Supervisors Express Concern Over County's Swine Flu Program

Yaroslavsky calls lack of clinics in some areas "inexplicable"

By SCOTT WEBER

Updated 2:45 PM PST, Tue, Nov 10, 2009

Print Email Share TWITTER FACEBOOK

Getty Images

The Board of Supervisors Tuesday called the limited number of vaccination clinics in the eastern San Fernando Valley "inexplicable" and raised concerns about efforts to vaccinate those at high risk.

Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said that the limited number of vaccination clinics scheduled in the eastern San Fernando Valley was "one of the inexplicable things" about the Department of Public Health's program, given the area's population of about 1.7 million and the significant percentage of children.

Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas expressed frustration at the number of vaccinations in the black community. "It is not acceptable," he said.

Los Angeles County public health officer Dr. Jonathan Fielding said that about 5.5 million residents fell into the priority groups, but estimated that, based on poll data, only about half of those were willing to be vaccinated. Efforts were further complicated by a shortage of the vaccine.

"I am disappointed that we have not gotten a higher percentage of African-Americans" in the priority groups to come forward for vaccinations, Fielding said. "Some of the data ... suggests a higher lack of willingness to come forward to get the vaccine (among blacks)."

In order to better manage high demand in some areas for the vaccine, more screening personnel have been deployed and are screening potential patients waiting in clinic lines well before the clinics open, Fielding said.

The supervisors expressed sympathy with the complexities of the vaccination effort and the issues, like supply, out of the department's control. But they also stressed that if the flu epidemic had already reached crisis proportions, the county would be under even more pressure and falling short.

To illustrate the failure to match demand with supply across the 88-city county, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said "one anecdote will suffice."

Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner was in line at an Inglewood clinic awaiting the vaccine, he said.

"This punctuates the problem," Ridley-Thomas said.

The county's next clinics are scheduled Thursday-Sunday. More information is available at www.public health.lacounty.gov or by calling the county's 211 information line.