Oct. 9 2009: Chuck Henry on the arrival of the H1N1 vaccine in Sarasota County

On Friday, October 9, the Sarasota County Health Department held its weekly Swine Flu update, announcing the arrival of the first doses of the H1N1 vaccine in Sarasota County. These initial vaccine doses are of the Thimerosol-free nasal mist variety and recommended for healthy adults ages 2 to 49. The nasal mist is not recommended for pregnant women, persons outside this age range or persons with existing medical conditions. The nasal mist does not contain the mercury-based preservative Thimerosol that some researchers feel poses a potential health risk to those who receive the vaccine. Those with concerns about the potential side effects of Thimerosol can request the nasal vaccine or when it arrives, the Thimerosol-free injectable vaccine, both of which will be available in limited supplies, with supplies ultimately determined by state and federal agencies. Taken from the county conference call, this audio excerpt features Chuck Henry, Incident Commander for H1N1 response in Sarasota County, explaining how the vaccine arrives in Sarasota county and how it will be distributed to health clinics, private health care providers and local schools. The vaccination process will soon get underway at local elementary schools, where students receiving the vaccine will be required to have a parent to present. Parents of middle school and high school students will be allowed to sign a release form in lieu of being present when the vaccine is administered. At this point in time, the vaccination process will be voluntary and as of now there are no plans to make the vaccinations mandatory. During the Oct. 9 conference call, Mr. Henry was also asked about “Viral Shedding,” a term applied to spreading the airborne virus while administering the nasal mist vaccine. Mr. Henry indicated that the health department did not have any significant concerns regarding to this matter. When asked about a federal lawsuit expected to be filed in Washington DC today by Health Freedom attorney Jim Turner in an attempt to halt the distribution of the H1N1 vaccine, Mr. Henry expressed support for the vaccination system as a way of preventing the spread of disease and said he hopes the distribution process continues uninterrupted. In a related story, the Natural News website is reporting that in some cases the H1N1 vaccines are being shipped adjuvant-free with some clinics and pharmacies then adding adjuvants such as squaline to boost the effectiveness of the vaccine. According Sarasota County Health Department spokesperson Dianne Shipley, there are no plans to add adjuvants to the vaccine here in Sarasota County in order to boost the vaccine's efficiency.