234 get H1N1 vaccine

Published 11:59 pm Friday, November 13, 2009

Two hundred thirty-four more Covington County citizens were vaccinated against the H1N1 “swine” flu at the county health department’s Friday clinic, Health Service Administrator Ziba Anderson said.

Anderson said the clinic started with about 250 doses of the vaccine, and there were only 16 left at the end of the day.

“It was a pretty similar turnout to our first clinic (on Wed., Oct. 28),” Anderson said. “Early in the morning, we had a large group show up and we were worried we’d run out of the vaccine by lunch. But it kind of tapered off a little later.”

Friday’s clinic was only for certain “priority groups,” which included pregnant women, household and caregiver contacts of children younger than 6 months of age, health care and emergency medical services personnel, persons from 6 months through 24 years of age, and individuals aged 25 through 64 years with medical conditions associated with a higher risk of flu complications (such as asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, HIV and certain types of arthritis.

“There were a few more priority groups added for this clinic,” Anderson said. “People were very cooperative throughout the day and everything went smoothly.”

Anderson said additional clinics would be scheduled as soon as the department receives more vaccine.

“We wish we had more vaccine and could offer it to everyone, but at the present time, we don’t have any more supply,” he said. “As soon as we get some more, we will offer more clinics.”

Anderson added that he did not know when more seasonal flu vaccine would be available.

In addition, school-based vaccination clinics are scheduled for late November; those clinics will be for children ages 10 or younger. Clinics for older children are planned in December or January.