Swine flu vaccinations for pregnant women in American Samoa are set to start on Monday and are expected to last up to two weeks as the Health Department awaits another shipment to arrive next month.

American Samoa’s 2,000 swine flue, or H1N1, vaccine doses from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention arrived late last week and since last Friday, vaccination for DOH’s 132 staff and management has been underway.

Also being vaccinated are staff and medical personnel at LBJ Medical Center and this process is expected to be completed today, Health director Tuiasina Dr. Salamo Laumoli told Samoa News yesterday.

“We are required to vaccinate not only DOH staffers, but hospital personnel, all of whom are on the frontline dealing with the public,” said Tuiasina in a telephone interview.

With DOH and LBJ complete, Tuiasina said vaccination of pregnant women begins on Monday at all DOH health community centers and at  LBJ’s OBGYN clinic.

Also important is that while the priority groups for vaccination are pregnant women and children, Tuiasina said the CDC has also given health officials an exemption for travelers.

“In other words, those traveling off-island right away can get their vaccinations done. The CDC has encouraged us to vaccinate travelers before they depart the territory,” said Tuiasina, adding that some vaccination were done already for local residents who left on last night’s Hawaiian Airlines’ flight. “What we need from these individuals in order for them to get the vaccination is their travel documents or airline ticket as proof they are departing the territory.”

Tuiasina said the CDC wants to make sure that people from other jurisdictions heading to other U.S. locations are well protect or are protected from spreading the swine flu.

PREGNANT WOMEN

“We expect the vaccination of pregnant women— who are among the priority group to get vaccinated first — to last for two weeks or all the way up to Dec. 11,” said Tuiasina, who noted that about 50 doses of the vaccine will be sent either today or tomorrow for the dispensaries in Manu’a to vaccinate pregnant women and DOH staff in Manu’a.

Vaccination on Tutuila will be carried out during normal business hours, when the community centers and the OBGYN are open.

The next priority group to be vaccinated are children and that is expected to start the middle of next month or after the vaccination of pregnant women is completed, said Tuiasina.

“We are expecting the next lot of vaccine doses from the CDC within two weeks time,” said Tuiasina. “We are looking at getting about 1,500 to 2,000 doses in the next shipment, which is great for American Samoa.”

The DOH director said they will issue more information when it’s time for vaccination of children and urged the community to be patient as they work to accommodate first the priority groups directed by the federal government.

“We don’t want everyone to rush in for their vaccination because we have a limited allotment and may not have enough for the priority groups, who are to get vaccinations first,” he said. “We will reach everyone— in the end.”

Meanwhile, the CDC has joined the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the 2009 Travelers’ Health Campaign as travel increases in the next several weeks due to the holiday season.

The CDC’s new campaign encourages travelers to remember four important steps:

•    Travel only when you feel well;

•    Wash your hands often;

•    Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your sleeve; and

•    Get a flu vaccination if you’re in a priority group.