The Marion County and Marion City Health Departments are finalizing a tentative H1N1 vaccine schedule with the assistance of local school districts. Once vaccine arrives to adequately provide clinics, they will offer free vaccine against H1N1 influenza (swine flu). The funding for H1N1 vaccinations is being provided through a grant from the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
The tentative plan is to begin the vaccination clinics the first two weeks of November. Once the vaccine arrives at the clinic sites, dates and times will be announced through WDCM (Marion Online) and the health department website at www.marionhealthdept.com.
The CDC has recommended that certain groups of the population receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it first becomes available. These target groups include pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.
Once the target population has been served the clinics will open up to include the general population.
