NAPA (BCN) -- Napa County has received 2,800 doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine, most  of which will go to local obstetricians and gynecologists who serve pregnant  women, according to county health officials.

The doses arrived Friday, Napa County spokeswoman Elizabeth Emmett  said.

There are 1,500 doses of adult vaccine without preservatives,  which are appropriate for pregnant women and other adults, county Public  Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith said. The county also received 1,200 doses  with preservatives.

The public health department will lend nearly all the vaccine the  county has received so far to private providers who have not received any  vaccine, Emmett said.

When the private providers receive vaccine in the coming weeks,  they will "repay" the county, which will then use the vaccine in clinics  targeted at priority groups, Emmett said.

The county also will reserve 500 doses for medical first  responders and for the public health clinicmist  vaccine that is suitable for healthy adults and older children.

"It is a relief to be able to provide H1N1 vaccine to pregnant  women in Napa County," Smith said in a news release.

"We're hoping that soon we will receive a large shipment of  vaccine so we can do some large-scale planning. In the meantime, we will  ensure that the small shipments we receive are quickly distributed to health  care providers or used at small, targeted clinics organized by public  health," Smith said.

Private providers have agreed to provide the vaccine only to  priority groups that include pregnant women, children age 6 months to 24  years, caregivers or infants up to 6 months old, health care providers and  adults under age 65 with chronic respiratory illness, Emmett said.
     
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