FSH has 1,800 H1N1 doses for pregnant women

Terry Rindfleisch

Nov. 6, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Pregnant Franciscan Skemp patients can receive the H1N1 flu vaccine starting at noon today, officials said Thursday.

Pregnant women must call the Franciscan Skemp Flu/H1N1 hotline at (608) 392-6800 for an appointment.

Patients will receive an appointment for clinics planned from noon to 5 p.m. today at the La Crosse medical center's former emergency room and from 9 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Onalaska clinic.

Gundersen Lutheran also will offer H1N1 flu shots today but only for last-trimester pregnant women. Most of those patients already have been contacted to set up appointments

The vaccine will be available Monday to all pregnant Gundersen Lutheran patients. For more information or to make an appointment, call Gundersen Lutheran's flu hotline at (608) 775-0364 or 1-800-362-9567, ext. 50364.

Franciscan Skemp has about 1,800 doses of H1N1 flu vaccine and intends to share with Gundersen Lutheran, Vice President Joe Kruse said. The plan is to vaccinate pregnant patients at the main and regional clinics, he said.

"We should have enough to vaccinate 90 percent of pregnant women at both places," Kruse said.

Gundersen Lutheran expects to receive another shipment of H1N1 flu vaccine soon, said Marilyn Michels, nurse epidemiologist.

Pregnant women are more likely to have serious illness or die from H1N1 flu complications than the general population, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The flu shot can protect both the mother and unborn child, the CDC said.

Several hundred people signed up for the La Crosse County Health Department's HIN1 flu vaccine clinics Thursday, today and Tuesday, which again were limited to pregnant women and people who live with or provide care for children younger than 6 months old. Those clinics all filled.

Health Department Director Doug Mormann said he doesn't know when the county will receive more vaccine. He also said it is "difficult to do the balancing act" in distributing H1N1 vaccine.

"It's frustrating, not being able to plan ahead," Mormann said. "We have needy people, but we don't have the capacity."

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