By Stephanie Sanchez
The El Paso Times
EL PASO, Texas — The fire department distributed its first doses of H1N1 vaccine to paramedics, patrol officers and firefighters Wednesday.
One thousand doses of the vaccine were sent to the department for first responders.
On Wednesday, 175 fire and police personnel were inoculated, said Fire Inspector John Concha.
These are first round of vaccines issued among first responders to combat swine flu.
Late last month, the city’s Department of Public Health issued 13,000 doses of the vaccine in injection and nasal spray form to high-risk groups, including pregnant women, people who take care of infants younger than 6 months old and people who have medical conditions.
The doses were also given to emergency medical services and health-care workers.
Employees of the fire department held off on getting the vaccine through the Department of Public Health, Concha said.
He said fire officials knew they would get a batch of the vaccines and encouraged personnel to wait.
The vaccines at the fire department are only being offered to first responders, Concha said.
He said there are almost 2,000 first responders in the area and the department only received 1,000 doses.
The fire department expects to receive another batch, but a when it will arrive is not known, Concha said.
The city’s Department of Public Health also anticipates another 14,000 doses, but they too have not been told when the doses will arrive.
Medical providers throughout the county have ordered about 600,000 doses, but most have not arrived.
Registered medical workers are assisting the fire department with inoculating fire and police personnel, he said.
Concha said it was important for first responders to get their vaccines because they are most susceptible to the virus.
“First responders are there first, they respond to residences of people who may have swine flu,” he said. “They are the most susceptible to come in contact with the virus.”
In the county, 11 people with swine flu have died.
Fire and police personnel who want more information should check with their agencies.
The next round of vaccines will be administered Tuesday at the fire department headquarters.
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