H1N1 clinic planned for this Friday
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on December 17, 2009 1:46 PM
The Health Department continues to vaccinate residents against the flu, with another free H1N1 clinic slated for Friday, Health Director James Roosen told the board Wednesday.
"The flu clinic has been extremely complicated because we have got two different vaccines this year -- the live (H1N1) virus, mist and the seasonal flu," he said. "We have had 3,600 people we have already vaccinated, roughly three times what we did last year."
The Health Department is continuing to distribute H1N1 to primary care providers, Roosen said.
"We're getting it out there and (providers) are getting people vaccinated," he said. "That has been a huge job, managing all these extra doses."
Vaccines for seasonal flu were also provided earlier for middle schools in the county, with an estimated 2,200 doses given out, Roosen said.
Preparing for Friday's mass vaccination clinic, the health director said there is a sufficient quantity for the public.
"We're geared -- the last time we did a mass vaccination, we vaccinated 1,200 in seven hours," he said.
The free clinic will be held at the Health Department from 7:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Appointments are not necessary, but to promote faster processing, an alphabetized system has been set up -- by first letter of the person's last name: A-J, 7:30-10 a.m.; K-R, 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.; S-Z, 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Seasonal flu vaccines are also still available, by appointment.
"We have got about 18 walk-ins every day for seasonal flu," he said.
The Health Department will be closed for the holidays, with the exception of maternity clinics, from Dec. 18 until Dec. 28.