Swine flu vaccination clinic on Thursday

By Staff
Melissa Cason
The H1N1 flu vaccine has arrived in Franklin County and the health department will be conducting a flu clinic on Thursday.
Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Karen Landers said Franklin County has approximately 250 doses on of the injectable vaccine and 100 doses of the flu mist vaccine.
"We need everyone to know that the mist is the exact same thing as the injectable vaccine," Landers said. "The mist can be used on children ages two to five, and health workers and caregivers up to age 49."
Landers said the target population for the first round of swine flu vaccine is children ages two to four, pregnant women, caregivers of children less than one month old, and healthcare workers.
"We are targeting these groups of our population because they are most at-risk," Landers said. "We expect to get more of the vaccine, but we don't know when that will be."
Lander said the flu shot clinic will be held in Franklin County from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. on Thursday.
"We are not turning anyone away at this point, but we want the public to assess their risk factors and decided whether they are at risk of getting H1N1," Landers said.
Landers said the patient does not have to have their seasonal flu vaccine in order to get the H1N1 vaccine, but it is important for those at risk for the seasonal flu to get their seasonal flu shot as well as the vaccine for H1N1.