Local officials are working to determine how many of Forsyth County’s 1,400 recalled H1N1, or swine flu, vaccinations have been administered to young children.
But Dave Palmer, spokesman for District 2 Public Health, assured families the only problem with the vaccination is that it may not have been strong enough.
“It’s an issue of not meeting the manufacturer’s specifications, so that’s why it’s being recalled,” he said. “This is not a safety issue.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday announced the recall of about 800,000 doses of the vaccination nationwide. The doses were designed for children between 6 months and 35 months old.
Batches of the vaccination were tested as part of drug manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur’s routine quality control check, according to the CDC.
The company found that four batches, or lots, had a lower strength than the pre-specified limit. But because the vaccination is just slightly below range, the CDC is recommending parents should not re-vaccinate their children.
In Forsyth County, Palmer said none of the 1,400 recalled doses were administered by the health department. The doses in question were delivered to private providers, all of whom have been notified.
H1N1 is a form of Type A influenza. While there have been some reports of seasonal flu nationwide, the majority of recent flu cases have been the H1N1 strain.
As of Dec. 8, there had been 683 hospitalizations for H1N1 and 39 deaths in Georgia, according to state statistics.
About 2,662 of the 14,296 H1N1 vaccinations administered to people of all ages in the district’s 13-county area have been in Forsyth.
That figure doesn’t include the hundreds of vaccinations given to school-age children and school system staff members during two free vaccination events.
None of those vaccinations have had any problems, Palmer said.
He also said prior limitations on who could receive the vaccination have been lifted and the vaccine is available to anyone.
But Dave Palmer, spokesman for District 2 Public Health, assured families the only problem with the vaccination is that it may not have been strong enough.
“It’s an issue of not meeting the manufacturer’s specifications, so that’s why it’s being recalled,” he said. “This is not a safety issue.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday announced the recall of about 800,000 doses of the vaccination nationwide. The doses were designed for children between 6 months and 35 months old.
Batches of the vaccination were tested as part of drug manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur’s routine quality control check, according to the CDC.
The company found that four batches, or lots, had a lower strength than the pre-specified limit. But because the vaccination is just slightly below range, the CDC is recommending parents should not re-vaccinate their children.
In Forsyth County, Palmer said none of the 1,400 recalled doses were administered by the health department. The doses in question were delivered to private providers, all of whom have been notified.
H1N1 is a form of Type A influenza. While there have been some reports of seasonal flu nationwide, the majority of recent flu cases have been the H1N1 strain.
As of Dec. 8, there had been 683 hospitalizations for H1N1 and 39 deaths in Georgia, according to state statistics.
About 2,662 of the 14,296 H1N1 vaccinations administered to people of all ages in the district’s 13-county area have been in Forsyth.
That figure doesn’t include the hundreds of vaccinations given to school-age children and school system staff members during two free vaccination events.
None of those vaccinations have had any problems, Palmer said.
He also said prior limitations on who could receive the vaccination have been lifted and the vaccine is available to anyone.