The injectable form of the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine arrived in Austin. Doses were made available at the Texas MedClinic in South Austin off Interstate 35 near Slaughter Lane. Clinic officials say it was one of the first medical offices to request the vaccinations.
The clinic requested 2,500 doses. Late Wednesday afternoon, the first of that request came into the office.
There are three different types including a nasal mist the two shots similar to a flu shot. They're stored in a small refrigerator at the nurse’s station.
Within the first few hours, nurses administered about two dozen vaccines to patients.
Doctors believe the supply at Texas MedClinic will only last a couple of weeks.
“We are the mercy of the manufacturers,” said Dr. Joseph Elizondo.
Elizondo says no one will be turned away, but they will give priority to certain groups, including pregnant women, those between 6 and 24-years-old, people who care for infants 6-months-old or younger and people who already have immune problems or chronic illness including diabetes and asthma.
“I have type one diabetes so I’m a little bit at a higher risk,” said Amanda Yarbrough, patient.
Initially doctors believed people would need two doses of the H1N1 vaccine, but clinical trials show just one dose is effective.
It typically takes about 10-14 days after the vaccination to provide protection.
There are several questionnaires you can expect to fill out if you come to get a vaccine. Doctors recommend making an appointment to make sure you get in.
Most insurance programs are accepted at the Texas MedClinic. The vaccine will cost $19.
The nasal mist form of the vaccine was made available at select clinics and doctors' offices in Austin in October, but it's not recommended for everyone. Unlike the flu shot, which is a dead virus, FluMist is a weakened, live virus, which means it cannot be given to everyone. FluMist is recommended for healthy people, from 2 to 50 years old, which means most school-aged children are eligible.
