LIHU‘E — Dr. Ken Pierce and his wife, nurse Diane Pierce, have administered between 150 and 200 swine flu (H1N1) shots on Kaua‘i, many to people in the comfort of their own homes. Their Island Doctors on Call — iDoc
LIHU‘E — Dr. Ken Pierce and his wife, nurse Diane Pierce, have administered between 150 and 200 swine flu (H1N1) shots on Kaua‘i, many to people in the comfort of their own homes.
Their Island Doctors on Call — iDoc — is one of just two Kaua‘i operations where the H1N1 vaccination is available outside of private doctors’ offices — the other being the Waipouli Kaua‘i Village Safeway pharmacy, according to the state Department of Health Web site, hawaii.gov/health/flu-health-gov.
And while the DOH Web site indicates the iDoc service is available only between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., Dr. Ken Pierce said the service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by appointment.
Most of his clients are parents with children who want to make sure their children are immunized, he said.
He is offering only the preservative-free, injectable vaccine, for those ages 4 and up, and said he expects the brisk initial demand to taper a bit once vaccination clinics start next week in some of the island’s schools.
Caregivers of young children and pregnant women have also been calling to inquire about the service, he said.
“Our goal is to get people vaccinated, those who want it,” he said.
The vaccine is free, and the administration charge is $15, though they have given away both the shot and delivery charge to families who couldn’t otherwise afford the protection, he said.
They’re trying to provide the service to shut-ins and those who want to avoid clinics, he said.
Pierce said he has seen a recent increase in confirmed H1N1 cases on Kaua‘i in patients he sees in their homes, and has received calls from parents with children under the age of 4 who are “panicked” when they learn the preservative-free injection he offers is not suitable for those under the age of 4.
He usually refers those parents to their pediatricians or state Department of Health.
“Everyone has been grateful and happy” for the service and protection provided, and Pierce has been happy to help, and glad to see people getting themselves educated about the seasonal and swine flu, and asking intelligent questions about the diseases and immunizations.
Pierce said they always discuss the benefits and risks of the immunization, and never try to talk someone into getting the shot if they have any doubts about receiving it.
They receive the doses free from the state DOH, he said.
Pierce said he has a “looming question,” whether or not the state will have a large enough supply of Tamiflu, particularly the suspension liquid formula for the youngest patients, if and when the flu epidemic hits Hawai‘i.
Nationally, there has been a shortage of liquid Tamiflu, which some pharmacists have gotten around by crushing Tamiflu capsules and mixing the powder with cherry syrup.
Island Doctors on Call can be reached at 652-6060 or 652-6061, islanddcotorsoncall@hotmail.com, or on the Web, www.islanddoctorsoncall.com.
• Paul C. Curtis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.
