The good news is that swine flu vaccine is arriving in Lawrence County.
The bad news is that there still doesn’t seem to be very much of it.
Local pediatrician Dr. Carlos Flores reported this week that his office has received about 1,200 doses of the vaccine. But with that amount, he is restricting distribution to his regular patients.
So far, there is no word of any other vaccine reaching the county, and 1,200 doses isn’t going to satisfy public demand.
The county is hardly alone in that regard, as a delay in vaccine production is limiting supplies throughout the United States. Supposedly, that problem will be resolved in the next few weeks, but with local doctors and school officials indicating an upswing in swine flu cases now, the vaccine may be too late for a lot of people.
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Word that some swine flu vaccine had reached the county prompted a call to the Pennsylvania Health Department.
But what the New Castle News found was virtual silence. The department was not confirming how much — if any — of the vaccine was in the county and where it had been sent. Making that information available is up to the individual physicians’ offices and medical facilities that receive it.
We presume this is the health department’s response to having the vaccine in such short supply. Doling the vaccine out in this fashion with a layer of secrecy, however, strikes us as odd.
Absent official information, people seeking the swine flu vaccine are likely to make repeated calls to various offices, wasting time and staff resources. And inevitably, there will be suspicions of favoritism as to how the vaccine is distributed.
The vaccine shortage makes things difficult, but this system needs work.
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Considering state budget cuts, it’s no surprise to learn that the New Castle public library is reducing staff and hours.
That’s a basic financial reality. Although the library receives money from various sources, none was likely to step up and replace what Harrisburg had taken away.
Especially in the current economic climate.
As we have observed previously, libraries typically receive short shrift in Pennsylvania when state budgets are tight. The irony is that any librarian will tell you that during times of high unemployment, demand for library services increases.
We would expect a state that claims to push for improved education would recognize the role libraries play in that process and give them higher priority.
Editorials
EDITORIAL: Odds and ends
- Editorials
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High court forces lawmakers back to drawing board
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision to throw out a legislative redistricting plan exposes a fundamental truth: The mapping of House and Senate districts in the commonwealth have nothing to do with representation or serving the people.
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Our Opinion: City hurts businesses by ticketing during lunch hours
Most of the candidates running (and now elected) for New Castle City Council and mayor last year said they believed downtown redevelopment was important. This was a common theme during editorial board meetings at the New Castle News prior to last spring’s primary and before the general election.
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Citizens offer to take open seat on New Castle City Council
It’s good to see there is so much interest in serving on New Castle City Council. On Tuesday, council interviewed nine citizens who have expressed a desire to fill an existing vacancy. The only unfortunate part is that most of these people weren’t interested in the post last year, when it was on the ballot.
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Second thoughts
County commissioner decides to take charge of prison board
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Our Opinion, Part 2: Mayor’s hiring of his son raises more serious questions
If you ask New Castle residents to identify the biggest problem in local government, one word will stand out:
Nepotism. The term, of course, refers to the hiring of one’s relatives for positions, regardless of the fact others are equally — or more — deserving of available positions. -
Our Opinion: Why didn’t council keep Chief Tom Sansone?
Last week, a majority on city council refused to confirm Mayor Anthony Mastrangelo’s appointment of Tom Sansone to continue as police chief. For the moment, the city has no police chief, and city residents are left to wonder why.
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Writers reveal ignorance of school board politics
Editor, The News: In a recent edition of The News there was a letter by James Smith that caught my attention.
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Fairness is consideration in Jameson Hospital’s request to city
Jameson Hospital wants New Castle to give it a break. And it’s something city council should consider — if doing so makes sense, and if it is fair to all.
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Proposal to cut size of Legislature moves modestly ahead
Efforts to streamline Pennsylvania’s Legislature took a step forward this week. But plenty of additional steps remain in what promises to be a daunting process.
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Violence flares in Mideast nation as American troops depart
It doesn’t always make headlines in America, but violence is a regular occurrence in Iraq. Yesterday, car bombings in Baghdad killed 14 people and wounded 75 others. In the United States, such bloodshed would be a major event. In Iraq, it’s just more of the same.
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High court forces lawmakers back to drawing board
