Ari Cohn, Tribune
October 18, 2009 – 12:19PM
About three-quarters of Chandler firefighters eligible to receive doses from an early batch of the H1N1 flu vaccine have refused it, according to fire department officials.
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Most of the 200 doses allocated to the department’s roughly equal number of emergency responders likely will be returned to Maricopa County health officials for redistribution to medical professionals likely to encounter cases of the virus, said Marc Walker, a fire department spokesman.
Only about 50 Chandler firefighters volunteered Wednesday and Thursday to receive a nasal mist containing a weakened form of the virus, said Donna Pierce, a Chandler Fire Department captain who traveled around to several city fire stations to administer the vaccine.
Many of those who volunteered for the vaccine said it was because they have young children to whom they didn’t want to spread a possible infection.
“The other two-thirds are like, ‘Nope, we don’t want it,’†Pierce said.
Those who declined the vaccination generally said it was because the vaccine was new and untested, she said.
Three volunteers at a fire station just southwest of Warner and Alma School roads opted to take the vaccine Thursday afternoon. Among them was firefighter Mike Cravener, who has a baby at home and whose wife is pregnant. Cravener said if he is exposed, he doesn’t want to pass on the illness to his family.
“I feel like I should probably do it,†he said.
Suzy Vargo, a fire department engineer, took the vaccine, as well. Vargo said it’s because she has a 21-month-old at home. She said firefighters already are responding to calls from patients with flulike symptoms in Chandler.
Chandler firefighters were the city’s first employees to have been offered the H1N1 flu vaccine.