Strickland health department accused of "poor planning" on H1N1 vaccine

The Plain Dealer reports:

Area hospitals say they have not gotten their requested H1N1 vaccines.Walgreens is offering H1N1 flu shots at some of its stores, but the Cleveland Clinic is still waiting for its first shipment of vaccine.

If you're asking what's wrong with this picture, hospitals are asking, too.

With limited supplies of H1N1 vaccine, tension is building over where precious shipments are going. Frustrated hospital leaders have called Gov. Ted Strickland complaining that vaccine is not reaching hospitals, and they have publicly hammered the Ohio Department of Health for poor planning.

Health officials scrambled Friday to clean up a public relations mess and soothe frayed nerves. Health department spokesman Robert Jennings acknowledged that 800 doses of vaccine for H1N1, or swine flu, were incorrectly sent to Cleveland-area Walgreens stores. But he said the department met Friday with the Ohio Hospital Association and worked out kinks in the distribution process.

The hospital association sent state Health Director Dr. Alvin Jackson a letter Thursday saying it didn't understand the state's priorities. The letter asked that vaccine be sent to hospitals immediately.

(Source: The Plain Dealer, 10/24/09)