With the very limited supply of the nasal spray and injectible H1N1 vaccine available locally, the Marion County and Marion City Health Departments will offer free immunizations against H1N1 influenza this weekend, but only to the CDC's recommended high risk subgroups.
The clinic is scheduled for Saturday, October 31, 2009 from 9:00am-1:00pm at Marion Harding High School, 1500 Harding Highway East.
Both the nasal spray and injectible H1N1 vaccine will be offered to the subgroups that have been identified as the groups with the highest risk for influenza related complications.
A screening process will be set-up and those not in one of the high risk subgroups will be turned away.
The health department says they will only be able to offer the vaccine while the supply lasts.
The high risk subgroups identified for this first round of either nasal spray or injectible vaccinations will be strictly limited to:
1. Pregnant women will receive the injectible vaccine
2. People that live with or provide care for infants less than six months of age will receive the nasal spray
3. Healthcare workers in a medical setting with direct patient care will receive the nasal spray
4. Children 6 months through 4 years: children 6 months through 23 months will receive the injectible vaccine and children 2 years through 4 years will receive the nasal spray vaccine
5. Children ages 5 through18 that have medical conditions that put them at a higher risk for influenza related complications will receive the injectible
Health Officials are asking anyone with a State I.D. or driver’s license bring these to the clinic to quicken the registration process.
The Health Departments have determined that it is necessary to delay the start of the school based H1N1 vaccination clinics.
Local health officials said they do not have enough vaccine to take care of all children in all of the Marion County and City school districts at this time. Due to the fact that vaccine shipments have been delayed from the manufacturers and other providers such as health care providers and mass retail pharmacies do not currently have vaccine this has created a greater demand on the public health system.
Instead of starting school based clinics for school age children next week, the health department has formed a new strategy which will break the high risk groups down into additional sub-categories as recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (who provides guidance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
School based clinics will still be planned in the future as long as the need exists and the vaccine is available.
For more information, you can contact the Marion County Health Department at (740) 387-6520.
