H1N1 clinic to be held Thursday

Another H1N1 vaccination clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, at the Southgate Mall, according to the Yuma County Public Health District.

This clinic will be available for individuals who fall within Tier 1 and 2, which includes all health care and emergency medical services personnel, all persons ages 6 months to 24 years old and everyone ages 25 to 64 who has a medical condition that puts them at a higher risk for flu-related complications, such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma and kidney disease. Children who are under 10 years of age will need to have a second dose of the H1N1 vaccine in order to have full immunity. The second vaccine should be received at least 4 weeks after the first.

"To make sure that we have given those individuals that have the highest risk every opportunity to be vaccinated, we will be remaining at Tier 1 & 2 for a while longer,” said Becky Brooks, public health district director. “I appreciate all that the community has done to help us during this process.”     

The clinic will have doses of inactivated influenza vaccine, referred to as the "flu shot" and live attenuated influenza vaccine, better known as flu mist.

The doses will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis after a short screening process to determine a person's risk category and to verify that the individual(s) live within Yuma County.  

To date the Yuma County Health District has distributed more than 24,000 doses of the vaccine.

For more information about the flu and/or the clinic, call the county 2009 H1N1 phone line from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 373-1025.