Schools still waiting for H1N1 vaccine

MOBILE, Ala. - Mobile County has received some doses of the swine flu vaccine, but none of the vaccine has made it's way to local schools.

Alabama's largest school system was hoping to vaccinate its students by the end of October. But Health Services Supervisor Dr. Wanda Hannon says there's been yet another delay.

"We're just waiting. They're not expecting it until later in the month of November, or possibly December, and so we've just had to kind of put it on hold and wait," she said.

According to Dr. Hannon, the system has been told it's taking a lot longer to produce the vaccine, and that has led to delays across the state.

The Mobile County School system saw a spike in the absentee rate because of the flu right after the start of the school year. The rate is back to normal now, but school officials say it could go up again.

"Our flu season is actually March here on the gulf coast. So even if we get it as late as January we'll still be doing okay for March," Dr. Hannon said.

The goal now is to vaccinate students in early December. But some parents, like Kathy Presley, say there's no rush as far as they're concerned.

"I'm not sure that I'm ready for my child to have a vaccine that I don't know a lot about, unless it's the regular flu vaccine," Presley said.

The Mobile County Health Department said there was no definite date on when the vaccine would arrive.

In Baldwin County, schools are hoping to get the vaccine by the middle of November.