kupchurch@heraldsun.com; 419-6612
DURHAM -- None of the swine flu shots for children that have been recalled in other parts of the state and nation made their way to the Durham County Health Department, officials say.
"We did not receive any of the doses of that particular lot that were identified," Gayle Harris, director of the Durham County Health Department, said Tuesday.
It was unclear Tuesday evening if Duke University Health System had received any of the recalled shots. But even if it had, it would not be a safety concern, according to Cameron Wolfe, an infectious disease physician at Duke.
Government health officials said Tuesday that hundreds of thousands of H1N1 flu shots for children have been recalled because tests show the vaccine doses lost some strength. The recall is for about 800,000 pre-filled syringes intended for young children, ages 6 months to nearly 3 years.
The shots were made by Sanofi Pasteur. They were distributed across the nation last month and most have already been used, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Doctors were notified of the voluntary recall Tuesday.
Anne Schuchat, a flu expert at the Centers for Disease Control, said parents don't need to do anything or to worry. She said the vaccine is still safe.
Some of the recalled vaccine was distributed in North Carolina, according to Amy Caruso, spokeswoman for the immunization branch of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. Officials were trying to determine Tuesday the extent of the recall's impact on the state.
The North Carolina Division of Public Health said Tuesday it was contacting 132 health care providers who received H1N1 pediatric vaccine from four lots that were voluntarily recalled. North Carolina received 17,900 doses of the 800,000 doses that were recalled.
"There are no safety concerns with these lots of H1N1 vaccine," state epidemiologist Megan Davies said. "The concern is that the recalled vaccine may not be strong enough to provide full immunity. However, children in this age group should have adequate protection because we already recommend that they receive two doses of the vaccine."
Children between 6 months to 3 years old are supposed to get two doses spaced about a month apart. Health officials don't think children need to get vaccinated again, even if they got two doses from the same lots, Schuchat said.
Meanwhile, a major walk-in clinic for Durham County residents who want the H1N1 vaccine is set for today at the National Guard Armory on Stadium Drive in Durham, from 3 to 6:30 p.m. The vaccines are available to anyone except children under 6 months old. No appointment is needed.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
