Health department receives 500 doses of seasonal flu vaccine

Andrew Ellis 16, of Lawrence, was the first person to receive his H1N1 vaccine from Maria Ana Garza, who works for the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, at the first swine flu vaccine clinic this year in Douglas County. About 4,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine were on hand Oct. 21 at Coffin Sports Complex at Haskell University.

The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department has received 500 doses of seasonal influenza vaccine.

It is the department’s final shipment.

Clients can walk in anytime during clinic hours to receive the immunization. The clinic is located on the first floor of the Community Health Facility, 200 Maine.

The clinic hours are 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, except it opens at 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays and remains open until 8 p.m. Mondays.

The vaccine is $22 for children between the ages of 6 months and 35 months and $26 for people 3 years and older. Clients eligible for Medicare Part-B, Medicaid, HealthWave and Blue Cross/Blue Shield will have their insurance billed if they bring their card.

Because seasonal flu viruses are different strains than H1N1 influenza, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting both immunizations.

H1N1 clinic

The department is having a community H1N1 vaccination clinic from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, Dec. 3, at the Community Health Facility for those in the priority groups, which are:

• All people 6 months through 24 years of age.

• Daily care providers and household members of children younger than 6

months of age.

• All pregnant women.

• Health care and emergency services personnel who have direct patient

contact.

• Adults ages 25-64 with chronic health conditions.

The health department encourages children under 10 who have received their first dose of the H1N1 vaccine, to receive their second booster immunization. A period of one month must have passed, however, between the child’s first and second doses.

People attending the H1N1 clinic can download a consent form that may be filled out ahead of time and brought to the clinic.