Marshall County Health Department Administrator Ronda Francis wants the public to know there is no swine flu, or H1N1, vaccination shortage in her county.

During a meeting of the Marshall-Wetzel Counties Local Emergency Planning Committee on Thursday, Francis said national media reports of shortages are misleading, as doses are coming in but are being distributed to the counties based on population percentages.

"We receive vaccines every week," Francis said. "When we hold a clinic, we don't have shortages for that clinic."

"We don't have enough vaccines for all 3,200 people in the county, but enough will be available by December," she added. "As the vaccination comes in, we'll be giving it to the population."

For example, Francis said if her department receives 500 doses in one week, a clinic or clinics will be held to distribute those 500 doses to 500 people. The same goes for the following week, and so on. The vaccines are not ordered by the county health departments; rather, they are distributed from the government, Francis said. She said the number of vaccine doses distributed to the counties is first determined by the federal government, which sends those doses to state agencies. Then, each state agency distributes the doses to the individual counties based on the population percentage of target age groups in that county.

Those age groups, as determined by the government, are children, people between the ages of 6 months and 24 years, people between the ages of 24 and 64 years who have chronic health problems, health care workers, pregnant women and any person in a household who would have contact with children, Francis said. She added that the state requests vaccinations at schools and other places where disease spreads quickly.

While she stressed that the number of doses received in the county is adequate for the target age groups, she added that no group is more important than another. However, she said that, with a limited staff and the high number of people wanting the vaccine, inoculations can be difficult.

"It's been very challenging to work with what we are given and the quantities we are given," Francis said.

On Wednesday, 328 students at Moundsville Middle and McNinch Primary Schools in Moundsville received the vaccine, Francis reported. A clinic for Washington Lands Elementary is scheduled for today, while Sherrard Elementary has one on Saturday and St. Francis Xavier school will have one next week.

With the exception of two make-up school inoculations that have to be scheduled, Francis said school vaccinations will conclude next week. She said she is very grateful to Marshall County Schools administrators for accommodating health department workers.

"They have made it so easy," Francis said. "Everything we need, they have given it. You can't imagine the work these people have done."

She also noted that other flu strands are going around.

"Not everything that these kids have is H1N1," Francis said.

Marshall County Emergency Management Agency Director Tom Hart added that his department is in daily contact with the health department regarding H1N1 vaccinations and reports in the county.

Terry Webber of Wetzel County Hospital told the committee that inoculations for hospital employees were held Thursday and more will be held today. He said 100 doses are available for the two days.

In other matters, Mike Muchek of the Marshall County Emergency Management Agency reported an evacuation drill at John Marshall High School on Tuesday went well.

"Everybody knew exactly where they were going," Muchek said.

The drill came on the heels of a bomb threat in September at the school, in addition to one at Sherrard Middle School. Since then, issues regarding emergency and evacuation procedures rose, as there was no concrete evacuation plan at John Marshall.

Now, a plan is in place to evacuate the students behind the building. While Munchek said there were some issues with getting students far enough behind the building, he said those issues are being addressed and more drills are planned.

Marshall County Schools General Manager Tom Wood agreed that the drill went well, and was grateful to Marshall County law enforcement and emergency officials for holding recent meetings to discuss emergency procedures.

"I really felt that from the knowledge from everyone. ... It is a good plan," Wood said.