Two schools in Iron County were closed including one today because of outbreaks flu symptoms. Rich Kremer reports Ashland County will now target at-risk people.

Ashland and Iron Counties have received enough H1N1 vaccine to begin flu clinics for at risk populations,, but schools and the general public will have to wait.

Ashland County Health Director Terri Kramolis placed orders for several thousand doses of the H1N1 vaccine before the shortage kicked in. She says there were small shipments of the nasal vaccine but only a narrow segment of her population could receive it.

“Just last week we had a larger shipment come in to our community of the attenuated or injectable vaccine. We administered, or distributed, 700 doses in this community last week.”

Overall, Kramolis says it’s frustrating that Ashland County received about one third of what it has ordered.

“The vaccine distribution coming out of the pharmaceutical companies has not been what it was promised.”

In Iron County, two schools have been closed because of flu like symptoms. Health Officer Zona Wick says she didn’t receive any vaccine for two weeks but just got 300 doses.

“I’m going to focus these next two weeks on my priority population; I can probably get them complete. So, the minute I get enough vaccine then we’re going to be looking at, possibly the end of November, getting into the schools.”

Wick says word of her recent shipments of vaccine has reached neighboring Michigan. She says residents from Gogebic County are calling her office for flu shots because they’re still waiting.

“There is a lot of inequity in this vaccine allotment, it seems, and none of us understand it.”

Wick says flu clinics will be held at the Iron County Health Department Friday November 6, Wednesday November 11 and Friday November 13.

Washburn County will also begin its first H1N1 vaccination clinics next Monday, Tuesday and Thursday for very young children, at-risk children and pregnant women.

Meanwhile, the Mercer school closed today and won’t re-open until Monday. Hurley school re-opened today after being closed two days.

Iron County Health Officer Zona Wick says absentee rates were on the rise last Friday.

“Enrollment was falling fast and the teachers were falling fast. So, Chris Patritto, the superintendent, and I looked at it over the weekend and things still weren’t looking good and so Chris Patritto and I closed the Hurley School on Sunday, Nov. 1st.”

While the Hurley school was closed Wick says something was happening nearby at the Mercer School.

“They were so healthy last week. Mercer School was doing really well. Then on Monday it started and they were dropping like flies. On Tuesday their percents were plummeting, they started at 20% absenteeism in the morning and according to Ann Klemm, the principle, about every ten minutes a student was in that wasn’t feeling well and running a high temp. So, we decided then to close the Mercer school for the rest of the week.”

Wick says Hurley’s private school, Northwoods Christian Academy has not seen any jumps in absenteeism.

• New system to make Apostle Islands kayakers informed, safer -9/2/2010
• Air Force vet running for Obey's seat as independent -9/1/2010
• Ashland's historic ore dock demolition in dispute, closed session set -8/31/2010
• Vietnam vets get thank yous and welcome homes Saturday in Superior -8/30/2010
• Republican Lt. Gov candidates weigh in on what a Lt. Gov does -8/29/2010