HAUPPAUGE – Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and Acting Commissioner of the Department of Health Services, Linda Mermelstein, M.D., M.P.H., asked health care providers today to make plans to vaccinate priority target populations against the H1N1 virus as soon as the vaccine becomes available to them. 

“Up until a couple of weeks ago there was a shortage of H1N1 flu vaccine available to county health departments and private providers throughout the state,” Levy said. “But now, I am pleased to report that in the past three weeks, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS) has received over 65,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine and has distributed over 40,000 doses to physicians’ offices, hospitals, the county’s health centers and to residents at 17 public Point of Distribution (POD) clinics held in varied geographic locations and during varied hours throughout the county.” 

Dr. Mermelstein implored providers who have not registered to receive vaccine to register on the New York State Department of Health website at: https://hcsteamwork1.health.state.ny.us/pub/top.html, at which time the state will provide them with a PIN number.  

Providers who are unable to obtain H1N1 influenza vaccine from the NYSDOH and who are interested in receiving the vaccine should contact Gail Mickaliger at the Suffolk County Department of Health Services by e-mail at gail.mickaliger@suffolkcountyny.gov or by calling 631-853-3055. Arrangements will be made for the providers to pick up the vaccine; however, providers must first have obtained an H1N1 PIN number from the state. Providers who order the vaccine should make sure they have appropriate storage facilities for it prior to receiving it. Providers should also frequently check the NYSDOH website and NYSDOH Commerce website for up-to-date information, as the guidance is subject to change. 

 “We are very grateful this Thanksgiving for the phenomenal efforts of the Public Health Division staff who work in Communicable Disease Control, Emergency Preparedness, and Pharmacy to make distribution of the H1N1 influenza vaccine a success,” said Dr. Mermelstein. “Our staff and volunteers have provided safe and orderly Point of Distribution (POD) clinics and distribution of vaccine to community providers and hospitals. We appreciate all of their hard work in continuing to make Suffolk's POD program a success.”