Drive-through injections were offered at Gov. Thomas Johnson and Urbana high schools. At both schools, law enforcement was called in to direct an unexpected large volume of traffic.

"We've heard the benefits of the drive-through vaccinations and we thought we should test it," Brookmyer said. "But from our assessment a drive-through is not viable. There isn't ample space to run cars through in an orderly fashion, because of the traffic and congestion on the roads, especially if there is a national emergency."

The Health Department was caught off-guard last Friday when an overwhelming number of people lined up in cars and on foot to receive seasonal flu shots.

Clinics opened at 10 a.m., at Brunswick, TJ and Urbana high schools to long lines.

By 1 p.m., officials had run out of the vaccine.

This left Health Department officials scrambling to determine what went wrong.

Because it was a pandemic exercise, almost all of the Health Department staff worked at the three clinics. Duties ranged from injecting patients or administering the mist form of the vaccine to moving lines of people through the process.

This type of arrangement would be replayed in the event of a mass distribution, Brookmyer said.

Brookmyer speculates that the large turnout Friday was related to concerns about the swine flu virus, also known as the H1N1 flu.

Health Department workers were "bombarded" with questions from people concerned about the swine flu virus and many came under the impression that they could get that vaccine.

"Parents who originally wanted the [swine flu vaccine] ended opting for the injectable [seasonal flu vaccine] when they learned that the mist for the H1N1 would be given in schools," she said. "Quite a few people wanted [the seasonal flu vaccine] after asking for the mist."

Other problems came when residents entered schools from multiple locations. A ticket system was used in hopes of making the process move swiftly.

"There is definitely room to improve," Brookmyer said. "We do pride ourselves in running smooth clinics."

At this time, it is unclear when additional clinics will be held, since the Health Department is not expecting to receive more doses of the seasonal vaccine until the end of November.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in an Oct. 14 press release, said the demand for the seasonal flu vaccine is higher this year than in the past because of concerns about the swine flu virus. Manufactures are not able to make additional doses at this time because their facilities are being used to produce the swine flu vaccine.

The Frederick County Health Department used its entire allotment of the injectable seasonal flu vaccine – 1,960 doses — on Friday.

Waiting for the vaccine

The Frederick County Health Department last week received 1,300 doses of the nasal mist form of the H1N1 vaccine. That brings the total to 1,900 doses. They will go to students and health care workers, Brookmyer said.

They also received 400 doses of the injectable form of the vaccine. They will be divided between emergency medical workers, paramedics and students at Rock Creek School. Rock Creek is a school for students with severe intellectual, physical and emotional disabilities.

Meanwhile, private doctors have been inundated with calls from patients asking for the vaccine.

"We're receiving lots of phone calls and hearing lots of concerns," said Joy Howard, office manager with Frederick Pediatric Associates. "We're waiting patiently for the vaccine and trying to make plans for when we get it. We put in a request with the [Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene] for 1,000 doses."

E-mail Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@gazette.net.

The Frederick County Health Department has canceled seasonal flu clinics originally scheduled for Oct. 22, 23 and 27.

A limited amount of the FluMist is available for children ages 5 to 11. To schedule an appoint, call the Health Department at 301-600-3342.

-The Frederick County Health Department ordered 20,000 to 30,000 doses of the swine flu vaccine through the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

-The state sent the county's order to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC contracts with the McKesson Corporation to directly deliver the vaccine to local health departments, including Frederick County. McKesson is a medical supply corporation.

-The Frederick County Health Department has so far received 1,900 doses of the nasal form of the vaccine and 400 injectable doses.

-According to the CDC, because the total number of seasonal flu vaccines made this year is the same number that was administered last year, the increase in the demand cannot be met.

-Facilities that normally make more of the seasonal flu vaccine are being used to produce the swine flu vaccine.

-The Frederick County Health Department, like many jurisdictions across the country, will not receive additional doses of the seasonal flu vaccine until late November.

Source: Frederick County Health Department.