By Nicole Walton
Marquette, MI – Because of an extremely limited supply of H1N1 vaccine, the Marquette County Health Department is accepting vaccination appointments for only certain sectors of the population. Officials say the department has been given 4,900 doses of the vaccine, but estimate more than 9,000 in Marquette County alone meeting the limiting criteria. That criteria includes pregnant women, people who live with or provide care to infants younger than 6 months, health care and emergency medical personnel who have direct contact with patients, children ages 6 months to 4 years, and 5 to 18 year old who have medical conditions like asthma that put them at a higher risk for flu-related complications. The health department has begun vaccinating children ages 6 months to 9 years old in elementary schools, and has given Northern Michigan University about 500 doses. Officials say they reevaluate the distribution of vaccine on a nearly daily basis, following an announcement by the Centers for Disease Control that shipment quantities are being reduced.