As alarms rise nationwide about a swine flu vaccine shortage, the City Health Department is assuring New Yorkers they are doing everything in their power to ensure H1N1 vaccines will be available to those who wish to be immunized.

DOH spokeswoman Jessica Scaperotti said the city is making progress in accumulating vaccines for its residents, although she also emphasized the fact that H1N1 is circulating in New York City at very low levels.

“We’ve already placed orders for over 700,000 dosages and there are over 1,000 providers in NYC who have the vaccine,” she said.

Scaperotti said the city would continue to place orders as the Center for Disease Control increases its allocations, which is something that typically happens several times a week.

“It’s up to the CDC. As they increase our allocation, we are able to order more; but we fully expect to have enough vaccine for those most at risk,” said Scaperotti, who could not identify an exact timeline for when all the at risk population, which totals 4.3 million in New York City according to the governor’s office, will be immunized.

Following President Obama’s declaration of a National Emergency in regards to the H1N1 flu, on Oct. 28 Gov. David Paterson issued an Executive Order to declare a State Disaster Emergency, in order to provide additional assistance and flexibility to local governments working to protect New Yorkers from H1N1. The Executive Order permits trained health care workers – including physician and specialist assistants, pharmacists, dentists, certain dental hygienists, midwives and emergency medical personnel – to administer the vaccine, rather than just physicians, certified nurse practitioners and nurses, as the law previously stated.

The priority groups to receive the vaccine include pregnant women, people with underlying health issues and children.

In terms of vaccinating children, the Department of Health is currently in a three-phase program at city elementary schools. The first phase, which began Oct. 28, will provide vaccines to schools with fewer than 400 children. The second phase, which began Wednesday, will provide shots and nasal sprays to schools with 400 to 600 children. Lastly, on Nov. 9, schools with more than 600 students will receive the vaccine.

For information about where to receive vaccines, Scaperotti said the Department of Health has “created a one stop shop for all information about influenza in New York City” at www.nyhealth.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/h1n1/. The site includes an extensive vaccine locator in each county that identifies flu clinics offered by local health departments on an interactive map. Currently, there are 17 flu vaccination clinic locations in Queens.

To find an H1N1 vaccine location, the Department of Health has also set up a 24/7 H1N1 Influenza Hotline for the Public at (800) 808-1987 and city residents can also seek information by calling 311.

Reach Reporter Kaitlyn Kilmetis at kkilmetis@queenstribune.com, or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128.