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COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
Inter-Departmental Correspondence
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Health Services Agency
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DATE:
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October 21, 2004
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BOARD MEETING DATE:
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November 9, 2004
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TO:
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Honorable Board of Supervisors
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FROM:
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Scott Morrow, MD, MPH, San Mateo County Public Health Officer
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SUBJECT:
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Local Emergency due to National Influenza (Flu) Vaccine Shortage (November 9 through December 7, 2004)
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Recommendation
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1
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Adopt a resolution declaring the continued existence of a local emergency in San Mateo County resulting from influenza vaccine shortage and continued ratification of the proclamation of the local emergency for November 9 through November 23, 2004.
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2
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Adopt a resolution authorizing the County Manager to review and determine any need to proclaim a continuation of a local health emergency resulting from influenza vaccine shortage and to make such a proclamation during the period of November 23 through December 7, 2004.
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Background
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On the morning of October 5, 2004, national, state, and local health officials were first informed that Chiron Corporation, a major supplier of flu vaccine to the US market, will not be releasing any of its flu vaccine in the US this year.
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Many hospitals, clinics, and agencies in California ordered vaccine through Chiron. This includes the public health vaccine that San Mateo County normally distributes at senior centers and other sites to high-risk individuals. The shortage is therefore more severe in California than in many other states, and vaccine is in extremely limited supply. The shortage in San Mateo County is particularly severe and remains so.
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Discussion
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Based on the above information, on October 8, 2004, John Maltbie, as Director of Emergency Services declared a local emergency was in San Mateo County. The ordinance code requires that this board ratify that declaration within seven days. The board ratified this declaration on October 14, 2004, and continued the ratification on October 26, 2004. The ratification for the period extends the emergency period for fourteen days, as allowed by law. The second resolution authorizing the County Manger to make a proclamation of continuing emergency for the period of November 23 through December 7, 2004 is necessary to accommodate your Board’s meeting schedule. There will be another update of the situation at your Board’s meeting of December 7, 2004.
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Under California Health & Safety Code § 101040, under a local state of emergency, “the county health officer may take any preventive measure that may be necessary to protect and preserve the public health from any public health hazard”. In conjunction with the declaration, a Health Officer order was given on October 8, 2004 requiring the following:
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1.
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CEASE giving influenza vaccine to anyone who is NOT in a high-risk category. Until further notified, high-risk category is defined as: All children aged 6–23 months; adults aged 65 years and older; persons aged 2–64 years with underlying chronic medical conditions; all women who will be pregnant during the influenza season; residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities; and children aged 6 months–18 years on chronic aspirin therapy.
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2.
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Healthcare workers with direct patient contact should be prioritized for immunization in the following order: a) those workers primarily serving the severely immunocompromised; b) those workers having direct patient contact in nursing homes, long term care facilities, and assisted living facilities that house residents in high-risk groups; and c) those who provide home care to patients in high-risk groups.
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3.
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Work with the San Mateo County Health Services Agency to provide influenza vaccine inventories upon request.
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4.
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Work with the San Mateo County Health Services Agency in relation to the redistribution of influenza vaccine in order to protect those at highest risk of getting influenza.
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5.
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Post this order in a place visible to the general public.
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The influenza vaccine shortage in San Mateo County remains severe. While we are getting some indication that additional vaccine will arrive here, nothing is definite. I anticipate that the declaration of emergency and the orders that accompany it will need to remain in effect through December.
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