The first public clinic in Wood County for H1N1 vaccines is planned for Monday from 1 to 6 p.m. The
clinic, intended for people in high risk groups, will be set up in the Huntington Bank Building at
Bowling Green State University, located at 1851 N. Research Drive off Dunbridge Road.
High risk populations targeted for the vaccine include:
¥ Pregnant women.
¥ People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age.
¥ Health care and emergency medical services personnel.
¥ People between the ages of 6 months through 24 years of age.
¥ People from ages 25 through 64 years who are at higher risk for novel H1N1 because of chronic health
disorders or compromised immune systems.
Since the H1N1 immunization program is a federal project, the shots have to be given to anyone who
requests them for no fee. People coming to the walk-in clinic do not need to present identification.
Both the nasal spray form and the injectable form of the H1N1 vaccine will be available. However, there
is a limited supply of the injectable form.
As of this morning, the health department had about 300 doses of the injectable vaccine, and 1,250 doses
of the flu mist.
This will be the first clinic for the public held by the Wood County Health Department. Three clinics
have been held this week for local health care personnel.
Those clinics, however, primarily offered the flu mist vaccine, which contains a live virus.
Consequently, personnel from Wood County Hospital did not get the vaccine because of the potential risk
it could pose to patients.
"It’s only for those 2 to 49 who are healthy," Amy Jones, communicable disease nurse with the
health department, said of the flu mist.
The injectable vaccines are expected to go quickly next week, Jones said, but health department officials
hope to get more soon.
"Any day, we could get another shipment," Jones said this morning. However, officials have no
idea when, or how many vaccines.
With winter approaching, some health officials fear a double challenge as a resurgent H1N1 flu batters
young people before the vaccine is widely available, while the ordinary flu strikes the elderly. Also,
emergency doctors are worried about the strain on emergency rooms and hospitals.
To date, H1N1 flu has hospitalized hundreds of thousands of people around the world and killed at least
4,500, including at least 600 in the U.S. At least 81 U.S. children have died, including many who had no
underlying health problems, according to the Associated Press.